Genovesa Island
We awoke to find a calm sea, a sky full of low clouds and the Polaris rocking peacefully at anchor in the submerged caldera of Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island. This is a fabulous site; the home to perhaps a million sea birds, recumbent and hairy (rather than spiny, tree-like) Opuntia cactus, small, jet black marine iguanas, 4 species of Darwin finches and the diurnal short-eared owl. There are species that are obviously missing from this island: there were no lava lizards darting between our feet as we crossed the lava today, and no hawks, snakes or land iguanas are found here either.
By the time we disembarked on a white coral beach, the sun was out and it was yet another sparkling day. We were immediately thrilled by the cooing and quivering male frigate birds that were perched in the low salt bushes just behind the beach. With their gaudy, red gular pouches inflated, they displayed to females flying overhead. Several of the males had successfully attracted a mate and these pairs were in various stages of courtship and nest building. These three males, lined up like bright red O’s on a tic-tac-toe board, displayed frantically and in unison to each passing female. Their courtship certainly impressed us humans, but apparently, at least today, none of the female frigates took them up on their offers of a prime real estate, seaside nest site.
While the courting frigates were surely today’s highlight for many of our guests, nesting red-footed and Nazca boobies were also the subject of countless photos. We watched two eager sea lion pups searching for “Mom” who must have been out at sea. They approached all the other sea lions and even some of us, with a sniff and a bleat – “are you my mother?” and then bounced away. Some of us swam from the beach, others snorkeled and we all had a marvelous morning – the whole island of Genovesa, for us alone to enjoy.
In the afternoon there was a chance to swim from the ship and then we had a choice of a hike or a panga ride along base of the cliffs. Soaring red-billed tropic birds, many more boobies and frigate birds and, for those who took the walk, a couple of short-eared owls kept us busy with our cameras and binoculars. Each day is different and every one is as fantastic as the day before!
We awoke to find a calm sea, a sky full of low clouds and the Polaris rocking peacefully at anchor in the submerged caldera of Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island. This is a fabulous site; the home to perhaps a million sea birds, recumbent and hairy (rather than spiny, tree-like) Opuntia cactus, small, jet black marine iguanas, 4 species of Darwin finches and the diurnal short-eared owl. There are species that are obviously missing from this island: there were no lava lizards darting between our feet as we crossed the lava today, and no hawks, snakes or land iguanas are found here either.
By the time we disembarked on a white coral beach, the sun was out and it was yet another sparkling day. We were immediately thrilled by the cooing and quivering male frigate birds that were perched in the low salt bushes just behind the beach. With their gaudy, red gular pouches inflated, they displayed to females flying overhead. Several of the males had successfully attracted a mate and these pairs were in various stages of courtship and nest building. These three males, lined up like bright red O’s on a tic-tac-toe board, displayed frantically and in unison to each passing female. Their courtship certainly impressed us humans, but apparently, at least today, none of the female frigates took them up on their offers of a prime real estate, seaside nest site.
While the courting frigates were surely today’s highlight for many of our guests, nesting red-footed and Nazca boobies were also the subject of countless photos. We watched two eager sea lion pups searching for “Mom” who must have been out at sea. They approached all the other sea lions and even some of us, with a sniff and a bleat – “are you my mother?” and then bounced away. Some of us swam from the beach, others snorkeled and we all had a marvelous morning – the whole island of Genovesa, for us alone to enjoy.
In the afternoon there was a chance to swim from the ship and then we had a choice of a hike or a panga ride along base of the cliffs. Soaring red-billed tropic birds, many more boobies and frigate birds and, for those who took the walk, a couple of short-eared owls kept us busy with our cameras and binoculars. Each day is different and every one is as fantastic as the day before!
