Oh my! What a day! We explored a long, white-sand beach with dozens of Galapagos sea lions sleeping, nursing, and grousing at each other; covered with sand, sleek and wet, or half-and-half. Snorkeling off Gardner Island, we encountered schools of razor surgeonfish, streamer hogfish, and marine iguanas on the bluffs above the waterline.
The afternoon had Captain Garcés taking National Geographic Endeavour II beyond our anchorage, out into the deep, where large, slow, shallow waves were coming from the southeast. The trade winds have returned and with it the Galapagos waved albatross! And yes, they soared by, wings spread. They are preparing to land once again on the island of Espanola to start their breeding cycle. But other sea birds were out as well, and other marine creatures turned up, too!
