We started our day with a very early morning walk on Gardner Beach. Loads of Sea Lions and a bunch of Hood mockingbirds (Mimus hoodensis) showed up to welcome us to this old island with very rocky ecosystems. After breakfast we snorkeled with a few reef fish species and sea lion pups. In the afternoon we attended a talk by certified photo instructor Ramiro Suarez on “The Truth about Galapagos Photography.” Later we kayaked and drove Zodiacs around Punta Suarez which gave us the chance to hang out with the last sea lions of the day, and even a humpback whale and its calf.
5/11/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
We started our expedition by visiting one of the oldest islands of the archipelago and quite a fantastic one. We explored the beach in the morning and the inside of the island in the afternoon. Our first outing was a snorkel exploration of a small islet located on Gardner Bay, where we observed sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and many colorful fish! The temperature of the water, great visibility, and an abundance of life made for an outstanding first deep-water snorkel. We also walked and swam on a beautiful white sand beach next to the big colony of sea lions that live here. In the afternoon, we hiked on Suárez Point. This is the only site in the archipelago where we can find the very famous waved albatross. We walked a rocky trail and spotted marine iguanas and lava lizards with nearly every step before reaching the nesting grounds of Nazca boobies and the albatrosses. These wonderful and magnificent marine birds nested and displayed for their mates. We observed the beauty of these animals as we enjoyed the sunset. It was a spectacular first full day.