Today at first light National Geographic Islander had already been anchored at Cormorant Point. We set off in our Zodiacs for an early morning excursion. After a wet landing we made our way inland by means of a short trail that terminates at small viewpoint on the western end of a brackish water lagoon that is the size of about three football fields. Even before getting there we heard the uncommon but distinctive call of a group of American or Caribbean flamingos that where busy impressing each other with their ballet-like courtship ritual.
As we walked back to the olivine beach we had a closer look at the nesting blue-footed boobies and their chicks as some individuals still slept peacefully completely ignoring us while others made their rounds around the bay in search of breakfast.
We eventually completed the rest of the trail and, after reaching a very different type of beach on the other side of the point, we made our way back for a well-deserved breakfast of our own.
Later on in the morning our ship relocated a few miles to the northern coast of Floreana Island near the Islet of Champion. Here we would successfully find the Floreana mockingbird and explore the rugged coastline of the islet from our Zodiacs before returning to the ship to get ready for a deep water snorkeling session at the islet.
The visibility turned out to be in excess of 30 feet, which is above average in the Galápagos archipelago where the cold nutrient-rich waters produce so much platonic life that you can occasionally feel like you are swimming in pea soup. The impression of the colorful fish was only surpassed by the impression that the playful juvenile sea lions left on us.
After lunch our young explorers worked on some hand-painted postcards to deposit in the post office barrel while expedition leader Lynn Fowler took advantage of the occasion of National Geographic Islander laying anchor at the renown Post Office Bay to give a talk on Charles Darwin and his 1835 visit to the Galápagos Islands.
Later on in the afternoon after the traditional visit to the postal barrel at Post Office Bay where we dropped off mail after picking up postcards to hand deliver ourselves, we had a closer look at some nearby rocks and islets on board our Zodiacs and while kayaking.
After having yet another opportunity to spend some time close to the charming Galápagos sea lion pups and finding some new migratory and native birds along the shore, we made our way back to our floating temporary home to look back on the great new memories of this long day and to get ready to meet the most famous inhabitants of this remote archipelago on the island of Santa Cruz!
