Espanola
On our second day of expedition we arrive to the southernmost island of the Galapagos. It is also the oldest, geologically speaking. This destination has incredible wildlife both on land and in the water.
First, after breakfast, we get our snorkeling gear ready and go for some deep water snorkeling off a satellite islet called Gardner just off the main island. Here we saw many different types of fishes like parrotfish with incredible colors and sizes, schools of yellow surgeon fish, king angel fish and many other, but what entertained us the most were the always graceful sea lions that came to meet us as if they had to, swimming all around us, jumping and circling so acrobatically and just so gracefully that is amazing to believe they could be so friendly to strangers in their environment.
Since this is the first opportunity to snorkel, some people prefer to take it easy and practice snorkeling from the beach, and those that cannot enter the water at all can take a stroll along the beach to watch and take pictures of sea lions that are all over the place hanging out or putting on the show in the waves crashing onto the sand of white color and fine texture.
The combination of white coralline sand and shallow water of the bay makes the water look Caribbean with a turquoise glow.
After this, some guests decided to do some exercise kayaking along the cliffs of the island teeming with wildlife.
The afternoon arrived and we all got ready for a hike in one of the places that has the largest concentration of different animal species than any other place on earth.
From the very beginning we see animals like sea lions, marine iguanas with incredible colors, pelicans, shore birds, Galapagos doves and the famous Darwin’s finches.
A little more inland, other forms of life show up. Among them, the Galapagos hawk, a bird that has taken the place of a large mammal elsewhere to be the top predator of this ecosystem.
Finally, we arrive to a location where the largest bird of the islands nests; this is the Waved albatross, which is here until December before it leaves to the open ocean for some months. They do the courtship display to strengthen their pair bonds as part of the ritual of an animal that mates for life.
Blue footed boobies also nest here at this time of the year; many of them have chicks which they are still feeding. Not far from them are their cousins the Nazca boobies which also nest on this island almost year round.
This incredible combination of animals make this location one of the most popular and most visited of the Galapagos Islands, therefore our responsibility for this island is a major priority, which is also true of all locations here.
This amazing adventure came to an end with the sun coming down the horizon; a moment to celebrate life.
