Genovesa Island
Even in bed I could sense that we were entering the collapsed caldera of Genovesa. The ship made a sharp turn early in the morning to get inside this volcano, enormously rich in bird life and very isolated from the rest of the archipelago. Only a narrow portion of the rim is open to the ocean, and very graciously, National Geographic Islander entered it, safely maneuvered by our captain Pablo Garces.
Red-footed boobies, frigates and swallow-tailed gulls, welcomed us even before we had landed. They came to the ship to rest on its railings in front of the bridge, curious of us as much as we were curious about their mysterious life at sea.
We had a lovely walk in the morning, taking all the time we needed to observe the different behaviors of each creature along the trail. Some guests decided to snorkel afterwards, and some to spend the rest of the morning at the beach. After a great meal, and an opportunity for kayaking, we were off again but this time to Prince Phillips’ steps, where we saw not only more red-footed and frigates, but a short-eared owl as well, a semi-nocturnal predator that on this island has a diurnal behavior.
The moon was up when we came back on board, almost full, illuminating the rim of Genovesa, even more impressive at night.
