We spent our last day anchored inside the caldera of Genovesa Island. This isolated island is the northeastern-most island of the archipelago. Inhabited by hundreds of thousands of birds, this tiny island offered our guests the best up close experience on two walks: Darwin’s Beach and Prince Phillips Steps. This was also our chance to see the red-footed boobies up close. Genovesa is a jewel of the Galapagos. Because it is far from the other islands, we are fortunate to visit this spectacular, enchanted island of birds.
10/3/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartholomew Island and Sombrero Chino
We split into groups for different excursions this morning. Four groups went up the staircase to the top for the iconic view over the isthmus of Bartholomew Island and Pinnacle Rock. We walked past exposed volcanic formations of all sorts: spatter cones, tuff cones, and lava tubes. Two other groups chose to explore along the coast by Zodiac in hopes of Galapagos penguin sightings. All of us were successful in what we hoped for and even the walkers saw penguins near the dock where we disembarked! Both snorkeling off the beach and deep-water outings along the backside of the island were tremendously productive because we saw it all: penguins and sharks being the top species, and diving blue-footed boobies too! The afternoon had National Geographic Endeavour II anchored not too far south, off the coast of Santiago Island near Sombrero Chino. A dramatically barren, small volcanic cone where another snorkeling outing was offered and late-afternoon Zodiac rides to search yet one more time for penguins. We can never get enough of them!