Hood Island
Today began with an optional kayak outing along the coast of Hood Island. It was fantastic to experience the nice cool breeze in the early hours of the day and to see so much wildlife around us. After breakfast we went snorkeling around Gardner Islet, and later on we went on to a magnificent beach where we encountered a lot of Galápagos sea lions, Hood mockingbirds, and several sea turtles swimming along the shore. We had a great time walking along the shoreline and sharing time with these creatures. Everywhere we looked there was something happening, there were sea lions nursing their pups, territorial males chasing intruders, and others were just enjoying a nice siesta after hunting. We also loved the color of the sand and the waters that bathe this bay.
As the morning ended we headed to the western corner of Hood; there we explored Punta Suarez, one of the most outstanding places in Galápagos. We saw many Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, and Galápagos waved albatross. These birds have large colonies along the cliffs where wind is stronger therefore better for taking off. Also the large productivity of the area makes the place a very popular amongst sea lions and seabirds.
As our day ended we enjoyed a great sunset to close an inspiring week.
