Española Island
I took a peek through the porthole in my cabin early in the morning; it was still dark but I could see the island’s outline getting closer and closer. It was just a matter of minutes, but when I turned my head back to the porthole, it was already clear, not a sign of the dark night I saw few minutes ago. This is how it works at the equator, no twilight zone!
It was a cold morning, with some clouds and a bit of a drizzle; a day that when at home, you might have chosen to spend under your warm bed sheets. But you are not home; even when it feels like it, the Galápagos Islands is the true home to a large variety of special animals and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. It is a place to explore and to discover new things, so the last of your options is to stay in bed!
By the time we were done with breakfast we headed to Punta Suarez. This location could be well described as a fantasy world for grownups! One can easily unleash our childhood fantasies and compare this place with a treasure island, waiting every step of the way to find the famous pirates hiding stolen treasure. To others with much primitive fantasies, it could easily be a Jurassic park, with dragon-like iguanas walking all over the place and even between your legs!
The isolation of Española Island has allowed natural selection to do its work; unique species are found here such as mockingbirds, iguanas, lizards and albatross. We were very fortunate to see them all, as the trail on the island sorted out their breeding grounds, maximizing our experience with the expertise and guidance of the natural history staff on board the National Geographic Polaris.
As you have concluded now, we did not stay in bed, but rather experienced a full day of activities that included kayaking, snorkelling and beach time. Not bad for our first full day in this paradise on earth!
I took a peek through the porthole in my cabin early in the morning; it was still dark but I could see the island’s outline getting closer and closer. It was just a matter of minutes, but when I turned my head back to the porthole, it was already clear, not a sign of the dark night I saw few minutes ago. This is how it works at the equator, no twilight zone!
It was a cold morning, with some clouds and a bit of a drizzle; a day that when at home, you might have chosen to spend under your warm bed sheets. But you are not home; even when it feels like it, the Galápagos Islands is the true home to a large variety of special animals and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. It is a place to explore and to discover new things, so the last of your options is to stay in bed!
By the time we were done with breakfast we headed to Punta Suarez. This location could be well described as a fantasy world for grownups! One can easily unleash our childhood fantasies and compare this place with a treasure island, waiting every step of the way to find the famous pirates hiding stolen treasure. To others with much primitive fantasies, it could easily be a Jurassic park, with dragon-like iguanas walking all over the place and even between your legs!
The isolation of Española Island has allowed natural selection to do its work; unique species are found here such as mockingbirds, iguanas, lizards and albatross. We were very fortunate to see them all, as the trail on the island sorted out their breeding grounds, maximizing our experience with the expertise and guidance of the natural history staff on board the National Geographic Polaris.
As you have concluded now, we did not stay in bed, but rather experienced a full day of activities that included kayaking, snorkelling and beach time. Not bad for our first full day in this paradise on earth!
