Genovesa Island
This remote island is situated just a bit off the course of the main currents passing through Galápagos. It therefore misses some typical endemic residents like the lava lizard, giant tortoise and land iguana. The very abundant birdlife makes up for that. This early morning we rose to the sounds of hundreds of red-footed boobies, frigate birds, shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds, just to name a few. We were anchored in a big, submerged caldera. The water here is calm, we were well-sheltered since the caldera has only a small opening for passage. Some of us headed out for a pre-breakfast kayak trip along the cliffs of the caldera. Fur seals, swallow-tailed gulls, mockingbirds and shearwaters were frequently spotted on top of the many fallen rocks.
After breakfast we went to Darwin Beach, a site where sound is as impressive as sight. The beach is made of pure coral deposits and felt cool in the already hot air. We instantly saw birds nesting where we landed. This walk we took was almost unnecessary since one could just sit and watch this first scene for hours. We slowly walked along mangroves to see dozens of red-footed boobies perched on thin twigs swaying lightly in the breeze. Here they built their rudimentary nests, only half sheltered from the elements.
Red-footed boobies, like many other seabirds, have only one chick at the time. Both parents take care feeding and protecting the chick, not just until it fledges the nest, but until it learns how to feed. Many seabirds have very specific hunting techniques, something not learned easy. Therefore, most of the young birds won’t make it through the first year. If one does, usually the reward is a relatively long life; an albatross of 20 years old is not exceptional. On our walk we also saw many herons hiding in the undergrowth, mostly yellow crowned night herons. These birds have a great life on this beach; every time the tide comes in they line up along a shallow and narrow channel where the fish have no chance to escape. Like a sushi-bar conveyer belt.
In the afternoon we headed out to Prince Philip’s steps, cut out of the cliffs leading to a walk through a dry but noisy forest. We not only saw many Nazca boobies with their chicks in various stages but also spotted and heard many red-footed boobies. This walk was our last of the week and there was not much talking, all of us capturing fresh memories to bring home. We silently said goodbye to these wonderful islands and their inhabitants, but as if on cue these same inhabitants seemed to cross our path once more. Mockingbirds, sharp-beaked finches, doves, storm petrels, frigate birds and even a short-eared owl were spotted. The sky was colored red and orange with a diffused light, we saw the silhouettes of hundreds of birds when we took the Zodiac back to the ship, where we raised the glass one more time, to celebrate new friendships and a successful expedition.
