Española Island
Today we dropped anchor at Punta Suarez, the next destination in our expedition. Located in the west of one of the oldest islands of the Galápagos Archipelago, it is between three to five million years of age and is where we disembarked to observe several of the endemic species that make this place unique from the whole archipelago. After landing we were eager to see the most colorful of the marine iguanas in the Galápagos Islands warming up on rocks, a thermoregulation behavior observed in reptiles. At this time of the year these iguanas get their brightest coloration, reminding us of Christmas because of the red and green. The endemic lava lizards performed several push ups as territorial display and courtship depending on who was watching. Española mockingbirds followed us the whole trail expecting to get some fresh water - without any success. We came to the seabird cliffs where Nazca boobies, swallow tailed gulls, red billed tropicbirds, and blue-footed boobies performed a spectacular display of their flying skills and some of them a charming courtship dance. We saw the last of the waved albatross of the season flying along above the cliffs before joining their fellows out on the open ocean. They will spend the next three months off the coast of Peru and Chile before coming back in the last days of April to breed again.
As always sea lions where everywhere; cute baby sea lions playing in tidal pools while waiting for their mothers. We came back on board and prepared our snorkeling equipment to explore the underwater world of the Galápagos marine reserve; after that we were delighted with the Ecuadorian feast at lunch and then the mandatory siesta. In the afternoon our guests went after several options: glass bottom boat, snorkeling, beach walking and swimming, and kayaking.
We came back at sunset, full of excited moments and waiting for more at recap time.
Today we dropped anchor at Punta Suarez, the next destination in our expedition. Located in the west of one of the oldest islands of the Galápagos Archipelago, it is between three to five million years of age and is where we disembarked to observe several of the endemic species that make this place unique from the whole archipelago. After landing we were eager to see the most colorful of the marine iguanas in the Galápagos Islands warming up on rocks, a thermoregulation behavior observed in reptiles. At this time of the year these iguanas get their brightest coloration, reminding us of Christmas because of the red and green. The endemic lava lizards performed several push ups as territorial display and courtship depending on who was watching. Española mockingbirds followed us the whole trail expecting to get some fresh water - without any success. We came to the seabird cliffs where Nazca boobies, swallow tailed gulls, red billed tropicbirds, and blue-footed boobies performed a spectacular display of their flying skills and some of them a charming courtship dance. We saw the last of the waved albatross of the season flying along above the cliffs before joining their fellows out on the open ocean. They will spend the next three months off the coast of Peru and Chile before coming back in the last days of April to breed again.
As always sea lions where everywhere; cute baby sea lions playing in tidal pools while waiting for their mothers. We came back on board and prepared our snorkeling equipment to explore the underwater world of the Galápagos marine reserve; after that we were delighted with the Ecuadorian feast at lunch and then the mandatory siesta. In the afternoon our guests went after several options: glass bottom boat, snorkeling, beach walking and swimming, and kayaking.
We came back at sunset, full of excited moments and waiting for more at recap time.
