ESPAÑOLA ISLAND – HOOD ISLAND

Full Day:

SUAREZ POINT – GARDNER BAY

• This island is known as the oldest in the Archipelago. Located two hours from San Cristóbal, best known for its population of endemic Waved Albatross. This day tour offers an up close and personal experience of birdwatching as well as a glimpse of the incredible life under the water and the famous Española blow hole.
• We will departs at 7h30 from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, after the inspection by the authorities, who check the boat and our day packs to ensure we are not transporting plants, seeds, or animal remnants, in order to protect the integrity of the uninhabited island of Española.
• Arriving to Suarez Point, we have a quick snack before a two-hour hike. Sunscreen, a water bottle and closed-toe shoes are recommended for the rocky trail, but we have a “wet landing” first, with a quick ride on the zodiac from boat to beach.
• On the beach, we will first notice the fine white sand and the black lava rocks, hiding the marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs, even some slumbering sea lions! Keep on the lookout for lava lizards and Galapagos snakes (harmless, like a common garden snake). Your Naturalist Guide will assist in pointing out all the wildlife found along the trail, from the Nazca boobies, Galapagos Mockingbirds, to the famous Waved Albatross found nesting in the area from April to December. If you are lucky you will have the oppotunity to see the Waved Albatross do their “dance” with their mate, quite a spectacular thing. You will also see many colonies of marine iguanas, Galapagos Hawks, Galapagos Doves, Warbler finch, and the Large-billed cactus finch, also endemic to the island. There is an impressive blow hole along the way which has an impressive fountain of water shooting into the air when the waves crash into it. Most of the trail meanders along the rocky shore, with the turquoise waters crashing onto the rocks, providing a light ocean spray and a cool breeze to enjoy the trek.
• After a delicious pack lunch on-board we visit, Gardner Bay. We will prepare our snorkel gear and wetsuits (yes, it can be a little chilly so we recommend you opt to use a wetsuit) and jump overboard! The snorkel activity is in a protected bay. The water isn’t too deep, and it’s a good thing, because the ocean floor is inhabited with various species of sea stars, corals, urchins, schools of fish, sea lions, and rays. The sea lions are very friendly here and will want to play and swim up and down with you.

Full Day: RETURN HOTEL

We will arrive at approximately 17h00 to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.