40 FOCUS - JUNE 2018 of my thoughts, but I soon became mesmerized by the unique and fearless Masked Booby Birds, which inhab- ited the rocky slopes. The birds sat and stared at me, no doubt wondering what I was doing there. I was amazed, for they did not move and I had to step over them to continue on my way. Rohit was adamant about staying on the path. He explained that heavy fines were levied if we strayed. The slopes are steep, but fortunately pathways have been made through the jagged lava fields, making it somewhat easier to avoid slipping. One of the unique inhabitants of Daphne Island is the Darwin Finch, which has been intently studied by biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant over a period of 30 years. Their find- ings strongly support Darwin’s theory of evolution. The centre of the crater is the nest- ing habitat for Frigate Birds. These large Aves puff air into their throats and pro- duce outsized, red bellows in order to at- tract females. When flying they present a sleek, aerodynamic ability. Another very strange creature was the Blue Footed Booby Bird. Similar in shape to its cousin, the Masked Booby, the main difference is the bright blue colour of its feet. Again fearless, these birds simply sat in our path and stared at us as we climbed over them or side- stepped their nest, many of which had eggs in them. The trek back to the boat was just as treacherous, if not worse than the morn- ing adventure. I did discover the waves of the Pacific Ocean increased as the day goes on and I was glad when we completed the three hour voyage back to port. The Galapagos Islands have to be one of the most amazing places to visit on the entire planet. Many of the 13 ma- jor islands, 6 smaller islands, and scores of islets and rocks are home to strange creatures, not found anywhere else on earth. Destruction of the eco system is restricting travel, so if you have an opportunity, visit now, before it becomes too late. Daphne Island (continued from page 39) The Blue-footed Booby bird lives in the Galapagos. One has to be careful not to step on the Masked Booby bird’s nest or their eggs. Scaling the cliffs of Daphne Island can be a little foreboding. DO YOU KNOW......... Where and how old is the world’s oldest living tree? Email me your best guess at jon@photosNtravel.com. Answer, next month. Last month’s ‘Do You Know’ was ….... What country has 127 active volcanoes? The answer is Indonesia. Jonathan van Bilsen is a photographer, author, columnist, keynote speaker and can be followed at photosNtravel.com 158 Casimir Street, Port Perry • 905-985-2268 virginia.frew@marlintravel.ca MC TICO #4577532 Introducing ‘CELEBRITY FLORA’ a new ship designed for the Galapagos Islands. GALAPAGOS ISLANDS