Today we reached the oldest island of the Archipelago, Española. Like San Cristobal, it also harbors a unique set of species that are endemic to Española. This includes the Española mockingbird, the Española lava lizard, and the Christmas iguana; a subspecies of marine iguana that is unique to Española. We also saw waved albatrosses and their chicks.
In the morning, we snorkeled and sailed on our Zodiacs around Gardner Islet. There, we found playful sea lions, schools of tropical fish, as well as many colorful marine invertebrates. At the same time, other groups kayaked around Española Island. Later, we visited a beautiful sandy beach.
In the afternoon we visited Punta Suarez, a paradise for seabirds. We observed waved albatrosses gliding as well as Nazca boobies, a giant tortoise from Española, a family of Galapagos hawks and many colorful marine iguanas.
Española never ceases to amaze me, it is a paradise for the observation of wildlife, particularly of seabirds. This island has a special place in my heart.
