Floreana (Charles) Island
Today was a day for traditional and special things. Arriving to the first inhabited island of the archipelago for an early morning walk to share part of the old tradition of the Post Office Barrel gave us the sense of being immersed in the history of the islands.
The barrel was built in 1792, during times when sailors would journey for months and even years at a time without seeing their families. Sailors going southbound would leave their mail to be delivered by others going northbound and the other way around. This morning, the barrel was opened to allow us to take other people’s emotions set free in postcards that we will have the chance to hand deliver, like many before us, to someone that will be glad to hear from their loved ones.
Champion Island was magnificent, one of the best snorkeling sites on the islands where we swam with lots of schools of fish, playful sea lions, sharks and even Pacific green sea turtles!! We also had the opportunity of enjoying a glass bottom boat ride to see sea turtles, sea stars, fishes and laugh at sealions blowing air bubbles to the people against the glass while observing us with a playful look in their big eyes.
After a well deserved lunch, our kayaks went around the bay in Punta Cormorant where crabs, seabirds and other critters were staring at us in the face as we drifted only meters away from their seemingly careless activities. Meanwhile, the kids were stretching on the beach with our wellness specialist and enjoying some free time to play around on the beach.
When finally we all landed on the beach, it was nice to wander on the trail to enjoy a glittering lagoon with forty of the pinkest flamingoes in the world and to watch the golden colors of the coming sunset on a white sandy beach and turquoise water where sting rays swam along the shore.
What a day! Tonight we will sleep with a smile on our faces knowing that tradition has been kept on and so the story continues…
