Española Island
Today a dream came true!!! Different activities were offered to our explorers to enter another world. Kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling were the choices we proposed to enjoy the wonders of one of the oldest islands in the Galápagos 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-sand beach and Punta Suarez, which is a must-do because of its diverse birdlife.
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. Snorkeling in the rich waters of the Galápagos Islands gave our explorers the opportunity to see a mosaic of fish from the northern, southern and western 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 came back on board to recover our energy and get ready for the next adventure.
Later in the afternoon our explorers went ashore. Dragon’s sculptures (marine iguanas) basking in the equatorial sun 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; albatross and blue-footed boobies were sighted. Life has come to the island due to the fact that this time of year the cold rich water of the Humboldt Current bring a lot nutrients here. Enthusiastic land birds such as mockingbirds, finches and warblers charmed us with their melodies.
Today our explorers enjoyed Mother Nature from different perspectives; hiking, snorkeling and kayaking helped us to have close encounters with the natural world. Our second day in the enchanted islands offered us a great and remarkable day. Our exploration of this volcanic uplifted island ended after a three-hour walk and a bizarre sunset.
