Floreana Island
Early in the morning we had a pre-breakfast outing to visit Post Office Bay. After a wet landing we headed to a very rusty looking barrel that has been the most important way to communicate with the rest of the world since 1792. The tradition is a very practical use for the barrel, and – once upon a time – was used by buccaneers, whalers and pirates to keep in touch with their families back home. Now this is a historical place still used by guests to the Galápagos Islands for sending postcards home.
After breakfast we explored the underwater world around Champion Islet (satellite islet of Floreana Island) where some of us were enchanted by playful sea lions and several schools of fish swimming in very clear water. We also had the opportunity to go on a Zodiac ride around Champion , where we were able to see many sea birds, some even nesting on the cliffs. One of the species we saw was the elusive Floreana mockingbird, a species which, by the way, is in critical danger of extinction.
After heading back towards the National Geographic Endeavour and having a delicious lunch, we navigated just around the point to our next landing place called Cormorant Point, still on Floreana Island. Having a wet landing on a greenish sand beach (caused by the semi-precious stone olivine) we had the chance to swim or walk along the beach. Some of us even kayaked along the bay.
Later on we headed further into the island where we first spotted a brackish water lagoon with Greater Flamingos, an endemic sub-species of the islands. It was a very striking impression, having those bright pink colors with the very pale looking landscape, an unbelievable contrast.
As we kept walking, a lot of endemic species of plants were spotted: some Galápagos flycatchers, yellow warblers, and ground finches. At the end of the trail, we got to a beautiful white organic sand beach with turquoise waters. Here we spotted some rays and got to see a very large sea turtle nesting area. This was another amazing-looking landscape.
At the end of our marvelous visit we went back to the National Geographic Endeavour, knowing that today we saw the wonders of Floreana, an island full of human history and ecological treasures, where Buccaneers, whalers, pirates, Ecuadorian prisoners and even Darwin got to explore its most remote secrets.
