Floreana Island
Today we started our day with an early wake up call at Post Office Bay, one of the most famous places in the Galápagos. The weather was very pleasant and after a wet landing we walked a short distance to reach the wooden barrel used as a mailing box since the late 1700’s.
The system was simple but very effective, since it was the only way to get in touch with relatives or friends in those days. Letters or postcards were left at the barrel, and the next visitors will pick up the mail without stamps and hand deliver it when they get home. Up to these days we keep this tradition alive, and many times letters arrive faster than using the current mail systems!
After visiting Post Office Bay, we headed to Champion Islet, to look after one of the rarest species of lands birds, the endemic Charles Mockingbird, found only on this Islet and nowhere else in the world. We not only saw them, but also other species such as the Nazca boobies, Blue-footed boobies, Brown noddy terns, and a couple of Red billed Tropic birds nesting on the side of the cliff and even a young bird waiting to be fed by the parents.
After our zodiac ride, we came on board to get our snorkel gear and we had one of the most fantastic highlights of the days: snorkeling in the Galápagos waters. The water was very clear, the temperature was perfect, and we got to see a lot of things, including the Galápagos white tipped reef sharks, a large school of razor surgeon fish, lots of king angel fish, sea stars, sea cucumbers (an over exploited species for human consumption, now protected) and of course our friendly sea lions that were playing with us.
We returned aboard for another delicious lunch and for the most sportive, at 2:00 pm they had the chance to go for the first kayak outing of the cruise. Some of us went to the beach to enjoy the sun and later on, all of us had the chance to walk into the interior part the Island to find a peaceful lagoon behind the beach, where a group of American Flamingoes were eating and resting. Then we continued with our walk, watching several species of plants, finch nests, and the large Galápagos flycatcher.
At the end of the trail we arrived to one of the most beautiful beaches on the Island, a white coral sand beach where we spotted few Pacific Green sea turtles in the water and several turtle tracks made by the females to lay their eggs.
Semi-palmeted plovers, ruddy turnstones and a least sandpiper made up the end of our visit to one of the most interesting and beautiful islands.
Today we started our day with an early wake up call at Post Office Bay, one of the most famous places in the Galápagos. The weather was very pleasant and after a wet landing we walked a short distance to reach the wooden barrel used as a mailing box since the late 1700’s.
The system was simple but very effective, since it was the only way to get in touch with relatives or friends in those days. Letters or postcards were left at the barrel, and the next visitors will pick up the mail without stamps and hand deliver it when they get home. Up to these days we keep this tradition alive, and many times letters arrive faster than using the current mail systems!
After visiting Post Office Bay, we headed to Champion Islet, to look after one of the rarest species of lands birds, the endemic Charles Mockingbird, found only on this Islet and nowhere else in the world. We not only saw them, but also other species such as the Nazca boobies, Blue-footed boobies, Brown noddy terns, and a couple of Red billed Tropic birds nesting on the side of the cliff and even a young bird waiting to be fed by the parents.
After our zodiac ride, we came on board to get our snorkel gear and we had one of the most fantastic highlights of the days: snorkeling in the Galápagos waters. The water was very clear, the temperature was perfect, and we got to see a lot of things, including the Galápagos white tipped reef sharks, a large school of razor surgeon fish, lots of king angel fish, sea stars, sea cucumbers (an over exploited species for human consumption, now protected) and of course our friendly sea lions that were playing with us.
We returned aboard for another delicious lunch and for the most sportive, at 2:00 pm they had the chance to go for the first kayak outing of the cruise. Some of us went to the beach to enjoy the sun and later on, all of us had the chance to walk into the interior part the Island to find a peaceful lagoon behind the beach, where a group of American Flamingoes were eating and resting. Then we continued with our walk, watching several species of plants, finch nests, and the large Galápagos flycatcher.
At the end of the trail we arrived to one of the most beautiful beaches on the Island, a white coral sand beach where we spotted few Pacific Green sea turtles in the water and several turtle tracks made by the females to lay their eggs.
Semi-palmeted plovers, ruddy turnstones and a least sandpiper made up the end of our visit to one of the most interesting and beautiful islands.
