The day started with an early walk on Espumilla Beach, a greenish sand beach with a large mangrove forest along the shore. The morning was sunny and the fog in the distance created rainbows in the sky. The highlight of the morning was a group of hawks, both juveniles and adults, perching on branches and even sitting on the sand in front of us. At the same time, blue-footed boobies fished in the shallow waters by the beach. Later, we explored Buccaneer’s Cove by kayaking and snorkeling along a volcanic wall. It is a place famously visited by the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin’s ship.
Afterward, we repositioned the National Geographic Endeavour II at Egas Port, where a black sand beach made for a unique landing. The beach was full of sea lions, birds, and colorful crabs. The walk took us to a rocky shore and a system of tidal pools along the trail. Finches, whimbrels, ruddy turnstones, and Galapagos fur seals were some of the highlights on the afternoon.
