Floreana Island
The British government had to find a new outpost in the South Pacific, so they found the Galápagos Islands; these islands were a great location, so unknown then, and a perfect hideout from where they could follow the Spaniards to steal the gold they got out from South America, and yet also a perfect new source for whales. Still there was a great need to keep in touch with their families so Captain James Colnett established the Post Office Barrel in 1792.
Today, August the 3rd, 2009 our group made a wet landing to continue with a tradition that began so long ago, to leave a postcard and pick up one to be hand delivered.
We had the whole day ahead of us, so we came back on board and after breakfast we disembarked again for a dinghy ride around Champion to discover the array of wildlife found on such a small place. Here we saw the Floreana mockingbird, for the time being only found here, red billed tropic birds, sea lions, Nazca boobies, and pelicans all within half an hour.
After that we arrived to Cormorant Point. Almost everybody went snorkeling around it. We saw a great deal of fish, from tropical to cold water fish, and snorkelers could have a look at the marine wildlife as well as from the glass bottom boat, so everybody had an option to know these islands above as well as below water.
The afternoon came, still on Floreana Island, but this time at Cormorant Point, a popular visitor site because here Greater Flamingoes live, being brightly colored, a very bright pink against the typical appearance of the dry season, certainly outstanding.
Along the walk we could all learn why the islands are so important for science. Just to think about the fact that this is where it is possible to find an odd collection of plants and wildlife from different areas of the world. All of them are collected by three major ocean currents that converge here around Galápagos. What a way to learn it… by walking, swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. We even saw two penguins who came out swimming along the beach.
Where on earth can a person can see a penguin and a flamingo in one day, in the wild? Nowhere other than just the Galápagos… and not all of the islands, but just Floreana Island, where we were today.
