Floreana and Isabela Islands
In the early hours of the day, we headed towards Post Office Bay on the northern shore of Floreana Island. The barrel of Post Office Bay is one of the most historical places in Galápagos, first mentioned in the late 1700s by British Capt. James Colnett who wrote about the location of the barrel and its use. Those sailors who wanted to send mail to their families used to leave their letters in the barrel while those on their way back to their far-away homes took the mail and hand delivered it. What started as a necessary communication practice in the old times had become a great tradition until our days. In order to continue with this wonderful custom we too looked through the mail and took some letters and postcards, as well as left some mail to be hand delivered.
After visiting Post Ofice Bay, we went for a wonderful Zodiac ride around “La Loberia,” the local name for a sea lion nursery, where we encountered many youngsters playing around us, as well as some shore birds such as ruddy turnstones looking for food underneath some stones along the shoreline.
After breakfast, we arrived at Champion Islet, also located off the northern end of Floreana Island. Our snorkeling outing was just spectacular because of the large variety of fish life, all the playful Galápagos sea lions, and even a feeding Galápagos penguin in the same area!
Our expedition this afternoon started on Isabela Island visiting the Galápagos giant tortoise breeding center which has worked exclusively with the varieties found on Isabela Island. While looking at some of them this afternoon, we marveled at their feet which indeed very closely resemble those of an elephant, hence the origin of their scientific name, Geochelone elephantopus. We came across many juveniles that will soon be released back into the area their parents came from, and they were found feeding and exploring their corrals.
We left the center and explored the largest wetland area in the archipelago where we found, amongst others, some land birds as this male cactus finch that was feeding on some seeds. Our exploration was rewarded with the presence of a group of greater flamingoes feeding in a salt-water pond.
As we headed in to town, the light over the sand dunes and on some of the local fences and houses was stupendous.
In the early hours of the day, we headed towards Post Office Bay on the northern shore of Floreana Island. The barrel of Post Office Bay is one of the most historical places in Galápagos, first mentioned in the late 1700s by British Capt. James Colnett who wrote about the location of the barrel and its use. Those sailors who wanted to send mail to their families used to leave their letters in the barrel while those on their way back to their far-away homes took the mail and hand delivered it. What started as a necessary communication practice in the old times had become a great tradition until our days. In order to continue with this wonderful custom we too looked through the mail and took some letters and postcards, as well as left some mail to be hand delivered.
After visiting Post Ofice Bay, we went for a wonderful Zodiac ride around “La Loberia,” the local name for a sea lion nursery, where we encountered many youngsters playing around us, as well as some shore birds such as ruddy turnstones looking for food underneath some stones along the shoreline.
After breakfast, we arrived at Champion Islet, also located off the northern end of Floreana Island. Our snorkeling outing was just spectacular because of the large variety of fish life, all the playful Galápagos sea lions, and even a feeding Galápagos penguin in the same area!
Our expedition this afternoon started on Isabela Island visiting the Galápagos giant tortoise breeding center which has worked exclusively with the varieties found on Isabela Island. While looking at some of them this afternoon, we marveled at their feet which indeed very closely resemble those of an elephant, hence the origin of their scientific name, Geochelone elephantopus. We came across many juveniles that will soon be released back into the area their parents came from, and they were found feeding and exploring their corrals.
We left the center and explored the largest wetland area in the archipelago where we found, amongst others, some land birds as this male cactus finch that was feeding on some seeds. Our exploration was rewarded with the presence of a group of greater flamingoes feeding in a salt-water pond.
As we headed in to town, the light over the sand dunes and on some of the local fences and houses was stupendous.
