Española Island
It was our second day of Galápagos exploration, and we visited Española Island. Our guests were ready at the disembarkation area 15 minutes before the scheduled time, so we decided to start a bit early. My colleagues and I understood how excited they are to be here in Galápagos.
From beginning to end we appreciated the fauna of Española Island tremendously; many of the marine species are breeding in this place such as the blue-footed boobies, waved albatross, red-billed tropic birds and the most colorful marine iguanas known informally as “Christmas Iguanas”, because during December they shine in green and red colors all over their body, getting ready to breed.
We also could see a few Galápagos hawks, Española mocking birds, striated and yellow crowned night heron, and three species of the famous Darwin finches: small ground finch, large cactus finch and warbler finch etc.
We also saw an interesting formation known as the “blow hole” where the waves come up inside a fissure in the lava shoreline, and due to the pressure of the water the result is a huge “geyser” of water up in the air.
On the way back to the National Geographic Polaris we saw a group of baby sea lions playing among themselves, and some marine iguanas heading to the shallows to forage. It was an intense and lovely morning we had at Punta Suarez on Española Island.
Just before lunch we were provided with snorkeling equipment and after a well-deserved siesta we were ready to start our afternoon activities on the same island, but in a different location.
Our experience in the afternoon was mostly in the water, glass bottom boat, kayaking and relaxing on one of the most beautiful beaches in Galápagos covered with resting sea lions.
What a day we all had on this magical and unique place.
It was our second day of Galápagos exploration, and we visited Española Island. Our guests were ready at the disembarkation area 15 minutes before the scheduled time, so we decided to start a bit early. My colleagues and I understood how excited they are to be here in Galápagos.
From beginning to end we appreciated the fauna of Española Island tremendously; many of the marine species are breeding in this place such as the blue-footed boobies, waved albatross, red-billed tropic birds and the most colorful marine iguanas known informally as “Christmas Iguanas”, because during December they shine in green and red colors all over their body, getting ready to breed.
We also could see a few Galápagos hawks, Española mocking birds, striated and yellow crowned night heron, and three species of the famous Darwin finches: small ground finch, large cactus finch and warbler finch etc.
We also saw an interesting formation known as the “blow hole” where the waves come up inside a fissure in the lava shoreline, and due to the pressure of the water the result is a huge “geyser” of water up in the air.
On the way back to the National Geographic Polaris we saw a group of baby sea lions playing among themselves, and some marine iguanas heading to the shallows to forage. It was an intense and lovely morning we had at Punta Suarez on Española Island.
Just before lunch we were provided with snorkeling equipment and after a well-deserved siesta we were ready to start our afternoon activities on the same island, but in a different location.
Our experience in the afternoon was mostly in the water, glass bottom boat, kayaking and relaxing on one of the most beautiful beaches in Galápagos covered with resting sea lions.
What a day we all had on this magical and unique place.
