On our third day of this expedition we reached the southernmost tip of the Galapagos, Floreana Island, also known as the island of mysteries. Some extraordinary events happened here in the 1930’s, where some of the inhabitants that had lived in harmony ended in death and tragedy under unclear circumstances.
An early wakeup call came so that we could enjoy the sunrise, followed by a moderately-paced walk on an easy trail through a brackish water lagoon full of different kinds of birds. We continued our way to the other side of a tuff cone, where a second beach has white sand and where sea turtles nest. Several hundred sting rays live here permanently and can be seen underneath the breakers along the beach. Then we headed back on board for a full breakfast before continuing on with the program of the day on this beautiful island.
Around mid-morning and after a short navigation, we reached Champion Island for a Zodiac ride to look for animals like sea lions, boobies, shearwaters, and red-billed tropic birds, among others, but the one that deserved a little more attention was a species of mockingbird that became extinct on the main island due to predators. Only a few survived here on this island. We saw a few unexpectedly close, so we are happy they’re still with us.
Our next outing was snorkeling in one of the most beautiful locations due to the presence of multiple species of fishes and other creatures. One of them is the playful Galapagos sea lion that was available to give us the best moments of the session. Large schools of attractive fish of many kinds also make the place very unique.
Some departed for kayaking around small islands usually teaming with wildlife, while others just disembarked on the beach at Post Office Bay for photography and relaxation. Later the rest of the guests came together to visit the old mail barrel supposedly erected by an English captain. This tradition of leaving mail in the post office barrel is still running—it has become very known among the visitors of the Galapagos and so we are happy to participate for the fun of it. You simply visit, read through the letters in the barrel, and if you see one addressed close to where you live, you hand-deliver it the old-fashioned way—no stamps needed.
The last activity of the day was a Zodiac ride around some rocky islands in search of interesting wildlife, with sunset giving out the last warming rays of a phenomenal expedition on this island.
