Espanola is the most southeastern island of the archipelago. It is the oldest island in the archipelago, slowly but surely losing the battle against the elements after drifting over two hundred kilometers from its birthplace on top of the Nazca plate, effectively losing all influence of the Galapagos Hotspot, the life force that fuels most volcanic activity in this group of islands. Despite being presently only a fraction of its original size, it is still home to a vast numbers of sea birds. Most notably, the largest bird in the Galapagos, the waved albatross, breeds only on this particular island and nowhere else on earth. The island is also home to a species of mockingbird and lava lizard, both endemic not only to the archipelago but specific to Espanola. We explored the northeastern end of the island at Gardner Bay during the morning, and the western end at Suarez Point during the afternoon.
10/3/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartholomew Island and Sombrero Chino
We split into groups for different excursions this morning. Four groups went up the staircase to the top for the iconic view over the isthmus of Bartholomew Island and Pinnacle Rock. We walked past exposed volcanic formations of all sorts: spatter cones, tuff cones, and lava tubes. Two other groups chose to explore along the coast by Zodiac in hopes of Galapagos penguin sightings. All of us were successful in what we hoped for and even the walkers saw penguins near the dock where we disembarked! Both snorkeling off the beach and deep-water outings along the backside of the island were tremendously productive because we saw it all: penguins and sharks being the top species, and diving blue-footed boobies too! The afternoon had National Geographic Endeavour II anchored not too far south, off the coast of Santiago Island near Sombrero Chino. A dramatically barren, small volcanic cone where another snorkeling outing was offered and late-afternoon Zodiac rides to search yet one more time for penguins. We can never get enough of them!