After a long navigation across the equator, we found ourselves the next morning anchored in an ancient caldera with crystal clear water. Genovesa Island is one of the five islands in the archipelago located north of the equator. This remote island provides a unique ecosystem for marine birds and land birds alike. Our early outing took place at Darwin’s Bay. The small coralline beach hosted a few Galápagos sea lions that gracefully approached us filled with curiosity. The scarce vegetation surrounding the beach was crowded with frigatebirds and red-footed boobies. The bizarre graffiti written on the cliff reminded us that buccaneers and pirates once visited this island in the 17th century. However, our enthusiastic guests forgot the sad story behind the graffiti and joyfully took pictures of the red-footed boobies collecting nesting material.
Along the beach, a small red mangrove forest was filled with chicks looking protection from frigatebirds. Yellow-crowned herons, warblers, and mockingbirds teemed on the small cliff of Darwin Bay. Small cacti lacking in strong spines delighted finches with their fruits, while large ground finches broke large seeds with their powerful beaks.
Eager to see and know more of this wonderful island, our guests took their exploration to the next level. Several options were offered. Some guests chose to go kayaking along the rim of the ancient caldera and spot birds. Snorkeling was the favorite activity for those who wanted to explore more of the ocean realm in the warm water of the bay. In addition, a few guests went to bask in the equatorial sunshine on the white sand beach surrounded by sea lions and birds.
The day ended with a walk on the cliffs of Prince Phillip’s Steps. Burnished by the past, the bizarre volcanic landscape is a perfect place for storm petrels to use as a nesting ground. Short-eared owls were seen on the lava field, waiting patiently for a good opportunity to prey on petrels that were landing or even in flight. Tropic birds and flocks of red-footed boobies ended the magical day while the sun set on the horizon.
