We started early; at 5:30 a.m. we had our wake up call. We could see the sun rising through the windows, the landscape was very different - parasite cones make the hills of Floreana Island, an old island that has begun its aging process.
Punta Cormorant is the name of the visitor site today. The trail took us to the other side of the point to a white sandy beach where rays and sea turtles rest. Photographers had a shorter walk to the lagoon, from where we could observe flamingos.
The vegetation was interesting too. In this place we find some endemic species of plants, such as lecocarpus and scalesia, which have developed adaptations to be able to make it here, in one of the driest places on the islands.
Floreana was the first inhabited island. It was a whaler’s obligatory stop because the island has some fresh water and also because they would collect giant tortoises that used to be the only source of fresh meat onboard during those long voyages that did not have the modern technologies we have today.
Snorkeling here was amazing: hundreds of colorful fish and young sea lions playing with us!
In the afternoon we had kayakers exploring the shores, paddle boarders having fun, Zodiac riders admiring the fauna on the shallow shores and the famous visit to the historical Post Office Barrel. We kept tradition alive by committing to hand-deliver the postcards of visitors that came before us to this place.
What a fun day it’s been exploring Floreana. The human history and the fauna of the area kept us busy throughout the day!
