Today we woke up anchored in a unique location: a sunken caldera called Darwin´s Bay! This caldera is located up north on the island of Genovesa, known for being a sea bird paradise, which hosts the largest colony of red-footed boobies in the world: 140,000 pairs!
Right after breakfast we are ready to explore. Some guests visit a site called Prince Phillip’s Steps, named when Prince Phillip visited the place. Here we look first for the Galapagos fur seals, a species that was hunted for its fur but is now well protected and likes to hang out in caves along these cliffs. Right after landing, we spot Nazca boobies nesting, great frigate birds, and our first red-footed boobies. Shearwater and storm petrels appear as we get to the outer side of the island.
Aquatic activities take place mid-morning. Between snorkelers, kayakers, and paddle boarders, there´s no area of Darwin´s Bay left unexplored
To recover some energy, lunch is served. Today it’s a local Galapagos lunch, created with vegetables grown on the islands. Not only are we trying new flavors, we are also helping the local economy and avoiding the possibility of bringing in introduced species. Plus, enjoying lava cookies for dessert is something memorable. After that delicious meal our artist in residence, Carlyn Iverson, gave us her last nature-sketching lesson.
In the afternoon our groups switched, those that went to the beach now head to the cliff and the groups that visited the cliff now head to the beach. So, everyone has a chance to see everything and we help maintain the pristine ecosystems of the islands.
Back on board, we enjoyed the sunset on the upper deck, a farewell cocktail, and a slideshow of our pictures from the trip. With our hearts overjoyed from our wonderful time in the Galapagos, we say goodbye to the islands.
