Española Island
Española is considered the oldest island in the archipelago. Without any active volcano, perhaps is dying from the point of view of geologists, but it is full of life everywhere. Our day began early in the morning kayaking along the shoreline observing the sea life of Española; it was a cold morning but nobody could imagine the adventures that were waiting for us during this incredible day.
After breakfast we headed to Gardner Islet to snorkel in waters that besides being crystal clear also hold an overwhelming range of sea life, such as playful sea lions and colorful tropical fish. Afterwards we landed on the white sandy beach, where we found more than two hundred sea lions resting peacefully, their pelage a nice contrast to the beach. Close to us, a group of curious mockingbirds explored our backpacks looking for food or water. Walking among sea lions, we played as the sun appeared intensely at the zenith, and the turquoise reflection from the water and sand revealed the start of the afternoon slowly in front of our eyes.
Back on board National Geographic Islander, we shared our experiences over an Ecuadorian lunch while our Captain, John Zurita, repositioned the ship at Punta Suarez, home of the largest sea bird in the Galápagos, the waved albatross.
In the afternoon, our outing began by landing on a small dock, observing marine iguanas distributed everywhere along the black rocks. They shared the rocks with many baby sea lions who were with their moms who fed them patiently. In the water a noisy male patrolled the shore protecting his small harem.
Walking inland we crossed high cliffs, full of blue-footed and Nazca boobies. Finally, at the distance, we observed the magnificence of the albatross whose impressive wingspan, along with their behavior and beauty, make landing among boulders quite an attraction. We observed their courtship dance, and saw many brown fluffy chicks and others taking off along the cliffs. Probably the most incredible thing about all these beautiful creatures is that all of them are endemic to Galápagos.
One outstanding feature of today’s hike was the incredible and famous blowhole, whose spray of salt water is ejected by waves through the rocks, delighting our guests. The color of the sky was changing, becoming orange as the sun disappeared in the west. In the distance, the island of Floreana – our destination for tomorrow – was visible.
Back on our Zodiacs we remembered all the beautiful and incredible species we observed today. Perhaps most incredible was their… innocence.
