Floreana Island
After a long navigation we anchored at the mysterious island: Floreana. An early hike to the Post Office Barrel was great activity to begin the day. After a calm, wet landing at Post Office Bay, it was time to follow a Galápagos tradition. We exchanged postcards we had written for some of those left behind by tourists. Afterward, we had a fantastic breakfast was waiting for us onboard the National Geographic Islander. We pulled anchor and prepared for the next activity: a Zodiac ride around Champion Islet.
As soon as we climbed into the Zodiacs, it was time to look for the elusive Floreana mockingbird. Champion Islet was surrounded by so many birds that we felt as part of them. The red-billed tropic birds looked as elegant as they did skilled while flying in the sky. At the end of this amazing Zodiac ride, we saw the highlight of the moment: the Charles or Floreana Mockingbird.
The next adventure of the day was the fabulous deep water snorkeling. After departing on the Zodiacs, we came into the colorful underwater paradise in the area. As soon as we entered the water, we were surrounded by white tipped reef sharks, baby Galápagos sharks, colorful exotic fish and playful Galápagos sea lions. The staggering beauty of the ocean life left us in amazement. Once back on board the National Geographic Islander, it was time to indulge in an assortment of traditional Galápagos foods.
In the afternoon, after a comfortable wet landing at Punta Cormorant, we broke into groups for a short hike across the isthmus to a pristine white sand beach. At the beach we saw sea turtle tracks, sea turtles mating and a lot of sting rays along the shore. The texture of the sand was surprisingly soft on our feet; we spent some time at our leisure walking along the beach. The sunset on our walk back was mesmerizing with oranges and reds spread across the horizon. At the end of the day, we are content with the magnificence of this incredible utopia. At the moment I am writing this report we are getting ready to end this year with fun and happiness.
