Floreana Island
We started another fantastic full day in paradise with an optional pre-breakfast wake up call to visit one of the most historical beaches in the Galápagos. Post Office Bay, on Floreana Island, was (for about two centuries) the only mailing spot for early settlers. Stories tell that Captain James Colnett, an English buccaneer started this tradition in 1793. He placed a wine barrel on this beach so people sailing around the South Pacific would use it as a mailbox and have a way to communicate. Our guests took mail from it to be hand-delivered near their hometowns and left letters of their own to be picked up by the next visitors. We haven’t stopped using this mailing system; after more than two centuries, it still works!
The second morning outing took us zodiac riding around Champion Islet to look for the Floreana mockingbird. This particular species of bird went extinct on the main island of Floreana because of feral animals’ predation but has found a safe place on this islet away from them. We saw not only mockingbirds, but swallow tailed gulls, sea lions, red billed tropic birds, pelicans and a lot more. We came back on board very enthusiastic and ready for the third morning outing: snorkeling.
At 11:30am we loaded our zodiacs with deep-water snorkelers. The surrounding waters at Champion Islet are one of the richest areas, with lots of different schools with beautifully colored tropical fish, small heads of white coral, rocks full of barnacles, algae, anemones, and sponges. The geomorphology of the sea floor and the underwater cliffs were just stunning!
On our way from Champion to Punta Cormorant we spotted some bottled nosed dolphins. Once at Punta Cormorant, we launched early afternoon kayakers. They had a blast paddling along the shores in the company of sea lions and sea turtles. Everybody liked this activity so much that we had to add an extra outing: more kayaking!
Finally, at the end of the afternoon, we all took a nice easy stroll around the flamingo lagoon and enjoyed seeing the nests of sea turtles on a lovely white beach.
We started another fantastic full day in paradise with an optional pre-breakfast wake up call to visit one of the most historical beaches in the Galápagos. Post Office Bay, on Floreana Island, was (for about two centuries) the only mailing spot for early settlers. Stories tell that Captain James Colnett, an English buccaneer started this tradition in 1793. He placed a wine barrel on this beach so people sailing around the South Pacific would use it as a mailbox and have a way to communicate. Our guests took mail from it to be hand-delivered near their hometowns and left letters of their own to be picked up by the next visitors. We haven’t stopped using this mailing system; after more than two centuries, it still works!
The second morning outing took us zodiac riding around Champion Islet to look for the Floreana mockingbird. This particular species of bird went extinct on the main island of Floreana because of feral animals’ predation but has found a safe place on this islet away from them. We saw not only mockingbirds, but swallow tailed gulls, sea lions, red billed tropic birds, pelicans and a lot more. We came back on board very enthusiastic and ready for the third morning outing: snorkeling.
At 11:30am we loaded our zodiacs with deep-water snorkelers. The surrounding waters at Champion Islet are one of the richest areas, with lots of different schools with beautifully colored tropical fish, small heads of white coral, rocks full of barnacles, algae, anemones, and sponges. The geomorphology of the sea floor and the underwater cliffs were just stunning!
On our way from Champion to Punta Cormorant we spotted some bottled nosed dolphins. Once at Punta Cormorant, we launched early afternoon kayakers. They had a blast paddling along the shores in the company of sea lions and sea turtles. Everybody liked this activity so much that we had to add an extra outing: more kayaking!
Finally, at the end of the afternoon, we all took a nice easy stroll around the flamingo lagoon and enjoyed seeing the nests of sea turtles on a lovely white beach.
