On our third day of the expedition we reached the southernmost part of the Galápagos, Floreana Island. Floreana is also known as the island of unsolved mysteries after some European residents disappeared under unclear circumstances in the 1930s.
We woke up early to enjoy the sunrise, followed by a moderately paced walk on an easy trail that goes right through a brackish water lagoon that is home to different kinds of birds. We continued on our way to the other side of a tuff cone where there is a second beach with white sand and where sea turtles nest. Living here permanently are hundreds of stingrays, which we saw underneath the breakers along the beach. Back on board the ship, we had a full breakfast before continuing with the program of the day on this beautiful island.
Around mid-morning, after a short navigation, we reached the island of Champion for a Zodiac ride to look for some animals such as sea lions, boobies, shearwaters, red-billed tropic birds, among others. But the one species that deserved extra attention was a kind of mockingbird that has become extinct on the main island due to predators. Only a few survive here on this island. We saw a few very close so we were happy that this species is still with us.
The next outing was snorkeling in one of the most beautiful locations due to the presence of multiple species of fish and other creatures, such as the playful Galápagos sea lions that gave us some of the best moments of the session.
Some guests kayaked around small islands teeming with wildlife, others stayed on the beach at Post Office Bay for photography and relaxation. Later we all went to visit the old mail barrel supposedly erected back in 1793 by an English captain named James Colnett to facilitate communication with people back home. This tradition continues and has become very known among the visitors to the Galápagos. We were happy to participate. All you have to do is sort through the letters and if you see one with an address close to where you live, you are to hand-deliver this piece of mail the old fashioned way. It’s fun. No stamps needed.
The last activity of the day was a Zodiac ride around some rocky islands known for interesting wildlife as the sun gave out the last warming rays of a phenomenal sunset.
