We started at 6:00 AM this morning, as we had an early morning call to enjoy the sunrise imp Floreana. We disembarked at 6:30 at Punta Cormorant, where our guests went for a hike through the Palo Santo Forest. The trail took us to the other side of the forest to a beautiful white sandy beach, where sea turtles nest. The vegetation in Floreana is unique, and we saw several species of endemic plants, such as Lecocarpus and Scalesia, both of which are found only on this island. We also offered a shorter photo walk to a lagoon, from where we observed flamingos displaying courtship behavior! We also had the great opportunity to see blue-footed boobies doing their elaborate mating dance right in front of us. Ready for our breakfast, we returned onboard. We finished the morning with a Zodiac ride and snorkeling around Champion Islet.
In the afternoon, we visited Post Office Bay. Floreana was the first inhabited island in the archipelago, and it has a rich human history. It previously served as a strategic point for the many whalers who used to pass through. We had a variety of options at this site, including snorkeling, kayaking, and of course, a visit to the historical Post Office Barrel, we became part of the tradition of hand delivering letters and postcards of visitors that came before to this place, and leaving our own to future visitors to take them.
It was a fantastic day on the lush and mysterious island of Floreana!
