On our second full day in the Galapagos, we experienced an exciting combination of human and natural history, in the gorgeous setting of Floreana Island. For a dynamic beginning of the day we did an early morning trek to visit a unique white beach know as La Picona. Here we found approximately 15 Pacific sea turtles returning back to the sea after a busy night of nesting. We observed and registered the tracks left by these sea turtles as evidence of their night nesting job. Later we walked along another segment of the trail to enjoy the colorful spectacle of Galapagos flamingos feeding in the salt lagoon. We registered at least 40 individuals, which confirmed that this visiting site hosts an important population of this elegant bird.
After a healthy and nutritious breakfast we headed in our Zodiacs to Champion Islet, a small island close to Floreana, where we were surprised by the visit of the elusive and endangered Floreana Mocking bird. Other birds such as red-billed tropic birds, shearwaters and terns flew around the impressive cliffs of Champion islet. Immediately after we organized two groups of snorkelers, some of them going for a deep water experience, while another group chose to go for a calmer, but no less beautiful underwater experience. Here we witnessed the abundant marine life of the Galapagos Marine Reserve including sea turtles, parrot fish, Mexican hogfish, king angelfish, yellow-tailed surgeonfish, sergeant major, hieroglyphic hawk fish, Galapagos rainbow wrasses and various schools of black striped salemas. After such an exciting morning we stopped for a rewarding lunch, and of course, an enjoyable siesta to recharge our batteries.
In the afternoon most of our guests learned about the detailed story of Charles Darwin lectured by our experienced Expedition Leader, Lynn. After this amazing historical introduction we were well tuned to visit Post Office Bay, another incredible place which took us back centuries ago to the years of whalers. Thanks to its accessibility and excellent anchorage, this place was used by many whaling ships as the main harbor. During the years of whaling a tradition was established of leaving letters so other homeward-bound ships could take those letters with them for delivery. This tradition persists, however, Galapagos visitors are now the main protagonists of this ongoing history.
We ended our field activities with an option for kayaking or a Zodiac ride around the pristine and enchanting mangrove landscapes of Floreana, where we spotted various sea turtles, eagle rays and playful sea lions. Once back on board, we have all fallen in love of these inspiring and unique islands. Luckily, we still have more days to enjoy!
