Española Island
What an amazing day! Everybody exclaimed the same as soon as they woke up early in the morning: no clouds, a beautifully shining sun, yet it is only 0630 in the morning!
Disembarkation was bright and early, at 0730, thirty minutes earlier than we would in the cool season. February and March are the hottest months in the Galápagos, so both the wildlife and visitors would rather avoid the hottest hours.
The morning outing started with a spectacular nature walk. And as always, a big committee of sea lions and marine iguanas welcomed us, helpfully posing for pictures. There were a few choices: to brave the uneven boulders strewing the approximately 2-mile trail, or to spend time on the densely populated beach section combined with a Zodiac cruise around to view the inspiring cliffs and blowholes found along the exposed southern side of the island.
Española is one of the oldest volcanoes in the Galápagos, and the section we have explored was uplifted from the ocean, hence the trail was made up by a continuum of uneven rocks we had to step between, demanding a great deal of concentration! Add to this the scorching equatorial sun yet we felt this was but a little price to pay to be visiting one of the most untouched places in the world: Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island. The inhabitants of the islands were mainly seabirds and reptiles – many species uncommon to other parts of the world yet here we were practically stepping over them! Nazca boobies were incubating eggs and raising chicks whilst hundreds of blue footed boobies were beginning their complex courtship displays in response to the cooling of the Galápagos waters. They were completely oblivious to the sweltering heat and humidity, thus teaching us that though sometimes not perfect, life is always precious. Sometimes minor sacrifices are necessary to propagate the species and keep this planet alive and always in harmony with nature.
A major representative of the Española nature is pictured here, as the island sports its own endemic species of lava lizard, the largest of the seven Galápagos species, and these are continuously involved in the never-ending game of territorialism and breeding strategies. Franklin Ramirez, Naturalist
What an amazing day! Everybody exclaimed the same as soon as they woke up early in the morning: no clouds, a beautifully shining sun, yet it is only 0630 in the morning!
Disembarkation was bright and early, at 0730, thirty minutes earlier than we would in the cool season. February and March are the hottest months in the Galápagos, so both the wildlife and visitors would rather avoid the hottest hours.
The morning outing started with a spectacular nature walk. And as always, a big committee of sea lions and marine iguanas welcomed us, helpfully posing for pictures. There were a few choices: to brave the uneven boulders strewing the approximately 2-mile trail, or to spend time on the densely populated beach section combined with a Zodiac cruise around to view the inspiring cliffs and blowholes found along the exposed southern side of the island.
Española is one of the oldest volcanoes in the Galápagos, and the section we have explored was uplifted from the ocean, hence the trail was made up by a continuum of uneven rocks we had to step between, demanding a great deal of concentration! Add to this the scorching equatorial sun yet we felt this was but a little price to pay to be visiting one of the most untouched places in the world: Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island. The inhabitants of the islands were mainly seabirds and reptiles – many species uncommon to other parts of the world yet here we were practically stepping over them! Nazca boobies were incubating eggs and raising chicks whilst hundreds of blue footed boobies were beginning their complex courtship displays in response to the cooling of the Galápagos waters. They were completely oblivious to the sweltering heat and humidity, thus teaching us that though sometimes not perfect, life is always precious. Sometimes minor sacrifices are necessary to propagate the species and keep this planet alive and always in harmony with nature.
A major representative of the Española nature is pictured here, as the island sports its own endemic species of lava lizard, the largest of the seven Galápagos species, and these are continuously involved in the never-ending game of territorialism and breeding strategies. Franklin Ramirez, Naturalist
