Genovesa (Tower) Island

Our’alarm clock’is the gentle voice of Gustavo (or was it Roberto?) telling us over the intercom that breakfast would be served at 7 AM.    By 7:45 we’re boarding the small boats (I believe they’re called pangas) that take us to the shore of Genovesa Island. 

The underwater volcano that formed Genovesa is a shield volcano. The lava is so hot that it flows downward more than ‘cooler’ lava (cool being a relative word here).  This creates a ‘shield‘ shape in contrast to the lava that builds mountains like Mount St. Helens or Mt. Kilauea*.  But the lava does build up and Genovesa, one of the younger islands at less than a million years old, has emerged from the sea.  One side of Genevosa’s crater  (caldera) collapsed into the oceab creating the island’s horseshoe shape. 

We have a dry landing  (meaning we don’t get wet as we step onto the beach at one end of the ‘horseshoe’), and proceed to Prince Philip’s steps.  Our walk along the edge of the island is not too steep, but I'm quite focused on keeping my footing. Hmmmm. 

Guide Roberto walking with us along Prince Phillip's Steps

 

 

 

Island - Darwin Bay  Photograph from Galapagos National Park Service  from the Galapagos Ecolodge blog http://blog.galapagosecolodge.net/2012/08/genovesa-tower-island-visitor-sites_19.html

We return to the Letty to change for snorkeling and kayaking.  I choose snorkeling, my first immersion into the waters of the Galapagos.  The water is cool enough for us to benefit from wet suit and gloves.  I would have benefited from an underwater camera, too but.... 

As we have lunch, I'm conscious that I haven't taken many photos, wondering why I'm not making the most of this rare opportunity.  I make up for it after lunch. And pretty much the rest of the trip.

Our next stop is Darwin Bay to explore the beach.  The island has no human population, and the conservation team takes care to protect the environment for the native inhabitants.  There are markers to guide us on a walk that will be least disruptive to the animals. 

Black Finch (Ground finch?)

This little finch and its cousins were the birds that led to Darwin’s theory of evolution.  He observed that the finches looked very similar to each other, but often had variations in their beaks.  Some of the finches use their beaks to crack seeds.  Thinner beaks are effective for getting nectar from a flower as a source of food.  Pointed beaks are better for catching insects.  Darwin theorized that all these finches were descendants of a single pair that had arrived in the islands from South America as long as one million years ago. Those changes in subsequent generations that helped birds survive led to the variety we see now.

Cactus finch?

 I was only able to capture a few finch photos, and, to be honest, I have a hard time telling some of them apart.  For more information I recommend https://myweb.rollins.edu/jsiry/Grants%27finch-study.html  where the drawings show several different finch beaks. 

As we continue our exploration of Genovesa, I begin to make up for the brief lapse in my photography.

*As I post this, Mt. Kilauea has been changing the face of the Hawaii for almost two weeks.  The images are amazing.  The volcano is not only spewing lava, it is opening fissures in the land that give way to lava spatters landing on roads.  The immensity of nature's power always stuns me.  In the Galapagos , I'm walking on volcanos.  On tv, I'm watching one reshape an island and the lives of all those living on it.  

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Next:  Genovesa 2   Birds Everywhere

Back to the Letty, Cruise around San Cristobal, First Night on Board

Galapagos Islands map from www.discoverGalapagos.com

I can’t resist the sea lions. They are as relaxed around us as a beloved pet dog at home, and they have the same sweet faces that make me ogle puppies (yes, I am one of those people).

After we leave Playa Ochoa, we cruise close to shore, getting a view of the island from our ship.  “Sally Lightfoot” Crabs are quite the attention getters. They're also very hard workers.

Sally Lightfoot Crabs

The crabs scour for food in groups. Two bright colored crabs stand out against the dark rocks,  but you can see others in the background).  These scavengers are a critical part of the Galapagos ecosystem, cleaning the shore of organic debris. The crabs will feed on placenta left on the beach after a sea lion birth or provide  personalized grooming service for iguanas, removing dead skin, parasites, and algae. (I’m sure the iguanas tip well.) 

The females carry their eggs on their bellies, taking them out to the water to hatch.  The larvae survive on  microscopic organisms  by ‘filtering’ the sea water, casting off their shells as they outgrow them, and eventually returning to shore as juveniles. There they continue to grow, molt, and become more colorful.

Time to take in the sunset from the deck, and then we’re ready for our welcome dinner.

welcome aboard the Letty - cocktails

After dinner we gather in the lounge of the ship to get to know each other and talk a little about tomorrow’s adventures.   We’ll be traveling as we sleep, starting tomorrow at Genovesa Island.

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