Española Island
Some of us woke early this morning to go kayaking along the cinder cliffs of Gardner Island, a small eroded cone which is one of the landmarks of Gardner Bay. The morning started overcast, which is typical for this time of the year, when the colder season is gaining momentum.
Almost everybody headed out for snorkeling along the same cliffs as the kayakers did earlier. Because of the cinder, many underwater caves are formed; a perfect playground for young sea lions. The cinder also makes it such that many benthic organisms can develop. Today we saw scorpion fish, coral hawk fish, several species of blennies and cardinal fish.
After that we headed for a sandy white, crowded coral beach. Crowded with sea lions, that is. Especially here they make thankful photo subjects, with a stunning background. Back on board, after lunch and a brief siesta, we had an open forum about Mission Blue, a much needed project initiated by Dr. Sylvia Earle, the winner of the TED prize and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. Our oceans are really in deep trouble and need our full attention. We feel it as our duty to talk about it, and show our concern. Hopefully we inspire people every time with this forum.
And then there is Punta Suarez. This is one of those magical places on our planet where, no matter where you look, there is beauty. Not just the dramatic landscape of black and white cliffs with thickets of green, yellow and red succulents, golden herbs and grasses, all this densely inhabited by many sea birds, land birds, reptiles and sea lions, not to mention all the non-vertebrates living here. But also the big oceanic swells who endlessly pound these shores, making for a true spectacle, both in vision and sound, creating this typical haze. Through this haze we saw the sky slowly turn from yellow to orange to scarlet.
Humbled by this spectacle of nature we silently left for the ship, not really wanting to leave. Back In the Zodiac, in the beginning dusk, we could still here the cacophony of Espanola’s inhabitants. As a matter of fact, I think most of us will never forget that sound.
