Towards the end of our expedition, we arrived at Española Island. Small and relatively flat, from a distance it seems like Española doesn’t have much to offer, however Gardner Bay has one of the most beautiful beaches of the archipelago, with white coralline sand and turquoise waters, it is no wonder why a colony of Galapagos sea lions has chosen it as its home. Sea lions are oblivious to our presence, taking a rest after their long hunting trips in the ocean.
Once everyone returned on board, we set off to our new destination, Punta Suarez. This place is full of wonderful Galapagos creatures, and as soon as we set foot ashore, the usual “inspectors” (Espanola mockingbirds) came by. The rocky trail led us past a couple of beaches and along the coast, with its colonies of seabirds, like Nazca boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. The highlight of Espanola was the waved albatross, an endemic species, elegant in flight, which has chosen this island as its sole home.
We feel very privileged to have been able to explore the very remote and special world of the Galapagos Islands.
