To the south of the Galapagos is Floreana, a very special island where anything can happen. It’s also known as the island of mysteries because of some extraordinary events that happened here in the 1930s, when some European inhabitants died or disappeared under unclear circumstances.
An early wake-up call was a great way to enjoy the sunrise. This was followed by a moderately paced walk on an easy trail that goes right through a brackish water lagoon that often hosts different kinds of birds. We continued on our way to the other side of a tuff cone where a second beach has white sand and where sea turtles nest. Several hundred stingrays live here permanently and could be seen underneath the breakers along the beach. Then we returned to the ship for a full breakfast before continuing with the program of the day on this beautiful island.
Around mid-morning and after a short navigation we reached the island of Champion for a Zodiac ride to look for sea lions, boobies, shearwaters, red-billed tropic birds, among others. But one creature deserved a little more attention: a species of mockingbird that became extinct on the main island due to predators and only a few survive here on this island. We saw a few Floreana mockingbirds unexpectedly very close to us so we are happy they’re still with us.
The next outing was snorkeling in one of the most ideal locations due to the presence of multiple species of fishes and other creatures. One of them is the playful Galapagos sea lion. A number of them gave us the best moments of the session. Large schools of attractive fish of many kinds also made the place very unique.
Some guests departed for kayaking around small islands usually teeming with wildlife, while others disembarked on the beach at Post Office Bay for photography and relaxation. Later, all the guests visited the old mail barrel supposedly erected by the English Captain James Colnett back in 1793 to facilitate communication with people back home. This tradition is still running and it has become very well known among the visitors of the Galapagos who are happy to participate. All you do is look at the addresses on the envelopes in the barrel, and if you see one that near your hometown, you hand delivered like it in the old days. That’s fun! No stamps needed.
The last activity of the day was a Zodiac ride around some rocky islands known for interesting wildlife as the sunset gave out its last warming rays on a phenomenal expedition on this island.
