This was our last day of an amazing Expedition. We spent the day at the northern island of Genovesa. This is a seabird sanctuary, millions of birds chose Genovesa as their home. It is situated on the northern hemisphere, a small island, a highlight, a dream come true. In the morning we visited Darwin bay, a perfect place to see the red footed boobies very close. The great frigate birds are found here too and the males are found perched on the bushes and trees, inflating their red gular sack in order to find a female, quite a job! The last opportunity for snorkeling was fantastic! I was fortunate to go snorkeling along the cliffs, the water was warm and calm, besides the large schools of colorful fish, we saw hammerhead sharks very close! In the afternoon, our guests were able to paddle board in the protected sunken caldera of Genovesa, a great adventure with gorgeous views and rich in wildlife. This is a fun activity! The day was not over yet, as the last walk at Prince Phillip’s steps is an unforgettable experience. We walked up to the Plateau, where we saw Nazca boobies nesting, red footed boobies and great frigate birds, the birds are so close, it is just unbelievable.
5/11/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
We started our expedition by visiting one of the oldest islands of the archipelago and quite a fantastic one. We explored the beach in the morning and the inside of the island in the afternoon. Our first outing was a snorkel exploration of a small islet located on Gardner Bay, where we observed sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and many colorful fish! The temperature of the water, great visibility, and an abundance of life made for an outstanding first deep-water snorkel. We also walked and swam on a beautiful white sand beach next to the big colony of sea lions that live here. In the afternoon, we hiked on Suárez Point. This is the only site in the archipelago where we can find the very famous waved albatross. We walked a rocky trail and spotted marine iguanas and lava lizards with nearly every step before reaching the nesting grounds of Nazca boobies and the albatrosses. These wonderful and magnificent marine birds nested and displayed for their mates. We observed the beauty of these animals as we enjoyed the sunset. It was a spectacular first full day.