Ah, it's a great feeling to be back. I have not been gone for such a while but it sure feels like it. It is incredible that only three weeks can make a difference in the appearance of the islands. It has rained a bit and the islands now look even greener.
Española today seemed richer than ever. There were sea lions playing right by our landing site, which made it a bit difficult to continue the walk since these great creatures always captivate everyone's attention. As if the sea lions were not in large enough numbers, marine iguanas carpeted the area. During this time of the year, when the temperatures on land become higher, these iguanas nest. It was such a pleasure to see many nests and many still nesting.
The Nazca boobies (former masked boobies) were everywhere. We saw some that were maybe a day old, some maybe a week old, some adults courting and some others cooling off by the typical gular fluttering which they do when it is hot. Española mocking birds and Darwin's finches sang away, as during this season they mate and reproduce.
The afternoon took us to the northern coast of the island where we enjoyed water activities under a gorgeous sun and delightfully warm waters.
The highlight for me today though was the spectacular blowhole. It was surely alive and we had the opportunity to see it in action. The blowhole is a result of water pushed through a fissure in a platform of lava. As the waves hit the platform, instead of them washing over it the water is squeezed through the fissure. The higher the tide, the stronger the wind; the larger the blow. We did have a splendid one today!
