Española Island
The last day of my first trip to the Galápagos, but I’ll be back!
Española Island and a visit to Gardner Beach were certainly a fitting morning activity, but I’m getting ahead of myself. After stretching with Hilda on the bow of the boat (and probably looking like blue-footed boobies trying out the courtship dance for the first time) we headed out to snorkel in the blue crystal waters around a small offshore islet of Tortuga.
What an exciting snorkeling adventure. We saw Moorish idols (the symbol of the Steinhart Aquarium, which is part of the California Academy of Sciences), a school of porcupine fish (my daughter’s favorite fish), rays (with schools of other fish overhead), eels, pipefish and many others. A sea lion slipped by to check us out and a pelican preened itself on a rock near the water’s edge, taking no notice of the funny looking humans in the water.
We then headed to shore where many sea lions dozed in the sun, snorted their discontent, or frolicked in the waves at the shore. Some young sea lions were still nursing. We continued our quest for wildlife and had mockingbirds checking out our water bottles; then we headed to the boat to prepare for our last island adventure.
At Punta Suarez, we disembarked to see some old friends, although some were unique species just on this island, such as the colorful marine iguanas and lava lizards. The birders amongst us were happy to add another species to the list with the first sighting of the waved albatross whose wingspan can reach nine feet or more.
As the sun set, we reflected on all we had seen and learned, the friends we made, the wonderful staff, and how we would return another day.
The last day of my first trip to the Galápagos, but I’ll be back!
Española Island and a visit to Gardner Beach were certainly a fitting morning activity, but I’m getting ahead of myself. After stretching with Hilda on the bow of the boat (and probably looking like blue-footed boobies trying out the courtship dance for the first time) we headed out to snorkel in the blue crystal waters around a small offshore islet of Tortuga.
What an exciting snorkeling adventure. We saw Moorish idols (the symbol of the Steinhart Aquarium, which is part of the California Academy of Sciences), a school of porcupine fish (my daughter’s favorite fish), rays (with schools of other fish overhead), eels, pipefish and many others. A sea lion slipped by to check us out and a pelican preened itself on a rock near the water’s edge, taking no notice of the funny looking humans in the water.
We then headed to shore where many sea lions dozed in the sun, snorted their discontent, or frolicked in the waves at the shore. Some young sea lions were still nursing. We continued our quest for wildlife and had mockingbirds checking out our water bottles; then we headed to the boat to prepare for our last island adventure.
At Punta Suarez, we disembarked to see some old friends, although some were unique species just on this island, such as the colorful marine iguanas and lava lizards. The birders amongst us were happy to add another species to the list with the first sighting of the waved albatross whose wingspan can reach nine feet or more.
As the sun set, we reflected on all we had seen and learned, the friends we made, the wonderful staff, and how we would return another day.
