Mother Nature surprised us today! Española, or Hood Island, named after Viscount Samuel Hood, is the oldest islands in the Galápagos archipelago and is considered to be approximately four million years old. Two sites in this enchanting island are popular with visitors, Gardner Bay and Punta Suarez.
Our first outing took place on a beautiful white sand beach that is crowded with sea lions. While some of us wandered on the beach, others explored the underwater realm. Those of us that opted to enjoy the underwater kingdom had an incredible experience snorkeling with sea lions. Kayaking was also another alternative to enjoy the old island; the coastline of Gardner Bay gave us a charming approach to the unique wildlife of this place.
Later in the afternoon our explorers went ashore. Dragon-like creatures painting the basaltic shore were found basking in the equatorial sun. Small colonies of sea lions were also sighted; they were resting after spending couple weeks offshore fishing. The path led us to the interior of the island where albatross and blue-footed boobies were sighted; life had come to the island due to the fact that this time a year the cold rich water of Humboldt Current bring a lot nutrients to the islands. Enthusiastic land birds such as mockingbirds, finches, and warblers charmed us with their melodies.
Our second day in the enchanted islands offered us a great and remarkable day. Our natural quest in this volcanic uplifted island ended after three hours of walking with a blazing sunset.
