Galapagos, Española Island

Galapagos Islands, Espanola Española Island also known as Hood is the most southerly ¡n the archipelago. Española is the oldest Galapagos Island, or at least the island on which the oldest lavas have been found.

Espanola appears to represent roughly the northern two thirds of a once larger volcano. The southern coast of the island is a vertical cliff 100 m or more high. This appears to be a fault scarp; the southern half of the volcano has been faulted into the sea. Other east-west faults can also been seen.

This island is notable for its birdlife you can encounter masked and blue-footed boobies, galapagos doves, red-billed tropicbird, mocking birds, swallowed-tailed gulls and the waved albatross. Española has two visitor sites.

Punta Suarez, at the western end of the island; a wet landing is necessary. A 2km trail takes visitors through masked and blue-footed booby colonies and past a beach full of marine iguanas befare reaching the main attraction the waved albatross colony.

Just beyond the colony is a blow hole through which the waves force water to spout about 20m into the air. If you sit on top of the cliffs between the waved albatrosses and the blow hole, you can watch seabirds performing their aerial ballet.

Other birds to look out for are the Hood mockingbird, swailow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds and oystercatchers. The large cactus finch can also be seen and is found on few other islands.

Gardner Bay, at the east end of Isla Española is home to many sea lion colonies and the turquoise colored water makes a beautiful contrast to the white sand that consists of shell dust. On the rocks mingle big marine iguanas and sally light-foot crab. Mocking birds fight for their territory and inspect the backpacks of the tourists. Gardner Bay offers a great possibility for the visitor to enjoy a fantastic golden beach for walking amongst Sea Lions and fabulous snorkeling in the Bay. continues...