Down in the southeast corner of the archipelago, one feels particularly isolated and alone. Winds and oceans currents come from the southeast – a thousand miles away…and go only one way – to the northwest. All here is unique within the uniqueness of the islands…One-of-a-kind species for only this little island. Mockingbird, finches, marine iguanas, giant tortoises, lava lizards. Our snorkeling experience was outstanding – sea lions dashing at us, twirling away while laughing…bubbles coming out of their nose being the giveaway that we were being made fun of. So good to live in the present.
5/11/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
We started our expedition by visiting one of the oldest islands of the archipelago and quite a fantastic one. We explored the beach in the morning and the inside of the island in the afternoon. Our first outing was a snorkel exploration of a small islet located on Gardner Bay, where we observed sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and many colorful fish! The temperature of the water, great visibility, and an abundance of life made for an outstanding first deep-water snorkel. We also walked and swam on a beautiful white sand beach next to the big colony of sea lions that live here. In the afternoon, we hiked on Suárez Point. This is the only site in the archipelago where we can find the very famous waved albatross. We walked a rocky trail and spotted marine iguanas and lava lizards with nearly every step before reaching the nesting grounds of Nazca boobies and the albatrosses. These wonderful and magnificent marine birds nested and displayed for their mates. We observed the beauty of these animals as we enjoyed the sunset. It was a spectacular first full day.