Genovesa Island
It is a splendid day. Not too sunny, not too hot. The light breeze coming from the open ocean dropped the air temperature a couple of degrees lower than it would normally be at this time of the day. Genovesa is an island like no other. Located at the northern part of the Galápagos, this little, but vibrant island is full of life. With up to a million birds, Genovesa should be called the “Alfred Hitchcock Island”!
Our morning started with a stroll on the coral beach area where much of the wildlife resides. Red-footed boobies and great frigate birds were the highlight of the morning and the birdwatchers delight. After a breath-taking walk and adventure along the shoreline of the island, snorkeling was a must for many of our guests! Decked out in our shortie wetsuits, with masks, fins and snorkels ready, three Zodiacs of guests departed for the deep water snorkeling at the “barranco” or cliff. We had good visibility, and had the satisfaction of a finding a variety of fish. Some of our guests even encountered a hammerhead shark.
The afternoon walk was no less beautiful. Along the trail at “el barranco,” also called Prince Philip’s Steps, the diversity of landscapes and habitats where the sea birds were nesting was impressive. Here there were more Nazca boobies than red-footed ones. With little babies here and there, the Nazca boobies’ colony looked healthier than ever. For me, the highlight today was finding a young baby Nazca booby that I thought would not survive the week. Last week we found the poor thing shivering and shaking badly. Amazingly, this time I found that the chick was accompanied by one of his parents. The adult bird protected him under his/her wings and provides him with tasty, smelly food as well.
With my heart content and my mind at peace, I continued on, guiding our guests to the end of the trail. I had the smile of a proud parent on my face. My smile will last for as long as that little chick remains safe in the wonderland of Galápagos (and yes, of course I am going to cry when he takes off for college!)
It is a splendid day. Not too sunny, not too hot. The light breeze coming from the open ocean dropped the air temperature a couple of degrees lower than it would normally be at this time of the day. Genovesa is an island like no other. Located at the northern part of the Galápagos, this little, but vibrant island is full of life. With up to a million birds, Genovesa should be called the “Alfred Hitchcock Island”!
Our morning started with a stroll on the coral beach area where much of the wildlife resides. Red-footed boobies and great frigate birds were the highlight of the morning and the birdwatchers delight. After a breath-taking walk and adventure along the shoreline of the island, snorkeling was a must for many of our guests! Decked out in our shortie wetsuits, with masks, fins and snorkels ready, three Zodiacs of guests departed for the deep water snorkeling at the “barranco” or cliff. We had good visibility, and had the satisfaction of a finding a variety of fish. Some of our guests even encountered a hammerhead shark.
The afternoon walk was no less beautiful. Along the trail at “el barranco,” also called Prince Philip’s Steps, the diversity of landscapes and habitats where the sea birds were nesting was impressive. Here there were more Nazca boobies than red-footed ones. With little babies here and there, the Nazca boobies’ colony looked healthier than ever. For me, the highlight today was finding a young baby Nazca booby that I thought would not survive the week. Last week we found the poor thing shivering and shaking badly. Amazingly, this time I found that the chick was accompanied by one of his parents. The adult bird protected him under his/her wings and provides him with tasty, smelly food as well.
With my heart content and my mind at peace, I continued on, guiding our guests to the end of the trail. I had the smile of a proud parent on my face. My smile will last for as long as that little chick remains safe in the wonderland of Galápagos (and yes, of course I am going to cry when he takes off for college!)
