Our first full day in the islands started with a bang. We added outstanding sightings and behavioral observations to our wildlife list. North Seymour has incredible birdlife, reptiles, and marine mammals that are visible from the trail as well as from Zodiacs along the shore. We visited Rabida in the afternoon. Many guests are now prepared for snorkeling. We observed lagoon birds courting and nesting in low light on the red sand. It is hard to describe in words, and even photographs don’t always capture the impact of these islands. You must come visit to believe.
5/29/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is considered one of the Galapagos crown jewels, and today it was showing off all of its splendor. Immediately after breakfast we put on our sturdy shoes and set out to explore Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is known for opportunities to observe not only large colonies of nesting Nazca and red-footed boobies, but maybe, just maybe, the short-eared owl which exhibits diurnal behavior on this island. After this walk we got ready for a dip in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling along the inner coast of this caldera. The afternoon was equally amazing as we disembarked to explore Darwin Bay, along a short and easy trail that was packed with wildlife. Here we observed not only nesting frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies, but also a few yellow-crowned night herons. It was another incredible afternoon in the Galapagos Islands.