Floreana Island
Early this morning most of us witnessed an amazing sunrise over Floreana Island as we disembarked for our first visit of the day, at Post Office Bay. This is the very same place where pirates, buccaneers, whalers, early explorers such as Charles Darwin and even the first settlers landed. Today we shared a tradition with many of these early visitors: a mail delivery system dating back to the late 1700s used for a couple of hundred years now.
The sun shone bright in all its equatorial splendor, the snorkeling areas around Champion Islet were crystal clear and calm as can be, the sea temperature a balmy 78 degrees. On jumping into these beautiful waters, we share the underwater realm with tropical and subtropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks, turtles, rays and of course our welcome committee, the ever-playful Galapagos sea lions.
Once back on board Polaris, we enjoyed an exquisite Ecuadorian buffet, featuring dishes from the many different areas of this diverse country, followed by an interesting talk about Charles Darwin. In the meantime we had sailed to our next destination, Cormorant Point. At this visitor site we explored two beautiful and very different beaches and took a trail that led us past an impressive brackish water lagoon, home to the pinkest flamingos we had ever seen in the wild. As the sun sets, Floreana reminds me how the problematic human history of the islands was, on hindsight, a real stroke of luck for all of us. Ever since the Spanish first arrived here by accident in 1535, the archipelago has known a domino effect of negative propaganda by humans: “a pirate hideout”, an “arid deserted island group inhabited by imps of darkness”, penal colonies, mysteries and murders among settlers, even the second world war. All these negative stereotypes gave the place a bad name, thus helping to keep this world pristine, the way it is, unique.
This picture was taken today at 7:00 pm, and this one is about you, people, our guests aboard the Polaris. You are all part of the present of Galapagos, and all play an important part in tomorrow’s history. Without you, the impulse to the Ecuadorian government to keep the islands as they are would be gone, and this unique wildlife would fall prey to all those who wish to abuse its resources for a quick buck.
Tonight my friend and colleague Rafael, a third-generation Galapagueño, is recapitulating the wonderful day spent on Floreana, and sharing his grandparents point of view on the island’s mysteries. Outside the moon is high and a nice warm sea breeze is blowing as we sail on to our next destination, the spectacular western part of the archipelago - we truly are part of a very special expedition through the Enchanted Islands.
Early this morning most of us witnessed an amazing sunrise over Floreana Island as we disembarked for our first visit of the day, at Post Office Bay. This is the very same place where pirates, buccaneers, whalers, early explorers such as Charles Darwin and even the first settlers landed. Today we shared a tradition with many of these early visitors: a mail delivery system dating back to the late 1700s used for a couple of hundred years now.
The sun shone bright in all its equatorial splendor, the snorkeling areas around Champion Islet were crystal clear and calm as can be, the sea temperature a balmy 78 degrees. On jumping into these beautiful waters, we share the underwater realm with tropical and subtropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks, turtles, rays and of course our welcome committee, the ever-playful Galapagos sea lions.
Once back on board Polaris, we enjoyed an exquisite Ecuadorian buffet, featuring dishes from the many different areas of this diverse country, followed by an interesting talk about Charles Darwin. In the meantime we had sailed to our next destination, Cormorant Point. At this visitor site we explored two beautiful and very different beaches and took a trail that led us past an impressive brackish water lagoon, home to the pinkest flamingos we had ever seen in the wild. As the sun sets, Floreana reminds me how the problematic human history of the islands was, on hindsight, a real stroke of luck for all of us. Ever since the Spanish first arrived here by accident in 1535, the archipelago has known a domino effect of negative propaganda by humans: “a pirate hideout”, an “arid deserted island group inhabited by imps of darkness”, penal colonies, mysteries and murders among settlers, even the second world war. All these negative stereotypes gave the place a bad name, thus helping to keep this world pristine, the way it is, unique.
This picture was taken today at 7:00 pm, and this one is about you, people, our guests aboard the Polaris. You are all part of the present of Galapagos, and all play an important part in tomorrow’s history. Without you, the impulse to the Ecuadorian government to keep the islands as they are would be gone, and this unique wildlife would fall prey to all those who wish to abuse its resources for a quick buck.
Tonight my friend and colleague Rafael, a third-generation Galapagueño, is recapitulating the wonderful day spent on Floreana, and sharing his grandparents point of view on the island’s mysteries. Outside the moon is high and a nice warm sea breeze is blowing as we sail on to our next destination, the spectacular western part of the archipelago - we truly are part of a very special expedition through the Enchanted Islands.
