DESCRIPTION

North Seymour Island is regarded as a true highlight of any Galapagos travel itinerary. It’s easily reached from the north side of Santa Cruz Island and the Itabaca Channel, with a wealth of wildlife encounters in store.

This rocky island is home to one the most impressive colonies of different species of animals in the archipelago. While exploring, we encounter Great frigate birds which spend hours handing nesting materials to each other during courtship. We also find blue footed boobies cleaning the ground and transporting some twigs here and there, but never actually constructing a nest. The area where these birds lay their eggs is marked instead by a simple ring of white guano.

As we explore the shoreline, we cross a wide expanse of sand which is home to nests or black marine iguanas. Some of the islands' finest waves pound a boulder beach nearby – young sea-lions often body-surf here. Looking west, the two Daphne islands, Major and Minor, lie in the distance.

After a delicious lunch onboard the yacht, we head to Bachas Beach, a beautiful white coralline expanse. This is the perfect place for practicing snorkeling, swimming or to simply enjoy the white soft sand. Several brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea provide feeding grounds for various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos.