Genovesa (Tower) Island
As Expedition Leader I have often received the comment that I use the superlative “spectacular” far too many times during my briefings – yet it really is hard to think of any other word that so perfectly describes the awe-inspiring Galápagos experience. This is particularly true of the island we visited today, which is called Genovesa and often nicknamed “Hitchcock” or “Bird Island”.
As staff members on board the Polaris, we get to travel the islands year-round, and each month in the Galápagos brings new surprises and highlights as we watch the cycles of life come around time and again: courtship leads to egg-laying which leads to chick-rearing which leads to fledging and then it starts all over again. These cycles overlap among the different species of the archipelago, and even among the same species on different islands, so any time one travels here is a good time! All islands have their absolute best time of the year, though, and in the case of Genovesa we are in the middle of it. Love is in the air wherever we look! Male frigate birds have inflated their magnificent pouches, which from the air look like great pulsating red hearts that irresistibly draw the females to the area. Swallow-tailed gulls are a little further on in the cycle and having attracted their mates by regurgitating their hard-earned squid for them (there is something for everyone!) they are now raising adorable little chicks. Red-footed boobies are reaching the end of their cycle, with many chicks turning into squawking groups of curious juveniles festooning the trees around the caldera of this ancient volcano. Nazca boobies are just starting with their courtship, and many new couples are working on the formation of their pair bonds, while squabbling with neighbouring boobies and frigates for nesting space (love is unfortunately but unavoidably often accompanied by the far less noble feelings of jealousy and rivalry). Looking around us, even the soft-spined Opuntia cacti typical of the island are growing heart-shaped leaves – maybe influenced by all the amorous activity going on all around them…
We explored this “spectacular” island, located to the north of the GalápagosArchipelago, by foot and by snorkelling, by Zodiac or by kayak – and it is not surprising really that we all ended the day, drinking cocktails on the sky deck to the backdrop of the sun setting behind the caldera we are anchored in, with feelings of elation (and, maybe, love?) in our hearts.
As Expedition Leader I have often received the comment that I use the superlative “spectacular” far too many times during my briefings – yet it really is hard to think of any other word that so perfectly describes the awe-inspiring Galápagos experience. This is particularly true of the island we visited today, which is called Genovesa and often nicknamed “Hitchcock” or “Bird Island”.
As staff members on board the Polaris, we get to travel the islands year-round, and each month in the Galápagos brings new surprises and highlights as we watch the cycles of life come around time and again: courtship leads to egg-laying which leads to chick-rearing which leads to fledging and then it starts all over again. These cycles overlap among the different species of the archipelago, and even among the same species on different islands, so any time one travels here is a good time! All islands have their absolute best time of the year, though, and in the case of Genovesa we are in the middle of it. Love is in the air wherever we look! Male frigate birds have inflated their magnificent pouches, which from the air look like great pulsating red hearts that irresistibly draw the females to the area. Swallow-tailed gulls are a little further on in the cycle and having attracted their mates by regurgitating their hard-earned squid for them (there is something for everyone!) they are now raising adorable little chicks. Red-footed boobies are reaching the end of their cycle, with many chicks turning into squawking groups of curious juveniles festooning the trees around the caldera of this ancient volcano. Nazca boobies are just starting with their courtship, and many new couples are working on the formation of their pair bonds, while squabbling with neighbouring boobies and frigates for nesting space (love is unfortunately but unavoidably often accompanied by the far less noble feelings of jealousy and rivalry). Looking around us, even the soft-spined Opuntia cacti typical of the island are growing heart-shaped leaves – maybe influenced by all the amorous activity going on all around them…
We explored this “spectacular” island, located to the north of the GalápagosArchipelago, by foot and by snorkelling, by Zodiac or by kayak – and it is not surprising really that we all ended the day, drinking cocktails on the sky deck to the backdrop of the sun setting behind the caldera we are anchored in, with feelings of elation (and, maybe, love?) in our hearts.
