Genovesa Island
Today was another spectacular day in the living paradise of the Galápagos Islands. The exploration of the day was at one of the most attractive places of the archipelago: Genovesa Island. The first adventure of the day was a visit to Darwin Bay. After a comfortable wet landing, the magnificence of the place surprised us from the moment we stepped ashore. Red footed boobies nesting, Swallow-tailed gulls singing, and Frigate birds flying – and that was only the beginning of an astonishing hike. Farther along the trail, the color combination of the dominant vegetation was the perfect contrast for the charming landscape of Darwin Bay’s cliffs.
At the end of the hike, the sunlight made it perfect to continue with the next part of the adventure: deep water snorkeling. After leaving the National Geographic Islander, we arrived to the cliff area and came into the water for a pleasant swim with colorful reef fish. The magic of the rocks was perfectly combined with all the marine life that surrounded us underwater.
In the afternoon, the exploration for Genovesa Island got even better, and a perfect way to begin it was to enjoy a delightful buffet lunch aboard National Geographic Islander. As soon as we were ready to continue, it was time to see the wonders that Prince Phillip Steps was ready to show us. Once on top of the cliffs, we were surrounded by dozens of seabirds along the trail. Nazca boobies on the ground and red footed boobies on the trees were the main attraction of the place.
As we reached the other side of the cliff, the sky was covered by hundreds of storm petrels, and in between them a short eared owl was waiting for an opportunity to take its prey. As we walked along the cliff, it was fascinating to see so many birds in the sky and on the ground that we were overwhelmed by the marvels of nature. During the way back to embarkation area, we relaxed and enjoyed the color of the horizon as the sun set and left us feeling that we were in a living paradise. Today, the wonders of the Galápagos Islands were an elegant symphony of Nature.
