Española Island
In the cool of the early morning, escorted by cavorting sea lions, we happily paddled along the cliffs of Gardner Islet off Española. Frigates flapped lazily overhead and a few blue footed boobies perched on the rocky outcrops; it was a marvelous start to our last day in the magical Galápagos Islands. We deserved the hearty breakfast we indulged in with the rest of our friends who had slept in, or joined the stretching class, back on the National Geographic Islander.
Unhurriedly following breakfast we wiggled into our wet suits, gathered our snorkel gear and returned via Zodiacs to the calm azure waters below the cliffs of Gardner – this time to snorkel with those same friendly sea lions. There were huge schools of a zillion tiny, silver, blackstriped salemas (and our semi-aquatic Naturalists swirled through them!), razor fish, king angels and a few rays. This was our last snorkel outing of the week and so we enjoyed it to the utmost and only once we became slightly chilled did we head to the beach and the warm white sand.
What an unbelievably beautiful beach! We shared it with 300 sea lions that rested, nursed, stretched and rolled as they pleased in the fine white sand. Although they may appear lazy to the casual observer, sea lions are anything but! They spend days far out to sea, chasing and capturing fish with no hands, so they deserve to rest when they return to the beaches. We took yet more pictures of these charismatic creatures, and we treasured this opportunity to stroll and sit among them, accepted by them as just another inhabitant of planet earth.
No one was in a hurry to return to the ship, but I managed to coax all the guests into the Zodiacs eventually. We had a grand lunch, a much needed siesta and then gathered in the lounge and shared an emotional discussion about the urgent need to restore the health of the “blue heart of our planet” Earth.
Our final hike along a lava boulder trail took us through nesting Nazca boobies and reddish marine iguanas, and past a spouting blowhole and into the albatross breeding colony. We were amazed by these huge and elegant birds; they courted and danced, waddled down the trail between us and soared effortlessly above. A dark chocolate hawk, myriad finches (warbler, large cactus and small ground, to be exact), large lava lizards doing pushups or with blushing red cheeks, and several brazen mockingbirds – these fearless and unique creatures, among many others, entertained us as the evening came and we stumbled back to the beach, the Zodiacs and the ship.
What a week we have shared. We are privileged and satisfied. We have enjoyed one another and the islands and will never forget this adventure!
