Genovesa was the last place we explored today in the Galapagos Islands. Our journey started with a pre-breakfast activity along the coastline of Darwin Bay. Kayaking along the cliff side was a marvelous experience as we witnessed several species of seabirds flying above us. Red-billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, great frigate birds, and Nazca boobies were among the main attractions we had during our kayaking activity.
As soon as breakfast was over, it was time to see the wonders that Darwin bay had in store for us during the morning hike. After a comfortable wet landing on a beautiful sandy area, we were surprised by the amount of sea birds flying above us. On the saltbush area, male great frigate birds were displaying courtship behavior for the females by inflating their gular sacs. Farther along the trail the magnificence of this location was diplayed in a marvelous red-footed booby colony.
From adult individuals flying over the mangroves to little baby chicks on the nests, red-footed boobies displayed a symphony of colors all over Darwin Bay. Once we reached the farthest point of the trail we witnessed a tremendous amount of courting male frigate birds covering the saltbush area before we returned to the National Geographic Islander.
The afternoon activities enhanced our experience with surprises of different kinds. The best way to start was with a dry landing on one of the most iconic places of the Archipelago, Prince Philip Steps. Since the very beginning Nazca boobies got us awe-inspired as we passed through one of the largest colonies found in the area. Colorful Galapagos doves were the perfect companions throughout the visi,t as they were feeding on seeds found on the ground.
Once we reached the farthest point, we started looking for the short-eared owl that happens to hunt during the daytime on this particular island. The surprise of the afternoon was a short-eared owl that found its kill at the farthest end of the trail. The Galapagos exploration was an experience that will be a part of our memories for a lifetime.
