We finished a fantastic expedition by visiting the island of Genovesa. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, Genovesa offers a great habitat for seabirds. Here we find the largest colony of red-footed boobies on the planet! I was fortunate to guide guests on a great walk at Darwin Bay, where we observed swallowed-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies, and red-footed boobies. It was awesome to be surrounded by so many birds. The rest of the group went to Prince Philip’s Steps. From the top of the plateau, you get a different perspective of the island. With over a million seabirds, this island is a seabird paradise. Our guests enjoyed a final snorkel along the cliffs of Genovesa, and we deployed our kayaks and paddleboards for a last time! It was a great last day in paradise!
6/4/2023
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National Geographic Endeavour II
North Seymour & Rabida Islands
We began our day with a landing on North Seymour, where we encountered hundreds of birds, mostly frigatebirds flying overhead. We followed a path that took us to a breeding site of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds. We watched their mating displays in awe as nature showed us its wonderful ways. Male frigatebirds inflated their red gular sacs and stretched out their wings trying to attract a mate. Male blue-footed boobies slowing raising their cerulean feet to show a potential mate that they can fish well and support a nest. We also spotted land iguanas, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and a Galapagos racer snake along the path. We continued our navigation to Rabida Island, famous for its red sand beach, a coloration resulting from iron oxide in its volcanic soil. Those who chose to snorkel were delighted with sightings of sea turtles, sharks, Galapagos sea lions, and colorful fish. As the sun dipped into the horizon, we continued with a casual walk to a brackish pond that has a resurgent population of American flamingos, an excellent way to finish this day.
