We finished a fantastic expedition by visiting the island of Genovesa. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, Genovesa offers a great habitat for seabirds. Here we find the largest colony of red-footed boobies on the planet! I was fortunate to guide guests on a great walk at Darwin Bay, where we observed swallowed-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies, and red-footed boobies. It was awesome to be surrounded by so many birds. The rest of the group went to Prince Philip’s Steps. From the top of the plateau, you get a different perspective of the island. With over a million seabirds, this island is a seabird paradise. Our guests enjoyed a final snorkel along the cliffs of Genovesa, and we deployed our kayaks and paddleboards for a last time! It was a great last day in paradise!
11/7/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Ayora and Santa Cruz Island were a surprise for many as we encountered the human aspect of the Galapagos Archipelago. This being the second largest island, it was also the last to be colonized by humans and it has a unique aspect of interaction among the species found here. A visit to the Charles Darwin Station, with its giant tortoises reared in captivity, showed us the role of conservation efforts and how they’ve been able to recuperate populations. This represents a model where protection and restoration have a very positive effect. Heading to the highlands, all are able to interact with the local residents, learning about an integrated educational system in a school in the middle of nature. Local families farming higher on Santa Cruz allowed us insight into the aspect of local production of food in a responsible way. The afternoon brought us back to interact with the giant tortoises, surrounding us at every turn as they move along their yearly migratory route.