Española Island
After leaving Cerro Brujo on the island of San Cristobal last night, the National Geographic Endeavour headed southwards to Gardner Bay on Española Island, the oldest of the Galápagos chain. We had breakfast and a snorkeling safety briefing followed by deep-water snorkeling at Gardner Islet. Here we found a group of young sea lion pups that played with us tirelessly. They were swimming back and forth, and following us on free dives. It was a wonderful experience!
We saw a school of black-striped salemas and plenty of tropical fish. Then we went to Gardner Bay where we strolled along the gorgeous white talcum-powder beach. Since this a photo expedition, the beach was the place where you could walk on your own and get the best shots. Galápagos hawks mating, Hood mockingbirds, marine iguanas and more. It was a beautiful day.
After lunch the photographers gave a hands-on session with cameras and tips on photography. In the afternoon we went to visit Punta Suarez on the west side of the island. Española, being the oldest of the chain, is a must-visit place; here we saw the Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, Hood mockingbirds, Española lava lizards, Galápagos hawks and the majestic waved albatrosses flying along the old, eroded cliffs. They were also courting; doing all the funny steps of bill clicking, heads going sideways and walking in way that makes them look silly and clumsy.
It was a fantastic day to have witnessed what nature undisturbed is like. We returned to the ship with our spirits high.
