Consider this: you are standing on the edge of a volcanic caldera. This is Genovesa Island. Also known as Tower Island it is one of the most remote islands in the Galápagos.
Genovesa is a must-see sight. It features the largest red-footed booby colony in the islands. You will find over 200000 Galápagos storm petrels here. Great frigatebirds, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and short-eared owls also call Genovesa home. Four types of Darwin finches live on this island.
The island is small with an area of only 5.4 square miles. Genovesa’s highest elevation is only 250 feet above sea level. Darwin Bay is the main bay. It is a flooded volcanic caldera. Getting to Genovesa requires an overnight boat ride. The seas can sometimes be rough.
Genovesa got its name from Genoa. This is the Italian city where Christopher Columbus was born. The island was named in 1892. This was part of Ecuador’s celebration of Columbus’s first voyage. Before that, it was known as Quita Sueño. This Spanish name means Nightmare Island.
The English pirate William Ambrosia Cowley charted the island in 1684. He called it Eures’s Island. The name later became Eure or Eures Island. The origin of this name is uncertain. One suggestion is William Ewres of Jamaica. Another is Ralph Eure the 8th Baron Eure.
Tower Island may be a misspelling of Lt. John Downes’s name. He was an American serving on the frigate Essex. He recorded the island’s position in 1813 during the War of 1812. The island is sometimes called Bird Island. This is because of its large and varied bird colonies.
There are many frigatebirds on Genovesa Island. It is one of the best places to see red-footed boobies. You can also see Nazca boobies and swallow-tailed gulls here. Storm petrels and tropicbirds are abundant. Do not forget Darwin’s finches and Galápagos mockingbirds.
Prince Philip’s Steps is a steep path. It leads through a seabird colony. The cliffs are 25 meters high. The trail continues inland. It passes more seabird colonies in a Palo Santo forest. The trail offers views of a rocky plain. The storm petrels here are active during the day. They only return to their nest holes at night to avoid predators.
The smallest marine iguana in the archipelago lives here.
Darwin Bay offers diving opportunities. You can dive along the inner or outer wall. Another option is to dive from outside the volcano. You can go through the channel into the caldera.
The main bay is a flooded volcanic caldera. It is a great place to see hammerhead sharks while snorkeling.
Genovesa Island is a birdwatcher’s dream. It is a unique and fascinating place. Its diverse birdlife and volcanic landscape make it unforgettable. Remember the story of its many names and the creatures that call it home.