Española Island
Our first full day in Galápagos was filled with a genuine excitement of discovery. Early in the morning a curtain revealing a whole new world was opened in front of the eyes of our guests. With amazement we were discovering, little by little, the island’s unique critters and their environment which is unlike any other. Questions, answers, and comments aided us to erstand and appreciate, even more completely, the innate beauty of the surroundings and inhabitants of the islands.
Just as if in a play, different actors were appearing, each one of them giving us additional reasons to realize how fascinating the natural world can be. A cheerful and active Galápagos sea lion “welcoming committee” greeted us as we disembarked. Colorful Española marine iguanas captured our attention as well. Nazca boobies by the hundreds, many with chicks of varying ages, were next along the trail. The exuberance of the volcanic landscapes contrasting with the deep blue ocean was just beautiful.
Many other animal species were seen during the rest of the morning. Some, like the Española lava lizard pictured here, appeared to be watching the passing groups with indifference. On our way back to the ship a refreshing tropical shower drenched us. This was a quick way to cool off and was a perfect ending to a great morning.
In the afternoon, water activities and a paradisiacal white sand beach completed a day that was described with many superlatives during our evening recap. What I have written in these short paragraphs is only a quick overview. It is a feeble attempt to explain the extraordinary island of Española. Española is a paradise in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
Our first full day in Galápagos was filled with a genuine excitement of discovery. Early in the morning a curtain revealing a whole new world was opened in front of the eyes of our guests. With amazement we were discovering, little by little, the island’s unique critters and their environment which is unlike any other. Questions, answers, and comments aided us to erstand and appreciate, even more completely, the innate beauty of the surroundings and inhabitants of the islands.
Just as if in a play, different actors were appearing, each one of them giving us additional reasons to realize how fascinating the natural world can be. A cheerful and active Galápagos sea lion “welcoming committee” greeted us as we disembarked. Colorful Española marine iguanas captured our attention as well. Nazca boobies by the hundreds, many with chicks of varying ages, were next along the trail. The exuberance of the volcanic landscapes contrasting with the deep blue ocean was just beautiful.
Many other animal species were seen during the rest of the morning. Some, like the Española lava lizard pictured here, appeared to be watching the passing groups with indifference. On our way back to the ship a refreshing tropical shower drenched us. This was a quick way to cool off and was a perfect ending to a great morning.
In the afternoon, water activities and a paradisiacal white sand beach completed a day that was described with many superlatives during our evening recap. What I have written in these short paragraphs is only a quick overview. It is a feeble attempt to explain the extraordinary island of Española. Española is a paradise in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
