Gardner Bay and Punta Suarez
It’s early in the morning on Sunday in the Galapagos Islands, and we are in front of one of the most beautiful sandy beaches of the archipelago. Here in Gardner Bay the white sand is always inviting you to disembark as soon as possible.
By nine in the morning, after the snorkeling briefing, we have the guests ready to go. The program has multiple options; we can go deep water snorkeling, kayaking or just disembark on the beach. All visitors are excited about the program so we have a busy morning watching the sea lions lying on the beach, and walking near a very irreverent Espanola mockingbird which does not hesitate in exploring the inside of the backpack of the visitors on the beach. There are some very colorful iguanas, and Darwin finches.
To our guests it is also a great option to walk on the beach and enjoy the peace and wonderful landscape. While we are having such nice time on the beach there is also some deep water snorkeling far off, in a rock called Gardner, where there are often chances to play with sea lions in the water and great sightings of tropical and reef fish.
The program ends by noon and the afternoon is waiting for us at another different location in the most westerly point of this old island in Galapagos.
We had a dry landing at 3:30 in the afternoon, with a walk at the great visitor site of the island of Espanola. This will be the place where the attractions are endless. After walking a few meters it’s hard to stop the explorers from going to all the places where the animals are. Here the marine iguanas, the Espanola mockingbird and the sea lions kept captivated all potential walkers. As we got farther in Punta Suarez reveals why it is that it’s known as an excellent visitor site: we see blue footed bobbies, Nazca boobies taking care baby chicks so close you could almost touch then, and an unexpected baby waved albatross. How late in the season it is for him to be so young; we wonder if he is going to make it. Ahead of him a great journey to open sea is waiting.
The difficulties of a rocky terrain were not much of a problem for our excited explorers who ended their visit with happy expressions on their faces. Another great adventure is about to end today in this beautiful paradise.
