Floreana Island
“ I am a part of all that I have met,
Yet all experience is an arch where through
Gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades
Forever and forever when I move”.
(Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses, 1833)
After the rolling sea of the previous evening, it was refreshing to awake to much calmer waters. A 7 a.m. panga ride, followed by a wet landing on fine-grained golden sand, put us ashore on Floreana Island where we visited the Post Office Barrel. There, according to a mail-swap tradition that goes back to 1793, the time of colonists and whalers, we deposited our messages and picked up mail to hand-deliver to individuals back home.
After a typically substantial breakfast, hoping we wouldn’t sink like stones, we again boarded the Zodiacs which took us to the turquoise waters alongside Champion Island. Sea lions, including several lounging babies, greeted us from the rocky shores.
Depending on whether we were deep-water or shallow-water snorkeling, we observed several species of tropical fish, rays and sharks. Many of us enjoyed a tête-à-tête with a delightful young sea lion who obviously wanted to play. He approached with curiosity, looked one squarely in the eye (or snorkel mask), inches away, then curved his graceful, agile body over or beneath one’s own, never touching one. In a few instances, when someone joined the spirit of the “game,” the circling continued for quite some time.
The island, a small volcanic cone, uplifted by time from ocean depths, features cacti, scrubby bush which will turn green with promising rain, and several small pockets in the cliffs, ideal for nesting birds. During both the snorkeling period and panga rides that followed, we spotted a red-footed booby, a Nazca booby, red-billed tropic bird, and the very rare Floreana mockingbird.
After a sumptuous Peruvian lunch, including the traditional drink Chicha Morada and several other specialties, we enjoyed siesta time, rather like the iguanas sprawled in the sun to facilitate digestion. Then it was time for a second round of snorkeling and swimming followed by a late afternoon walk on Punta Cormorant. Here, in this very peaceful place, we viewed flamingoes, learned about the “incense tree” and green sand, watched turtles, sea lions, sharks, and rays in the surf, and surveyed turtle nests on the beach. A glorious sunset was the perfect end to an excursion of such magnificence.
The day, however, had not yet ended. Several courageous and daring souls arrived at the lounge in costume, emulating blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, flamingos, penguins, and kelp. After much laughter, we moved to the sky deck for sangria and an absolutely splendid Ecuadorian barbeque, complete with music and a little dancing. The realization that we are nearing the end of this adventure brought a touch of sadness to an otherwise remarkable day.
“ I am a part of all that I have met,
Yet all experience is an arch where through
Gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades
Forever and forever when I move”.
(Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses, 1833)
After the rolling sea of the previous evening, it was refreshing to awake to much calmer waters. A 7 a.m. panga ride, followed by a wet landing on fine-grained golden sand, put us ashore on Floreana Island where we visited the Post Office Barrel. There, according to a mail-swap tradition that goes back to 1793, the time of colonists and whalers, we deposited our messages and picked up mail to hand-deliver to individuals back home.
After a typically substantial breakfast, hoping we wouldn’t sink like stones, we again boarded the Zodiacs which took us to the turquoise waters alongside Champion Island. Sea lions, including several lounging babies, greeted us from the rocky shores.
Depending on whether we were deep-water or shallow-water snorkeling, we observed several species of tropical fish, rays and sharks. Many of us enjoyed a tête-à-tête with a delightful young sea lion who obviously wanted to play. He approached with curiosity, looked one squarely in the eye (or snorkel mask), inches away, then curved his graceful, agile body over or beneath one’s own, never touching one. In a few instances, when someone joined the spirit of the “game,” the circling continued for quite some time.
The island, a small volcanic cone, uplifted by time from ocean depths, features cacti, scrubby bush which will turn green with promising rain, and several small pockets in the cliffs, ideal for nesting birds. During both the snorkeling period and panga rides that followed, we spotted a red-footed booby, a Nazca booby, red-billed tropic bird, and the very rare Floreana mockingbird.
After a sumptuous Peruvian lunch, including the traditional drink Chicha Morada and several other specialties, we enjoyed siesta time, rather like the iguanas sprawled in the sun to facilitate digestion. Then it was time for a second round of snorkeling and swimming followed by a late afternoon walk on Punta Cormorant. Here, in this very peaceful place, we viewed flamingoes, learned about the “incense tree” and green sand, watched turtles, sea lions, sharks, and rays in the surf, and surveyed turtle nests on the beach. A glorious sunset was the perfect end to an excursion of such magnificence.
The day, however, had not yet ended. Several courageous and daring souls arrived at the lounge in costume, emulating blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, flamingos, penguins, and kelp. After much laughter, we moved to the sky deck for sangria and an absolutely splendid Ecuadorian barbeque, complete with music and a little dancing. The realization that we are nearing the end of this adventure brought a touch of sadness to an otherwise remarkable day.
