Floreana Island
We arose before breakfast for a hike to Cormorant Point. The sky was grey and there was a light drizzle blowing on our faces with a moderate breeze. This is the famous Garua, the mist that gave these islands the epithet “Enchanted.” During Garua season the islands dis- and re-appear in the mist, which spooked many superstitious explorers in earlier centuries. The walk led us from one beach to another while the sun peeked through the mist every once in a while. It turned out that we would have this weather the entire day. Later we headed out in Zodiacs to circumnavigate a small satellite island called Champion, where we got to see, from a distance, the last remaining Floreana mockingbirds. Because of early human colonization and its consequences, the Floreana mockingbirds are extinct on Floreana itself. Even today we find fresh tracks of feral cats on the trails we walk, despite various efforts to convince local inhabitants that cats are not supposed to be on oceanic islands. Yet a program to re-introduce the Floreana mockingbird is in the making.
There is one more satellite island of Floreana, called Gardner Island, where these rare mockingbirds live. An interesting forgoing study has been done, to see, among other things, which mockingbird exactly should be re-introduced; the species of Champion or the species of Gardner. Thanks to this study it turns out that the two have a genetic difference, but not enough to be worried about. Henceforth it would be best to re-introduce both species on Floreana. A triumph for research in general was the fact that in the study one of the specimens used was a mockingbird collected on Floreana in 1836 by Charles Darwin, and this specimen was used as a benchmark to determine which of the two now existing species had more genetic heritage. How thoughtful of Mr. Darwin to help science, even more than 180 years after his visit!
Before lunch we had the opportunity to snorkel along a very busy reef, where we saw dense schools of fish and experienced a strong current taking us on a drift. It feels like flying, yet more exciting with so much life around us.
Later in the day we learned more human history of the island we got to drop our mail at an old wooden barrel, hoping it will be hand delivered to the recipient, as the tradition goes, by another visitor to this island. We heard about whaling vessels frequenting these islands and a failed attempt of a couple to live like Adam and Eve in Eden, right here on this dry and hostile extinct volcano. Without modern technology it would not be possible for humans to live on Floreana, or on any of the other Galápagos Islands for that sake, which only makes you respect more the true and righteous inhabitants here; to name one the Floreana mockingbirds!
