We started the day with an impressive view of Genovesa Island as our ship entered its salt-water filled caldera. Flocks of sea birds flew above us filling the air with their sounds. Red footed boobies, tropicbirds and swallow-tailed gulls screamed while trying to escape frigate birds.
The first place we visited today was Darwin Bay beach, colonies of red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and great frigate birds were waiting for us at this place. Hiding on the crevices of the lava rocks, we encountered a few yellow crowned night herons, and a small colony of Galapagos sea lions could be seen lying on the sand.
Later on we snorkel along the cliff side, here we swam with golden rays, some of our guests saw Moorish Idols, king angel fish, sergeant majors, parrot fish, wrasse and Galapagos hammerhead sharks, and it was a fantastic experience for all of us.
After lunch, we went to Prince Phillip´s steps, named for Prince Phillip who visited Galapagos in 1965. After climbing a high cliff, we got to a plateau where hundreds of Nazca boobies were nesting on the ground, and red-footed boobies and frigates were nesting on the bushes. The trail took us through a dry area forest covered with incense trees. Darwin finches and Galapagos doves shared the trail with us. Just before the end of the trail, we got to see short eared owl hunting and eating a storm petrel!
