Genovesa Island
Genovesa Island is home to over one million seabirds. Our highlights here were diverse: Nazca, red & blue-footed boobies, gulls, owls, fur seals, hammerheads sharks and manta rays.
Our adventure began with a walk that starts at the famous Prince Philip’s Steps, where we were able to find the elusive short-eared owl. Luckily for us we were able to spot it and felt rewarded to have a unique view of this camouflaged raptor surrounded by an impressive group of birds flying all around.
Back aboard we prepared for our last snorkeling outing in search of marine wildlife; to see them close brought excitement and admiration, even though visibility was not on our side. Some of our guests were lucky enough to see hammerheads and a huge manta ray which I must say startled me when I was ready to surface and there it was, a gigantic shadow above me.
After this great adventure, we came back to our ship, anchored inside the Genovesa caldera, to be briefed about our departure and soon after enjoyed a delicious lunch, the pride of our culinary staff.
Kayak outings took place and also a very competitive regatta from and to the ship while many of our guests cheered for their favorite boat.
We were then ready to start off on our next adventure; regardless of a light rain we headed for our wet landing on a white coralline beach inside Darwin Bay, named by a celebrity visitor, William Beebe, in honor of a great naturalist who re-directed human thought, Charles Darwin. We walked surrounded by birds of all kinds, their chicks, behavior and colors. We were moved by the impressive amount of sea and shore birds all around us, like red-footed boobies, frigatebirds with their red-gular pouches, mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, and many yellow-crowned night herons. We were also happy to find a few marine iguanas, which are smaller and darker as this northern hemisphere island has a much different ecology and, like a Pitri-dish, different results.
Taking the walk was like being transported back in time. There were birds flying all over, just like in prehistoric times, and lava formations resembling the first foundation of the Earth. Then the sun set for an excellent rainbow as an impressive farewell to the afternoon.
We have all bonded like a family, united by this indiscernible mysticism. Our expedition is now over; life goes on, but we are now sure this place has changed many lives. It certainly touched mine by having profoundly bonded with old and new friends.
This is a place which can never be fully described. We all came with different backgrounds, different ages and yet we are now one, sharing this magic which will exist in our hearts and minds forever.
