Our expedition on National Geographic Endeavour II began with a visit to Gardner Bay, a beautiful white-sand beach on the northern side of Española Island.
Española is one of the oldest islands in the archipelago with a unique biodiversity and an abundance of wildlife. A landing at a fine sand coralline beach allowed us to get close to lazing Galapagos sea lions and the very vocal Española mockingbird. We enjoyed snorkeling with sea lions, turtles, and colorful fish in the turquoise water.
In the afternoon, we landed at Punta Suarez, a rocky peninsula that hosts one of the most impressive wildlife colonies in the Galapagos. We walked among nesting waved albatrosses, Galapagos hawks, Nazca boobies, and colorful marine iguanas resting upon the rocks. We also witnessed a spectacular blowhole, where seawater forced through a fissure shoots mist high above the coastal area. It was a memorable day of discovery on this unique island here in the southernmost point in Galapagos.
