Galapagos: Part II
Birds, birds, birds (and sea lions).
Feb 16 2022
Wake up call.
Kenny G filled the ship’s speakers at 5:45 AM—the first of our wake-up calls—but I didn’t hear it. I had gotten out of bed at 5:00 and was walking the decks, watching for the sunrise. Taylor couldn’t believe I missed it; a good part of the breakfast discussion centered around the music, how loud it was, and how long it proceeded to play before being interrupted by Leo inviting everyone to table. It was a routine that we would come to know well.
The approach.
After breakfast, we were reminded of the time. In 15 minutes we were to meet in the main lounge to don life jackets and prepare to board the pangas for a dry landing on Genovesa Island. There, we were guaranteed to see Nazca and red-footed boobies; the endemic blue-footed booby would have to wait.
The island appeared before us, a sheer wall of volcanic rock. Sea lions and birds perched on whatever ledges they could find, and the panga drifted us slowly past their roosts until we arrived at Prince Philip’s steps: a set of wooden railings nailed into the rock, the steps themselves an uneven climb to the flat surface of the island.
The panga pressed its nose agains the base of the rocks and Monica alighted, turning around to offer her hand to each of us as we followed suit. Near the top of the steps, I looked back to watch the panga return to the ship.
So. Many. Birds.
A red-footed booby stood at the top of the steps, and I stopped to take photos as the rest of the passengers filed past me. I hadn’t quite reached the top, and a ledge obscured my view of the plateau. Little did I know that there’d be many more boobies to see.
At the top, Nazca boobies (named after the tectonic plate upon which we stood) and red-footed boobies (named for their feet, natch) dotted the island, unperturbed by our presence. They slept in the middle of the path, stood in bushes, molted on rocks. At one point, Monica noticed a booby that looked different than the others, and she coaxed it to turn its head so she could take better photos of it to study them later.
Hiking the island.
As we hiked the island, Monica pointed out different features of the landscape and pointed out various species as we encountered them.
Spotting the corpse of a Nazca booby, she picked it up to show us the beak, and then tossed it away, “It doesn’t smell so good.” She found remnants of storm petrels and lamented their demise, telling us that they were the favored prey of short-haired owls, and wondered whether we’d have the opportunity to spot one.
At the far end of the island, storm petrels littered the sky. Looking at my photos, I thought the skies were covered in dust only to realize that every dot was a bird, and I was once again taken aback at the sheer density of what we had seen.
While staring at the volcanic landscape, Monica drew our eyes to a small brown shape camouflaged against the rock. It was a short-haired owl. Roberto passed binoculars around but I couldn’t see it until it unfurled its wings and leapt to another rock. Our small group was transfixed, watching to see what it would do. And then it pounced, grabbing a petrel in its claws.
Sea kayaking and swimming.
Back on board, we were given 30 minutes before our next activity. Sea kayaks had been lowered from the top deck and were waiting in a line for us to board. We boarded the pangas and towed the kayaks back towards the island where we transferred two by two to the kayaks. As Taylor and I pushed away from the panga we saw a sea lion swimming below us. It wouldn’t be our last encounter—nor our closest—but as our first it filled us both with wonder.
Our first snorkeling adventure.
We had a few minutes to change before being called deck by deck to collect our gear. Wetsuits were handed out along with masks and snorkels and we were asked to try everything on in advance of our first trip under the sea.
A deeper dive.
Back at the boat, Monica asked if we wanted to jump off the Grace. John and I had been talking about the possibility since we left the airport and we leapt at the chance. Monica climbed to the top-most deck, a number of us in tow. The captain shouted encouragement as Monica leapt into the air, holding her nose. Her feet hit the water with a light splash and then she was gone, emerging shortly after. Kristin followed, walking to the edge and then backing off, hesitating, before stepping forward and taking the plunge.
I handed my glasses to Carmen and eased my way to the edge. I gave myself as little time as possible to second-guess my decision; before I knew it, my body was slicing through the air. The sea rushed up to meet me, and suddenly I was suspended in another medium, stopped from my descent and floating upwards.
Darwin Bay.
After lunch we prepared for a wet landing on the beaches of Darwin Bay. We boarded the panga and crossed the bay towards the north to alight on a sandy beach dotted with resting sea lions. Visitors from other boats were admiring the sea lions and Roberto ushered us past the beach, assuring us they’d be there when we returned.
Birds surrounded us on our walk, perched in the trees, flying around us, standing by the path. We followed a sandy path to a lagoon. We stepped into the shallow water and continued walking, a rock wall separating us from the sea just beyond.
Along the rock, we spotted boobies and frigate birds, the red pouches on their breast deflated, waiting for mating season to begin. They stood as if for portraits, ignoring our presence even as we inched closer to them for a better angle. Roberto told Rita to stand next to a couple of boobies perched on a branch for a photo. She stood so close they could have reached out to peck her hand.
Sleepy sea lions.
Walking back towards the beach we passed sea lions resting at various spots along the path, under trees and out on the dry sand. A mother slept with her calf at her belly, as if it had fallen asleep while feeding from her.
The day was coming to a close and from the shore we could see the pangas detach from the Grace. I waited for the second panga, but it was a short trip from the boat, and our visit came soon to a close.
Back on board.
Back on board we readied ourselves for the evening briefing and dinner. As we showered and dressed, Roberto updated the whiteboard with our next day’s activities. That night, the captain welcomed us aboard with a cocktail. He and his crew stood around on the second deck and introduced themselves, wishing us a pleasant voyage of discovery. If the day was to be any indication, we were in for a treat. 🦭
