Shrouded by mist and cloudy skies, Floreana does feel like the mystery island. One of four islands visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, it is also one of the few inhabited today. We remained in the natural areas of northern Floreana, and visited Punta Cormorant in the early morning and Post Office Bay in the afternoon. Many endemic and native species were to be found today, but perhaps the sighting of a green sea turtle hatching making the perilous journey from its nest to the waves was a memory never to be forgotten, particularly by our young global explorers.
5/29/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is considered one of the Galapagos crown jewels, and today it was showing off all of its splendor. Immediately after breakfast we put on our sturdy shoes and set out to explore Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is known for opportunities to observe not only large colonies of nesting Nazca and red-footed boobies, but maybe, just maybe, the short-eared owl which exhibits diurnal behavior on this island. After this walk we got ready for a dip in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling along the inner coast of this caldera. The afternoon was equally amazing as we disembarked to explore Darwin Bay, along a short and easy trail that was packed with wildlife. Here we observed not only nesting frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies, but also a few yellow-crowned night herons. It was another incredible afternoon in the Galapagos Islands.
