Española Island
Today we spent a wonderful day on the Island of Española. In the morning we visited the westernmost point, Punta Suarez, where we encountered several different species of seabirds. We found some of the last waved albatrosses of the season; soon the half dozen chicks will fledge and the nesting colony will be deserted until late March or April. Nazca and blue-footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds were seen as we hiked on Española as well. Every one of the lovely seabirds we had hoped to view this morning was there. It almost seemed as though they were expecting us!
In the afternoon we focused on water activities. We went swimming and snorkeling from the beach and from the Zodiacs, and for those who wished to enjoy the diverse marine ecosystem without getting wet, we offered a glass bottom boat outing. We saw many large and colorful schools of tropical fish swimming against the prevailing currents. Tortuga Islet, off Gardner Beach is one of my favorite snorkeling sites because the ocean currents concentrate the nutrients thus this area is always teaming with fish life. I spotted this zebra moray eel hiding in a rock pile and was able to capture his image with our underwater camera.
Today we spent a wonderful day on the Island of Española. In the morning we visited the westernmost point, Punta Suarez, where we encountered several different species of seabirds. We found some of the last waved albatrosses of the season; soon the half dozen chicks will fledge and the nesting colony will be deserted until late March or April. Nazca and blue-footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds were seen as we hiked on Española as well. Every one of the lovely seabirds we had hoped to view this morning was there. It almost seemed as though they were expecting us!
In the afternoon we focused on water activities. We went swimming and snorkeling from the beach and from the Zodiacs, and for those who wished to enjoy the diverse marine ecosystem without getting wet, we offered a glass bottom boat outing. We saw many large and colorful schools of tropical fish swimming against the prevailing currents. Tortuga Islet, off Gardner Beach is one of my favorite snorkeling sites because the ocean currents concentrate the nutrients thus this area is always teaming with fish life. I spotted this zebra moray eel hiding in a rock pile and was able to capture his image with our underwater camera.
