We started our morning spotting bottle-nosed dolphins in the cove of Urbina Bay. A warm welcome to this visitors’ site! We had a dry landing on a sandy beach, where Pacific green sea turtles nest. Further inland, we encountered several Darwin finches and mockingbirds feeding on bugs and seeds left behind by the rainy season.
We soon came across the golden dragons of the Galapagos, some nesting and other feeding on green vegetation. These yellow dragons are endemic to six different islands of the archipelago and they can weigh easily up to 30 pounds. Their numbers are coming back after the eradication of invasive species.
We hiked further on uplifted terrain created by tectonic activity in 1954 when the sea bottom rose above sea level. We were lucky to spot a Galapagos hawk perched on a yellow cordia tree in search of prey. We also spotted a small female Galapagos giant tortoise sheltering under a poison apple tree.
In afternoon, we repositioned the National Geographic Islander to Tagus Cove. Here, we examined walls covered with graffiti left behind by long-ago sailors who came seeking calm waters and also food in the form of giant tortoises. Kayaking along the coastline, we encountered penguins and cormorants. Some of us chose to go snorkeling and explored the underwater world of the enchanted archipelago.
The last outing of the afternoon took us on a breathtaking hike along the rim of Darwin Lake, where we had the opportunity of photographing the outstanding landscape with great late-afternoon light. It was amazing day and capped by a colorful sunset!
