It was a very calm morning as we navigated to Punta Vicente Roca. From the observation deck, we enjoyed the view of many rays splashing. As we arrived, we got out the Zodiacs to explore the coast of this magical place. The geological formations are impressive, and the wildlife on the coast made it even better. Penguins posed on the rocks for our pictures, flightless cormorants dried their wings after a successful fishing, turtles popped their head out of the water to take a breath, and much more. We could not wait to snorkel in this place. In the afternoon, we visited Fernandina Island. The temperature was perfect for a walk on Punta Espinoza. What an impression it made to see so many marine iguanas at once. We had to watch our steps carefully; they were everywhere!
4/3/2023
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National Geographic Islander II
Española Island
Today we arrived at Española Island. Located in the southeastern realm of the Galapagos, Española is the oldest island in the archipelago. We started very early in the morning with an amazing pre-breakfast kayak outing along one of the island’s cliffsides. We saw many seabirds nesting and resting on the rocks along the coast. After breakfast, some of our guests disembarked on a big coralline beach named Gardner Bay. We had the opportunity to walk among a breeding colony of dozens of sea lions. At the same time, deep-water snorkelers enjoyed the deep blue with its amazing marine wildlife at Gardner Islet. Later, some of our guests went for a remarkable second kayak outing. To end the morning, everybody enjoyed the stunningly soft white sand and the turquoise waters. Guests had a pleasurable time walking along with a group of very curious Hood mockingbirds. After a delicious lunch back on board, we enjoyed a presentation about Charles Darwin from naturalist Ramiro. In the afternoon, we headed to Punta Suarez. We found a group of jumping dolphins that blew our minds. Later, we observed marine iguanas on old lava boulders where they gather in large groups for warmth. We also spotted blue-footed boobies, Nazca booby nesting grounds, a Galapagos hawk, and various other birds. Every day in the Galapagos is an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of nature through unbelievable encounters. While visiting the oldest island of the Galapagos, today was no exception.