These two islands are located in the middle of the archipelago, and we enjoyed kayaking and tours in Zodiacs and the glass-bottom boat. We spent time kayaking along the shores of both islands. Both islands are volcanic and rich in wildlife. Three giant mantas were feeding in the area, and they stayed with us while we kayaked and snorkeled. Sullivan Bay just formed in 1897. Vast oceans of fresh lava showed us the genesis of life on the Galapagos Islands. When the islands first formed, plants and animals struggled to survive with limited resources. Today was a great day to learn from nature.
3/11/2023
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National Geographic Islander II
Genovesa Island
Today, National Geographic Islander II anchored in the bay at Genovesa Island, located in the northeastern corner of the archipelago. Our excursion in the morning was to Darwin Bay Beach, and we found big colonies of nesting red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls. After visiting this beautiful bay, we returned to the ship to prepare for snorkeling activities. Some of the guests decided to go kayaking, and others relaxed on the beach. My group snorkeled from a Zodiac by the cliffs of this island. We found hammerhead sharks, various species of reef fish, golden cow rays, turtles, and other great wildlife. This was definitely a wonderful way to finish our time in the water here in the Galapagos. Later in the afternoon, we took a nature walk inland. We found more nesting boobies and mockingbirds. We observed great frigatebird males with their gular pouches inflated to court females. During the second part of the walk, the highlight was a short-eared owl flying around before it seemed to pose for pictures. During sunset, our captain raised a toast to our great time on board together.
