Floreana Island
After a pleasant ride overnight, finally we are anchored at Post Office Bay on the Island of Floreana. It was just a matter of taking a look around to find the differences that characterize this region of the archipelago. This old volcano is however still vibrant with life as the verdure on the flat slopes remains.
The whole area around the National Geographic Islander was alive with the presence of sea turtles that pop their heads up to catch some air, before keeping on their business. We also saw - close and far - several Nazca boobies flying so close to the surface of the ocean that it seemed as if they were to crash. We wondered how many times in the old days the mariners enjoyed this tranquility while remembering their families as they posted their messages into the barrel… with the hope of making them know about their ventures.
But the remembrances have to stay back as we moved on for the Zodiac ride around Champion Islet. Trying to come across the Charles mockingbird proved to be a little hard, yet not impossible. Considering that there might be no more than a hundred individuals left, having seen four was a big deal. During the same ride, we were encircled by many young sea lions, their bodies glistening under the sun and we were sure we heard them saying: “C’mon humans, come to play,” so we rushed not to disappoint them.
It was an exhilarating experience. So clear was the water we could see virtually to the infinite, so to speak. Sharks and turtles and loads of fish everywhere made our swim spectacular.
Finally we made our way to Punta Cormorant where we witnessed how the spotted eagle rays were mating near the beach. Also it was a little disheartening at the beginning not to find flamingoes at the hyper saline lagoon, but it was a matter of time for us to discover that they were there, just a little far away. So, even though they were tiny pink specks about a mile away, these flamingoes were capable of stealing a big smile from our faces.
Good bye Floreana. One more day is over, causing great regret for those who came to visit the islands this week.
After a pleasant ride overnight, finally we are anchored at Post Office Bay on the Island of Floreana. It was just a matter of taking a look around to find the differences that characterize this region of the archipelago. This old volcano is however still vibrant with life as the verdure on the flat slopes remains.
The whole area around the National Geographic Islander was alive with the presence of sea turtles that pop their heads up to catch some air, before keeping on their business. We also saw - close and far - several Nazca boobies flying so close to the surface of the ocean that it seemed as if they were to crash. We wondered how many times in the old days the mariners enjoyed this tranquility while remembering their families as they posted their messages into the barrel… with the hope of making them know about their ventures.
But the remembrances have to stay back as we moved on for the Zodiac ride around Champion Islet. Trying to come across the Charles mockingbird proved to be a little hard, yet not impossible. Considering that there might be no more than a hundred individuals left, having seen four was a big deal. During the same ride, we were encircled by many young sea lions, their bodies glistening under the sun and we were sure we heard them saying: “C’mon humans, come to play,” so we rushed not to disappoint them.
It was an exhilarating experience. So clear was the water we could see virtually to the infinite, so to speak. Sharks and turtles and loads of fish everywhere made our swim spectacular.
Finally we made our way to Punta Cormorant where we witnessed how the spotted eagle rays were mating near the beach. Also it was a little disheartening at the beginning not to find flamingoes at the hyper saline lagoon, but it was a matter of time for us to discover that they were there, just a little far away. So, even though they were tiny pink specks about a mile away, these flamingoes were capable of stealing a big smile from our faces.
Good bye Floreana. One more day is over, causing great regret for those who came to visit the islands this week.
