Floreana Island
We awoke to the sound of a rain shower hitting the islands – not uncommon in the rainy season, but very welcome this year, which has been unusually dry. We waited a little before starting our pre-breakfast outing, but the skies eventually cleared and we saw the magic that a little bit of water performs in the arid Galápagos. The palo santo, or incense tree, a drought deciduous plant that blankets the islands, usually colours these a silvery grey – yet the clouds arose, and lo and behold, Floreana was carpeted in green, the trees having burst into leaf with just a little fresh water falling from the heavens.
The soft green of the rolling hills gives the island a peaceful look that belies the turbulent human history of the area, a history made up of piracy and whaling, rivalries between eccentric Europeans, murders and mysterious disappearances. Our experience of the island was a great deal more benign, and although we enjoyed the walks and the land experience, our water experiences proved to be exceptional, providing memories that will stay embedded within our minds forever, ready to be conjured up in times of need...
The small islet of Champion offers spectacular snorkelling, as the steep walls covered in black coral are bathed by currents that bring food to hundreds of tropical reef fish. The highlight, however, is the large sea lion population that inhabits the area. The islet is home to many colonies, and at the moment there are absolute gangs of young pups at the very peak of their playfulness. One of their favourite games is to swim up to the unsuspecting snorkeler at full speed and swerve away at the very last moment; with all the gracefulness only they can muster. One can just imagine the giggles among the youngsters as they compare notes on our terrified expressions! We soon become accustomed to their games though, and then the real fun begins. We dive and twirl with them, joining in the aquatic ballet (though admittedly not quite as gracefully), which seems to delight our whiskered hosts. These in turn accompany us for the whole experience, and as we eventually tired and left in our Zodiacs, we could see their disappointed muzzles bobbing up among the waves, staring at our wake. Where else in the world can we experience this kind of real interaction with animals in the wild?
Truly a day to celebrate, which we did with sunset cocktails on the sky deck of our home away from home, the Islander.
We awoke to the sound of a rain shower hitting the islands – not uncommon in the rainy season, but very welcome this year, which has been unusually dry. We waited a little before starting our pre-breakfast outing, but the skies eventually cleared and we saw the magic that a little bit of water performs in the arid Galápagos. The palo santo, or incense tree, a drought deciduous plant that blankets the islands, usually colours these a silvery grey – yet the clouds arose, and lo and behold, Floreana was carpeted in green, the trees having burst into leaf with just a little fresh water falling from the heavens.
The soft green of the rolling hills gives the island a peaceful look that belies the turbulent human history of the area, a history made up of piracy and whaling, rivalries between eccentric Europeans, murders and mysterious disappearances. Our experience of the island was a great deal more benign, and although we enjoyed the walks and the land experience, our water experiences proved to be exceptional, providing memories that will stay embedded within our minds forever, ready to be conjured up in times of need...
The small islet of Champion offers spectacular snorkelling, as the steep walls covered in black coral are bathed by currents that bring food to hundreds of tropical reef fish. The highlight, however, is the large sea lion population that inhabits the area. The islet is home to many colonies, and at the moment there are absolute gangs of young pups at the very peak of their playfulness. One of their favourite games is to swim up to the unsuspecting snorkeler at full speed and swerve away at the very last moment; with all the gracefulness only they can muster. One can just imagine the giggles among the youngsters as they compare notes on our terrified expressions! We soon become accustomed to their games though, and then the real fun begins. We dive and twirl with them, joining in the aquatic ballet (though admittedly not quite as gracefully), which seems to delight our whiskered hosts. These in turn accompany us for the whole experience, and as we eventually tired and left in our Zodiacs, we could see their disappointed muzzles bobbing up among the waves, staring at our wake. Where else in the world can we experience this kind of real interaction with animals in the wild?
Truly a day to celebrate, which we did with sunset cocktails on the sky deck of our home away from home, the Islander.
