It has been an exceptional trip around the islands with all our expectations fulfilled, but it is possible to offer just one more breathtaking place - Genovesa. This particular island has hosted tourists since only the late 1970’s, so all the birds and other species have not learned to fear humans. The barrier between them and us barely exists.
Early in the morning the activities started with kayaking. We were going to visit these places later but there is nothing better than getting to experience it first. Later after breakfast we landed on Darwin Bay’s beach, where there is an area littered by broken pieces of coral and where the trail is located. We did not have to wait too long before finding birds. There is one species really abundant here that we could not find during the days before, called red-footed boobies. But it was not only boobies that you could find - frigate birds were starting their courting as well with the males inflating their pouches. Some of us needed to refresh after the hot morning, and so took a last chance to snorkel in these waters full of big animals like rays, turtles, and even some elusive hammerhead sharks.
After some deserved lunch and later a siesta, which became part of the trip routine, we went out one last time.
Prince Phillips Steps offers a different terrain than the one in the morning. In this place we could also find pretty much the same wildlife as the morning, but with one exception. At the end of the rocky trail there is a net of lava tunnels where storm petrels nest, and if the numbers of one species go up another has to take them down. It was hard because they were quite distant, but we succeeded to find the short-eared owl, the primary predator on the island.
One entire week passed in a blink of an eye and the trip came to an end, but like we always tell our guests, “You may leave the Galapagos, but the Galapagos will never leave you.” Save travels to all of you.
