On the third day of our expedition, we reached Floreana Island at the southernmost tip of the Galapagos. Floreana is also known as the island of mysteries because of unexplained events that took place in the 1930s when some European inhabitants died or disappeared.
Guests who chose an early wake-up enjoyed a beautiful sunrise, followed by a moderately paced walk on an easy trail that goes right through a brackish water lagoon full of different kinds of birds. We continued to the other side of a tuff cone where sea turtles nest on a white-sand beach. Visible beneath the breakers were the hundred of stingrays that live here permanently.
After returning to the ship for a full breakfast, we navigated to Champion Islet. Here we took a Zodiac ride to look for sea lions, boobies, shearwaters and red-billed tropic birds. A highlight was spotting the rare mockingbirds that have become instinct on the main island of Floreana and now survive only on this islet. We were lucky to observe them unexpectedly close.
Next, we went snorkeling in a beautiful location that was full many species of fishes and playful o Galapagos sea lions. Some guests kayaked around small islands teaming with wildlife, while others disembarked on the beach at Post Office Bay for photography and relaxation. Later, we all gathered around the famous old wine barrel reportedly set up by an 18th-century English captain to facilitate communication with home. This tradition of sending mail through this old barrel still stands and many visitors to the Galapagos take part. All you do is pick a letter or postcard out of the barrel and if the address happens to be close to where you live then you just hand deliver the item in the old-fashioned way. It is fun and no stamps needed!
The last activity of the day was a Zodiac ride around some rocky outcrops for a glimpse of interesting wildlife as the sun set on today’s phenomenal expedition on this island.
