Each one of the Galápagos Islands possesses unique characteristics that make them special. Today, we visited Española, one of the oldest islands of the archipelago. Located in the south-east of the Galápagos, it was originally a shield volcano which has been naturally eroded by wind and seas, and now looks flat and small. However, its location right in the path of the south equatorial current means that the surrounding waters of Española are extremely rich in nutrients. This morning we woke up to the magnificent landscape of Gardner Bay, located in the north-eastern coast of Española. Here we had the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful sea temperature, as some of our guests had a chance to snorkel off Gardner Islet, right in the middle of the bay. Our fearless snorkelers had a lot of fun observing various species of fish like the king angel fish, creole fish and Mexican hogfish, as well as large schools of razor surgeons and white salemas. We also had the chance to explore the beautiful beach of Gardner Bay, with its white, coralline sands and sea lion colony. Many were able to find the unique marine iguanas feeding on the lava rocks that were covered in their favorite food: the seaweed. Along the beach, we had close encounters with yet another endemic species of this island: the Española mockingbird. They seemed to inspect everything, from the towels lying on the beach to backpacks and hats. They were surely patrolling their territories whilst looking for bits of food, but we know very well we mustn’t feed them ourselves, as it is against the Galápagos National Park Rules.
At midday we were all back on board the National Geographic Endeavour, as we had to weigh anchor and navigate westbound towards Punta Suárez, our next destination of the day. Since Española’s surrounding waters are extremely rich in nutrients and fish, various marine bird species have made this island their home. The most striking marine bird that inhabits Española is the endemic waved albatross; every year it migrates away during the warm-wet season but returns with the cooler oceanic waters in order to breed exclusively in this island. As the inland trail led us to their breeding grounds, we were very fortunate to be able to see this formidable bird up close. Another seabird species that breeds on Española is the Nazca booby; being able to observe their natural behaviors in their habitat was a real treat. Various species of landbirds also inhabit this island, including three species of Darwin finches, the Galápagos dove and the Galápagos hawk, the apex predator of the terrestrial food web of the island. All along the trails we were constantly accompanied by the endemic and colorful lava lizards… with so much wildlife surrounding us, it was easy to understand why Española is considered one of the highlights of the Galápagos, like a jewel in the crown… certainly a very special place in the Enchanted Isles.
