This was our first full day of our expedition in the Galapagos, and we spent the whole day at Española Island. This is one of the southern islands that is influenced by the south-eastern trade winds and therefore, it has a high percentage of endemic species that are only found here and nowhere else. In the morning, we had a chance to enjoy the wonders of the underwater world of the Galapagos. We left our ship and headed towards Gardner Islet, located in the center of a wide bay of turquoise waters and white sands. We snorkeled along the rocky shore of this islet, where we encountered abundant marine life. A few young sea lions made an appearance, to everyone’s delight, as it is a really unique experience to swim with these playful creatures! There were other options this morning as well, like the first chance to kayak in the bay, or to simply land at the beach and take a stroll amongst the sleepy Galapagos sea lions. It was rather pleasant to be able to share it with this very charismatic species, as well as being greeted and even followed by the ever curious and inquisitive endemic Española mockingbirds.
In the afternoon we had to reposition in order to reach our next destination, Punta Suarez, located further east from Gardner Bay. This is a point of land that protrudes into the ocean, and abundant boulders have created a natural wave breaker forming a small bay, which offers plenty of tidal pools for various creatures that inhabit the area. Here is found a large colony of Galapagos sea lions; this year seems to have been particularly productive as there were a large number of young pups along the first part of the trail. Some were accompanied by their mothers, while others played amongst themselves, the best cure against boredom! Almost at every step we took there was a lava lizard or a marine iguana to avoid; thanks to their dark coloration they blend in almost perfectly against the black basalt of the shoreline. The iguanas looked their best as they showed red and even green patches on their bodies, since this is the beginning of their breeding season, an effect of sexual selection. Further inland we walked through the nesting grounds of the endemic waved albatrosses, their ‘chicks’ having turned into juveniles that seemed almost ready to leave Española, an normal event that happens every year. Many Nazca boobies were busy with their courtship rituals, while others were already incubating their eggs on the ground. Punta Suarez is a place that is considered one of the highlights of the Galápagos due to the abundance of unique and naïve creatures that inhabit it, and to be able to observe them and their natural behavior up close is certainly a valuable experience, both for young and adult explorers, that is surely never to be forgotten.
