Floreana Island
After an optional wake up call we had a pre-breakfast wet landing at Post Office Bay on Floreana Island. This island is one of the richest ones in human history. Following the old tradition of pirates and whalers, we took some mail that was left in the barrel and left some of our own. A wooden wine barrel has served as a mailing system for sailors around the south Pacific since seventeen ninety three. We keep on with this amusing tradition with our guests. There is only one condition we have to follow: we can not use stamps; the postcards or letters have to be hand delivered to their depositories.
Anther interesting human history story is the one about the very first human being that ever lived on these islands. Patrick Watkins who was a renegade Norwegian buccaneer was left behind by his Captain on Floreana. Watkins was organizing a mutiny and was marooned on the island of Floreana as a punishment. He survived up on the highlands of Floreana hiding in the caves the pirates had previously carved on the lava rock. He grew some vegetables, especially cabbages that he exchanged for rum with the passing by ships. Watkins established on the island for two years (1807-1809). Patrick Watkins was the Galápagos version of Robinson Crusoe. Kurt Vonnegut wrote a science fiction novel based on Watkins’ life on Floreana. Vonnegut calls Watkins "Iguana Oberluz" in this piece of literature. After Watkins is taken back to Ecuador on a ship, definite colonizers settled down at the end of the nineteen twenties. Nowadays the little town of Velasco Ibarra holds a population of a hundred and twenty people, twenty of them are kids and the local school has one teacher for them all.
But not only is the human history fascinating on these islands. The wilderness also offers us spectacular highlights during the morning and afternoon activities. Snorkeling, kayaking, swimming and walking got us in touch with sea turtles, Galápagos sea lions, colorful tropical fish, octopi, sea stars, pink flamingoes, frigate birds, Galápagos shearwaters, and Nazca boobies, among many more natural attractions. We definitely had another magnificent day in paradise on the picturesque Floreana Island.
After an optional wake up call we had a pre-breakfast wet landing at Post Office Bay on Floreana Island. This island is one of the richest ones in human history. Following the old tradition of pirates and whalers, we took some mail that was left in the barrel and left some of our own. A wooden wine barrel has served as a mailing system for sailors around the south Pacific since seventeen ninety three. We keep on with this amusing tradition with our guests. There is only one condition we have to follow: we can not use stamps; the postcards or letters have to be hand delivered to their depositories.
Anther interesting human history story is the one about the very first human being that ever lived on these islands. Patrick Watkins who was a renegade Norwegian buccaneer was left behind by his Captain on Floreana. Watkins was organizing a mutiny and was marooned on the island of Floreana as a punishment. He survived up on the highlands of Floreana hiding in the caves the pirates had previously carved on the lava rock. He grew some vegetables, especially cabbages that he exchanged for rum with the passing by ships. Watkins established on the island for two years (1807-1809). Patrick Watkins was the Galápagos version of Robinson Crusoe. Kurt Vonnegut wrote a science fiction novel based on Watkins’ life on Floreana. Vonnegut calls Watkins "Iguana Oberluz" in this piece of literature. After Watkins is taken back to Ecuador on a ship, definite colonizers settled down at the end of the nineteen twenties. Nowadays the little town of Velasco Ibarra holds a population of a hundred and twenty people, twenty of them are kids and the local school has one teacher for them all.
But not only is the human history fascinating on these islands. The wilderness also offers us spectacular highlights during the morning and afternoon activities. Snorkeling, kayaking, swimming and walking got us in touch with sea turtles, Galápagos sea lions, colorful tropical fish, octopi, sea stars, pink flamingoes, frigate birds, Galápagos shearwaters, and Nazca boobies, among many more natural attractions. We definitely had another magnificent day in paradise on the picturesque Floreana Island.
