Today we entered another world and our dream came true! Different activities were offered to our explorers to enjoy the beauty of the Galapagos Islands. Kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling were the choices we offered to appreciate the wonders of one of the oldest islands in the archipelago. Española or Hood Island, named after Viscount Samuel Hood, is located in the extreme southeast of the archipelago and is considered to be approximately four million years old. Two sites on this charming island are popular with visitors: Gardner Bay, which has a lovely white-sandy beach, and Punta Suarez, which is a must do because of its diverse bird-life.
The first outing was impressive. Kayaking along the coastline of Gardner Bay gave us a charming approach to the unique wildlife of this place. In addition, while the majority opted to explore the underwater realm, others walked on the beach where sea lions played with the waves. Snorkeling in the rich water of the Galápagos Islands gave our explorers the opportunity to see a mosaic of fish from the different provinces in the Pacific. Moreover, Galápagos sea lions, which are related to the Californian sea lions, were all over the snorkeling area playing with our enthusiastic snorkelers. Exhausted after so much fun, we went back to the National Geographic Endeavour to recover our energy and get ready for the next adventure.
Later in the afternoon our explorers went ashore. The marine iguanas looked like dragon sculptures basking in the equatorial sun and gave some color to the black basaltic coastline of Punta Suarez. Small colonies of sea lions were also found, they were resting after spending a few days offshore fishing. The path led us to the interior of the island where albatross and blue-footed boobies were sighted. Enthusiastic land birds such as mockingbirds, finches and warblers charmed us with their melodies.
Today our explorers joined Mother Nature and reconciled with the natural world. Our second day in the enchanted islands offered us great and remarkable opportunities. Our exploration of this volcanic uplifted island ended with a spectacular sunset.
