On our third day of exploration in the Galapagos aboard the National Geographic Endeavour, we visited Floreana Island, a magical island where we encountered some unique species. We started our day with an optional early morning walk at Punta Cormorant. This one-mile hike gave us the opportunity to observe the greater flamingo. These brightly-colored birds are filter feeders, so they stick their heads into the water of the lagoons and ponds to feed, offering a fascinating natural spectacle. Considering that only a few of the islands in the archipelago provide the habitat required by flamingos, visiting this place is a great privilege. The majority of our guests have never seen flamingos in the wild, hence, a shared excitement and happiness made for a great beginning of the day.
Our next visit of the day was to Champion Islet, a small islet where a remnant population of Floreana Mockingbirds still occurs. Here, we had the chance to learn about the challenges involved with protecting endangered species, and also about the ongoing research which is being undertaken to find a sustainable mechanism to recover the population of this emblematic bird. Our explorers had also the chance to choose between Zodiac rides and a combination of snorkeling and glass-bottom boat rides, which allowed us to witness the marvelous underwater life of this marine paradise. Excellent visibility in the water gave us the chance to observe a handful of playful sea lions, white-tipped reef sharks and eagle rays who welcomed us into their realms.
During the afternoon, we landed at Post Office Bay, where we travelled in time to the golden age of pirates and whalers. This historical site is the scene of a tradition that has survived for more than 200 years, where visiting whalers dropped off their correspondence in a wooden barrel. Later on, those letters were hand delivered to the intended recipient by a next whaling ship. The tradition survives, however, times have changed, and rather than whalers, this Post Office is used by caring visitors who spread a global message about the beauty and uniqueness of these enchanted islands. To finish an exciting afternoon, our guests also had the option to enjoy kayaking and Zodiac rides around the majestic mangrove ecosystem of Floreana, were we discovered blue-footed boobies, pelicans, Sally Lightfoot crabs, and the highlight of the afternoon, a group of Galapagos penguins. Everybody was amazed by the unique experiences: flamingos and penguins on the same day in a same island, only in the Galapagos! We ended with some relaxing beach time for those guests who still had energy to enjoy the blue waters of Floreana after an unforgettable and exciting day of expedition.
