Sadly, today is the last day of our expedition of these wonderful islands. We could not have hoped for a better way to say goodbye than with a visit to Genovesa.
During our morning walk along the beach of Darwin’s Bay, we encountered many male frigatebirds. The birds displayed their red pouches to several females flying above. As they flew around the very green landscape, the birds created a beautiful contrast. Many juvenile red-footed boobies were trying to learn how to fly. They looked very cute during takeoff and landing, as their attempts revealed that they are not too experienced yet.
The snorkeling session was very nice. The water was a good temperature, and we enjoyed clear visibility. We observed plenty of different species of fish. Once we were back on the Zodiacs, a couple of bottlenose dolphins passed by.
During the afternoon, we hiked along the plateau of the island to Prince Philip’s Steps. The lush vegetation surprised us. Everything looks a bit different after a couple months of rain. We observed many seabirds flying, and they were very active on land as well. We spotted red-footed and Nazca boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Madeiran storm petrels. We also found the bird we most wanted to see–the short-eared owl!
After this amazing last day, we spent time onboard collecting photos and socializing. The captain offered a farewell cocktail party in the lounge, where guests shared their precious moments from the week. We all celebrated the magic of these islands.
Photo caption and credit: A Galapagos short-eared owl, surrounded by green vegetation from the rainy season. Photo by Christian Saa
