Española Island
We awoke at eight o’clock at Gardner Bay. The weather this morning was perfect for our guests to have a stretching session with Hilda the masseuse. After breakfast we disembarked, some of us to go snorkeling around a small beautiful islet called turtle rock, and others to go to the beach. The snorkelers found several species of fish that we had not found on the other days when we were snorkeling. Today was our last full day in the Galápagos and so we took full advantage of the beautiful white coral sand beach where sea lions were resting. They allowed us to approach them quite closely and to take pictures while nursing their babies or swimming along the shore.
When we returned to the Islander and we had the departure briefing, and then lunch. The Captain weighed anchor and we had siesta as the ship headed to the afternoon’s destination.
As we disembarked on the rocky shore of Punta Suarez, we were immediately surrounded by Galápagos sea lions, colorful marine iguanas, nocturnal swallow tailed gulls, and the ever present Sally Lightfoot crabs. Española is a small island located in the south eastern part of the archipelago. This island is between three and five million years old and because it is flat and dry, it is a perfect place for marine birds to nest. We observed two species of the three boobies that occurs in the Galápagos. And both the Nazca and blue-footed boobies were courting. The blue-footed boobies’ males performed their high stepping, wing spreading courting dance.
Waved albatrosses are the largest marine birds that occur in the Galápagos and we observed both juveniles and adults along the trail. We were delighted to watch the adults re-newing their pair bonds. They will soon leave this island for several months at sea and before the mates split up they perform their ritual courtship dance.
Back on board in the evening we watched a slide show of our trip and relived many of the charm of the Galápagos adventures we gathered in the lounge for the farewell cocktail.
We awoke at eight o’clock at Gardner Bay. The weather this morning was perfect for our guests to have a stretching session with Hilda the masseuse. After breakfast we disembarked, some of us to go snorkeling around a small beautiful islet called turtle rock, and others to go to the beach. The snorkelers found several species of fish that we had not found on the other days when we were snorkeling. Today was our last full day in the Galápagos and so we took full advantage of the beautiful white coral sand beach where sea lions were resting. They allowed us to approach them quite closely and to take pictures while nursing their babies or swimming along the shore.
When we returned to the Islander and we had the departure briefing, and then lunch. The Captain weighed anchor and we had siesta as the ship headed to the afternoon’s destination.
As we disembarked on the rocky shore of Punta Suarez, we were immediately surrounded by Galápagos sea lions, colorful marine iguanas, nocturnal swallow tailed gulls, and the ever present Sally Lightfoot crabs. Española is a small island located in the south eastern part of the archipelago. This island is between three and five million years old and because it is flat and dry, it is a perfect place for marine birds to nest. We observed two species of the three boobies that occurs in the Galápagos. And both the Nazca and blue-footed boobies were courting. The blue-footed boobies’ males performed their high stepping, wing spreading courting dance.
Waved albatrosses are the largest marine birds that occur in the Galápagos and we observed both juveniles and adults along the trail. We were delighted to watch the adults re-newing their pair bonds. They will soon leave this island for several months at sea and before the mates split up they perform their ritual courtship dance.
Back on board in the evening we watched a slide show of our trip and relived many of the charm of the Galápagos adventures we gathered in the lounge for the farewell cocktail.
