Espanola Island
What a lazy morning – for some. By seven in the morning a few guests were out the door and into the Zodiac, yellow life-vests indicative of their intention to get into kayaks. Along the coastline the kayakers were led by Ernesto, crossing over to Osborn Islet and finally, just in time for a late breakfast, they pulled up to the National Geographic Islander, smiles on faces and satisfaction that all who paddled diligently could have a rich breakfast and not feel guilty about it.
The rest of the morning was spent enjoying the last snorkel of the expedition and of the month (March arrives), along the underwater bluff of Gardner Islet. The visibility was extremely good, unusual for Galápagos at any time of year, at least 60 feet if not a bit more! The white coralline sand turned the water turquoise. As Prue remarked, it was like swimming in a postcard…but this was for real.
However, the morning highlight was the beautiful white sand beach of Gardner Bay. I try to convince everyone to spend time here, even if it’s only a half-hour. There is nothing quite like finding yourself alone, with no-one close by except the sea lions. To sit, to sketch, to photograph, to have the time to dawdle on one’s own with these mammalian stars of the Galápagos… is priceless.
Our last visit on shore within the boundaries of the Galápagos National Park took place with a landing at Punta Suarez, the westernmost corner of Española Island. The spring tides had the concrete jetty washed clean of sea lion calling cards, but made landing a matter of good timing between waves. We all made it, and enjoyed an afternoon with the endemic Española marine iguanas nodding green heads on red and black bodies, sea lions lined like sausages along the high tide line, Nazca boobies flying overhead along with swallow-tailed gulls. The boulders of lava rolled and growled along the beaches as the waves pounded the shore; the blow hole sent ocean water flying as high as the birds were flying. The sky overhead remained blue, the island green and the ocean color captured both, as we said goodbye to these most remarkable islands.
What a lazy morning – for some. By seven in the morning a few guests were out the door and into the Zodiac, yellow life-vests indicative of their intention to get into kayaks. Along the coastline the kayakers were led by Ernesto, crossing over to Osborn Islet and finally, just in time for a late breakfast, they pulled up to the National Geographic Islander, smiles on faces and satisfaction that all who paddled diligently could have a rich breakfast and not feel guilty about it.
The rest of the morning was spent enjoying the last snorkel of the expedition and of the month (March arrives), along the underwater bluff of Gardner Islet. The visibility was extremely good, unusual for Galápagos at any time of year, at least 60 feet if not a bit more! The white coralline sand turned the water turquoise. As Prue remarked, it was like swimming in a postcard…but this was for real.
However, the morning highlight was the beautiful white sand beach of Gardner Bay. I try to convince everyone to spend time here, even if it’s only a half-hour. There is nothing quite like finding yourself alone, with no-one close by except the sea lions. To sit, to sketch, to photograph, to have the time to dawdle on one’s own with these mammalian stars of the Galápagos… is priceless.
Our last visit on shore within the boundaries of the Galápagos National Park took place with a landing at Punta Suarez, the westernmost corner of Española Island. The spring tides had the concrete jetty washed clean of sea lion calling cards, but made landing a matter of good timing between waves. We all made it, and enjoyed an afternoon with the endemic Española marine iguanas nodding green heads on red and black bodies, sea lions lined like sausages along the high tide line, Nazca boobies flying overhead along with swallow-tailed gulls. The boulders of lava rolled and growled along the beaches as the waves pounded the shore; the blow hole sent ocean water flying as high as the birds were flying. The sky overhead remained blue, the island green and the ocean color captured both, as we said goodbye to these most remarkable islands.
