Floreana Island
The cool, humid fog embraces the island of Floreana, giving it a magical tinge; we are in one of the most visited places of Galápagos, Post Office Bay. The post office barrel was the first communication method established by whalers, allowing them to receive or send mail from their home countries. The surrounding rocks and waters are home to the most spectacular wildlife, with hundreds of colorful fishes, and playful sea lions.
Sea lion mating season brings males, which have been at sea for a long period of time, to the sea shores where there are big concentrations of females giving birth and nursing their pups, and will soon be in estrous again. The males will fight for their territory and ensure they will be the fathers of next year´s pups.
We feel so much fortunate to have seen the very endangered Charles mockingbird, feeding and flying around the prickly pear cactus.
The white coral-sand beach at Punta Cormorant is one of the best nesting sites for green sea turtles. We saw them waiting for the high tide, to make sure their eggs are laid high enough not to be washed by the waves; their hatchlings can go into the water with the next full moon.
It is also so rewarding to see some migratory birds staying very close to us, and not feeling any fear of human beings, such us the sanderlings we watched looking for food around the sea turtles’ nests.
Back on board the National Geographic Endeavour, we know that every single species will be returning to their normal activities, preparing to start another day in paradise.
