Early morning mist blankets the ocean and starts to rise with the sun, as we find ourselves floating upon turquoise waters at Gardner Bay, Española Island. As this journey continues, we start to realize that each island is a world of its own, and all is new for exploration. Snorkelers find an incredible mix of life forms, as we encounter surgeonfish, king angelfish, damselfish, and very fast Indio Pacific bonito tuna that jets by, searching for food. Galapagos sea lions show us their agility in this three dimensional world that is the ocean, as they blow bubbles at us and occasionally grab hold of our snorkel fins. A deep wall gives us a kaleidoscope of colors, bright orange cup corals line the wall with hat pin sea urchins, and a small coral hawk fish darts among the spines. After this oceanic enlightenment we head to the beach, which is a blindingly white coralline beach with the occasional sea lion resting among us. Galapagos Hawks glide above us, looking for their daily sustenance, with Española mockingbirds fliting about, also trying to find their next meal. A group of kayakers explore along the coast with opuntia prickly pear cacti looming above them on the cliffs. Upon our return Captain Fausto proceeds to navigate our ship to its next destination along the western edge of Española Island.
Punta Suarez is one of the hotspots of life in the Galapagos Archipelago, as this relatively small area is the first and last to be affected by the incredibly rich Humboldt oceanic current during the year. We immediately find ourselves stepping over marine iguanas as we make our way along the path. The high-pitched screech of red-billed tropic birds overhead awakens our senses, as we balance ourselves over the rocky basalt path. Surrounded by small croton and mesquite bushes, we come upon an open area which is used by the Galapagos waved albatross for their breeding colony. These majestic birds soar just over our heads, as they return to the colony to find their mates and nesting area. This population is not only endemic to the Galapagos Islands, it is only found here on Española Island. The air traffic of albatross, among other bird species, is astonishing, as the ocean brings this seasonal abundance to this area. Galapagos hawks hover along the cliff, catching updrafts and using their elevated position to search for their food source. Nazca boobies occupy the flat platform close to the cliffs, which gives them a springboard for their survival in this life, as they have a view of the feeding grounds before them. Sea lions come ashore as the sun dips in the distance and the changing of the guard from day to night reminds us that this orchestra of life does not stop, as we close another fantastic day in the Enchanted Isles.
