Española Island
From sunrise to sunset, we all spent a wonderful day on Española Island. This paradise, as we like to call it, is located at the southeasternmost area on the archipelago. There were many different activities planned for the day and all of them fully satisfied the various interests of our guests this week. There was nothing that we did not offer for this day, so I believe everyone ended up having their share of activities. Shortly after breakfast we jumped into the cold nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt Current. We had a wonderful snorkeling outing. We felt immersed in a symphony of colors that painted undeletable underwater pictures in our minds. For most of us the most pleasant activity was just laying on the whitest beach that we had ever seen, Gardner Beach. The breathtaking turquoise color of the waters in the bay merged in an artistic way with the clear blue sky and the volcanic surroundings. Many Galápagos sea lions let us be part of their home for unforgettable moments.
In the afternoon, the National Geographic Islander took us to the westernmost extreme of the Island, Punta Suarez. This visitor's site is as close to a dream as you can imagine. Waved Albatross nesting colonies are one of the top attractions of Punta Suarez. This beautiful and elegant marine bird species lives on Española Island exclusively between April to December for mating. The Waved albatross takes advantage of the Humboldt Current and the predominant trade south-east winds that help them both feed and become airborne. Several waved albatross chicks were spotted. Their funny-looking appearance was a delight for their observers. Large groups of marine iguanas, Darwin finches, Galápagos sea lions and blue-footed and Nazca boobies were admired and photographed as well. The last rays of light of the day found us making our way back to the ship. Even though we are on the last day of our expedition around this enchanted archipelago the great experiences we all have accumulated during the week will survive in our minds and hearts forever.
From sunrise to sunset, we all spent a wonderful day on Española Island. This paradise, as we like to call it, is located at the southeasternmost area on the archipelago. There were many different activities planned for the day and all of them fully satisfied the various interests of our guests this week. There was nothing that we did not offer for this day, so I believe everyone ended up having their share of activities. Shortly after breakfast we jumped into the cold nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt Current. We had a wonderful snorkeling outing. We felt immersed in a symphony of colors that painted undeletable underwater pictures in our minds. For most of us the most pleasant activity was just laying on the whitest beach that we had ever seen, Gardner Beach. The breathtaking turquoise color of the waters in the bay merged in an artistic way with the clear blue sky and the volcanic surroundings. Many Galápagos sea lions let us be part of their home for unforgettable moments.
In the afternoon, the National Geographic Islander took us to the westernmost extreme of the Island, Punta Suarez. This visitor's site is as close to a dream as you can imagine. Waved Albatross nesting colonies are one of the top attractions of Punta Suarez. This beautiful and elegant marine bird species lives on Española Island exclusively between April to December for mating. The Waved albatross takes advantage of the Humboldt Current and the predominant trade south-east winds that help them both feed and become airborne. Several waved albatross chicks were spotted. Their funny-looking appearance was a delight for their observers. Large groups of marine iguanas, Darwin finches, Galápagos sea lions and blue-footed and Nazca boobies were admired and photographed as well. The last rays of light of the day found us making our way back to the ship. Even though we are on the last day of our expedition around this enchanted archipelago the great experiences we all have accumulated during the week will survive in our minds and hearts forever.
