Genovesa Island
Genovesa is one of the living paradises of the Galápagos Islands, and today we had a taste of it. We began our expedition this morning with a wet landing at Darwin Bay beach in order to see all the wonders that the island was hiding in that area.
As soon as we landed, the marvels of Genovesa were exposed. We saw so many animals that we felt inside a magical world for around one hour. Frigate birds were courting, swallow-tailed gulls were nesting, and red-footed boobies were all over the place. Our very good friends, Galápagos sea lions made the perfect contrast for a delightful experience.
As we came back on board National Geographic Islander, it was time to get our gear ready in order to enjoy the deep water snorkeling along the mystery cliffs of Darwin Bay. As we climbed into the water, the magnificence of the place impressed us so much that we felt as if we were inside a magical aquarium.
One of the most iconic experiences we had was seeing the hammerhead sharks that were swimming from one place to the other. In the afternoon the adventure just got better, and the best way to begin it was with a kayaking activity along the steep cliffs of Darwin Bay.
Later in the afternoon, the magical world hidden at Prince Philip´s Steps was waiting for us. Since the very beginning of the visit, all the seabirds that nest in the area were singing a perfect natural melody to our ears. Nazca boobies nesting were part of the marvels that Mother Nature showed.
As we reached the other side of the cliff, storm petrels made us feel inside a bird paradise. Farther along the trail, we spotted our main goal of the afternoon: the short-eared owl. Today we had an experience that was perfect in the living paradise of the Galápagos Islands.
