Genovesa Island
On planet Earth we have few islands that remain undisturbed by humans. Here in the Galápagos Islands, we have many, like a pristine island in the northeastern part of Galápagos known as Tower or Genovesa, that is home to over one million seabirds. Our highlights here were many and diverse, from Nazca, red & blue footed boobies and gulls to owls and fur seals. However, we believe it was red-footed boobies and the short-ear owl that were the really impressive highlights today.
Our adventure began with a 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.
Back aboard, we prepared for our last snorkeling outing in search of hammerhead sharks. Some of us opted for a kayak outing.
After this great adventure, we came back to our home and enjoyed a delicious lunch, which was a source of pride for our culinary staff. We were then ready to start off our next adventure, a walk that started at the famous Prince Philip’s Steps where we were able to find the “elusive” short-ear owl. This was our delight of the day; it was outstanding to see many with a social behavior we all enjoyed.
Taking this walk was like being transported back in time. There were birds flying all over, like in prehistoric times, and lava formations resembling the first foundation of Earth. Later, it was time to return to the ship and reminisce about the many experiences of such a wonderful week. As we look back and gaze at the islands for the last time, this place now seems to be timeless to us. It is now deep within our hearts and our experience has been unforgettable on these special islands, where the wildlife that has no fear and allows us to realize that we are not so different.
“We must not acknowledge the methodical saying ‘don’t humanize the animals’ but instead ‘animalize the human’ by perceiving our surrounding with all our senses; embracing nature by coexistence and respect for one another, so we can become one with nature as we once were.”
My dear guests, we really hope this experience will stay in your hearts for a lifetime. Someone once said, farewell my friends.
