Espanola is the southernmost island of the
archipelago, and is one of the most popular
due to the breathtaking variation and sheer
number of fauna that greet the visitor. The
giant tortoise was reintroduced to Hood in
the 1970's and counts as one of the park's
great success stories. They reside in an
off-limits area, but not to worry as the
famous giant tortoise awaits you on other
islands!
On the northeastern shore of Espanola, Gardner Bay offers a magnificent long white
sandy beach, where colonies of sea lions
laze in the sun, sea turtles swim offshore,
and inquisitive mockingbirds boldly investigate
new arrivals. The snorkeling by Tortuga rock
and Gardner Island offers peak encounters
with playful young sea lions and large schools
of surprisingly big tropical fish, including
yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish
and bump-head parrot fish. Sleepy white-tipped
reef sharks can be seen napping on the bottom.
The quantity and variety of wildlife at Punta
Suarez is remarkable. Sea lions surf the
waves beyond the breakwater landing, and
tiny pups are known to greet your toes upon
arrival. A few steps inland are the largest
variety of marine iguana in the Galapagos.
They bear distinctive red and black markings,
some with a flash of turquoise running down
their spine, and nap in communal piles. The
trail then takes us beside the western edge
of the island where masked boobies nest along
the cliff's edge, and then descends to
a rocky beach before rising to an open area
and a large gathering of nesting blue-foot
boobies. Gal6pagos doves, cactus finch and
mocking birds forage by, unconcerned by human
presence.
The trail continues to the high cliff edge
of the southern shore; below, a shelf of
black lava reaches out into the surf where a blowhole
shoots a geyser of water into the air. Further
east along the cliffs is the "Albatross
Airport" where "waved albatross"
line up to launch their great winged bodies
from the cliffs, soaring out over the dramatic
shoreline of crashing waves and driven spray.
In the trees set back from the cliff is one
of only two places in the world where the
waved albatross nests. In fact, the 12,000
pairs that inhabit Hood Island comprise all
but a tiny fraction of the world's population
of this species. Lucky visitors can watch
courtship 'fencing' done with great
yellow beaks and necks among the large, fluffy,
perfectly camouflaged chicks. Mating occurs
year round.