It is 07.00 and already 36C! It will be a scorcher today. We are anchored in Gardner Bay, Espanola where we can enjoy the beach, sea lions and laze in the warm, azure water.

I am entertained by one particularly hungry pup.

We return to the boat for snorkelling gear and to move a short distance to an outlying island. There is a massive fish ball below me. There are thousands of fish here and I enjoy diving down and swimming through them.

We then climb back into the pangas and move to a rocky headland. Here I see a reef shark, an iguana swimming, a giant damsel fish, starfish, a large blenny and a Guineafowl pufferfish which is golden yellow. I have never seen one before.

Fabian can free-dive and takes my camera. He captures some super macro shots of a starfish. I have never thought to use that mode underwater but certainly will in future.

After lunch the plan is to make a dry landing on Punta Suarez. It is full moon at the moment and the tide is high with an impressive swell. The planned dry landing is aborted as the steps are below water and the path is being covered by breaking waves.

Plan B is also a dry landing, but this involves racing the surf and somehow clambering off the tender in the swell, onto very uneven and jaggedy rocks. We are not successful in racing the surf. A wave similar to the one below breaks on the reef and engulfs us.

I am sitting on the side of the boat with my back to the approaching wave. I am completely soaked. Water even goes inside my timberland boots! I am really grateful that I bought a 100% waterproof bag for the camera. Jane is still not feeling very well and says something like “That is not ****ing funny”. Rare for her to swear! Sea lions line the beach and honk noisily. It is scorchingly hot with high humidity. We are aiming to walk 2.5 miles around the island on very rugged terrain and, although that is not very far, in the heat it will be demanding.

Marine iguanas laze on the rocks and have taken on a reddish colouration as this is the end of  mating season.

Espanola mockingbirds (a different variant) chirrup and chatter in the bushes and Galapagos doves are ever present.

The shoreline is rocky and huge waves crash against the cliffs.

Nazca boobies nest in large numbers along the cliffs and ammonia fills the air.

There are a few blue-footed boobies here too. There are lots of young chicks and photo opportunities abound.

What also abound are swarms of sandflies and mosquitos. Bug spray is re-applied and I am glad I am wearing my Craghoppers nosilife shirt which is incredibly effective in preventing me getting bitten. At the end of the day I have only one bite. Some people have loads. We continue on our walk.

Everyone is feeling the heat but Jane is suffering more than most. She was sick this morning with probably the same bug I had the night before. She thought that she would cope OK but lack of breakfast and de-hydration take their toll. She is feeling very ill. I take her backpack and camera and one of the crew help her back towards the beach. She misses viewing a blowhole which is spectacular and noisy – it sounds like thunder as the waves pound into it.

Fabian then shouts “Albatross”. We are so lucky. They do not usually arrive until the end of April but a lone bird soars above us and I even manage to capture photographic evidence.

As we make our way back Fabian spots a Galapagos hawk. They also can be hard to find.

We meet up with Jane on the rocky path and she is not at all well – dizzy and feeling very nauseous. The crew bring her a stretcher. She is reluctant to use it but the terrain is hostile and if she fainted on the rocks it probably would lead to serious injury.

The humidity and heat have inevitably created big black clouds which now decide to dump copious volumes of water on us. It is actually really welcome. We are so hot that being drenched is just the best thing!

The surf is now even bigger than when we landed and it is decided it will be much safer to make a launch from the beach. The sea lions are unimpressed and reluctant to give us space….and we still have to make it out through the breaking surf without capsizing. The waves are now even bigger than when we landed. I would describe our launch as terrifying, exhilerating and fun in equal measure. I think Jane was just relieved to get back on board and go to her cabin for a sleep. Hopefully she will be fine by the morning.

After dinner we stand on deck to look for sharks. We are not disappointed. I count 14 huge Galapagos sharks patrolling the area around the boat. We have just raised the anchor and set sail when a flying fish crashes into the side of the boat. There is a loud splash. I think something has fallen from the deck above but realise it was a seagull diving for the fish. No sooner had the bird touched the surface than a large shark gulped it down. It all happened so fast. There really is nothing quite like watching nature in action.

The moon is almost full. The sky is cloudless and full of stars. What a perfect end to a totally amazing day.