Located up in the northernmost part of the archipelago, quite distant from any of the central islands, this particular place is somehow extremely interesting, isolation has been the key here for sea birds and they are the most numerous inhabitants of the place. The early morning light gives as a very good opportunity to see the walls of the crater that collapsed a few million years ago. This place has a special kind of atmosphere, Nazca boobies, swallow tailed gulls and the very colorful red footed boobies together with the contrasting landscape, make it one of the very interesting sites to be explored around this enchanted archipelago.
The white coralline beach and the red mangroves are the nesting place for red footed boobies. Minor frigate bird males are beginning with the mating ritual again today; a few bachelors are displaying their half inflated pouches to females that don’t seem to be particularly interested in them yet!
Prince Philip’s Steps and its lava plateaus that have been conquered by Palo Santo trees on this side of the island is the nesting territory for more boobies. As we head for the walk on the open area we find ourselves surrounded again by lava flows. In this case they are the territory of thousands storm petrels that are covering the sky, at a first glimpse they look like those clouds of mosquitos that are normally found in jungle areas; it is incredible to see how much activity can be found in this bizarre distant place. As the petrels come here to nest, their predator, the short eared owl quietly awaits them on the open fields, looking for the perfect time to attack. The images of today, we are sure, will remain in our heads for the rest of our lives. What a special way to end our expedition around this enchanted archipelago; we know now that these particular islands will never leave us…
