Floreana Island

A pre-breakfast outing took us to Post Office Bay to find the most ancient mailing system in the area of the South Pacific and in the country of Ecuador. Post Office Bay, on Floreana Island, has been used as an informal mailing system since the time of the buccaneers. Captain James Colnett placed a wine barrel here to be used as a post office in 1793, before Ecuador was an independent country.

Our morning and afternoon at Floreana Island included several highlights and activities: glass bottom boat, kayaking, snorkeling and walking, to mention a few. We also learned a lot about the early human settlements on this island. Floreana was the first island in Galápagos to be inhabited by humans. Nowadays, it bears a little town of about one hundred residents; this little town is mostly formed by three or four main families. Two of our Naturalists, were born and brought up on this island.

The afternoon’s most colorful highlights were the green olivine beach with its peridote crystals, the purely white flowery beach on the other side of the trail and the very pink Galápagos flamingos.

We certainly had a very enjoyable time today around this very special and historical place.