Floreana Island
As we slept, the National Geographic Islander tossed and shuttered slightly in the wind and waves. Last night the sea was reasonably calm, at least for this crossing, and most of us are now accustomed to the catamaran’s movement and so we slept soundly. The Captain and officers took turns on four hour watches in the bridge.
During our pre-breakfast visit to Post Office Bay, we sorted through a thick pile of postcards and took those bound for England and North America that we could hand deliver, thus continuing the mail swap tradition that was begun in the 1790’s by sealers and whalers.
While we enjoyed eggs benedict and fresh fruit (or cereal and many other breakfast options) the Captain repositioned the ship to Champion Islet on the east cost of Floreana. We headed out in our fleet of floating black limos (the Zodiacs) with a Naturalist in each and found several of the elusive Floreana mockingbirds and many red-billed tropic birds. Most of the tropic birds were spotted via their tail feathers which poked from the nest holes they were using, but one dramatically flew over and another landed outside his hole and sat, in all his sleek, and splendid, silky white with a fire-engine red bill glory – right on the black lava rocks for our delight and the benefit of our cameras.
Later, two groups of guests eagerly slipped into the chilly water and swam among schools of king angel fish, yellow-tailed razor fish and dozens of other species. A couple of sea lions swam and cavorted with us in the clear, azure water and, only once we were thoroughly chilled, did we finally and reluctantly climb the ladders into the Zodiacs and return to the ship.
Conditions were superb this afternoon for kayaking in the bay at Punta Cormorant. We were escorted by a male sea lion and blue footed boobies soared over head. The National Geographic Islander carries 3 double and 3 single kayaks and all were occupied this afternoon by our smiling guests.
At 1600 every one us took the afternoon’s lovely hike from the greenish olivine landing beach, past the brackish flamingo lagoon and across to La Picona beach where after dark the sea turtles nest in the fine white sand. We admired this pristine beach in the golden light of the late afternoon. We retuned to the ship after yet another perfectly spectacular day aboard the National Geographic Islander.
