Floreana Island
The morning was overcast, but promising beautiful and clear skies. Today we started a little earlier than normal, because we had a lot to explore. This is the mysterious island, with fabulous scenery, where we can feel something palpable floating in the air.
Our first landing was Post Office Bay. In the 18th and 19th centuries, sailors, whalers, seal hunters, buccaneers, and pirates were visiting Galápagos seeking marine mammals but also for fresh water and food supplies; the latter consisted largely of giant tortoises, stored aboard in order to have fresh meat for their voyages back home. This peaceful creature can survive without water and food for almost seven months.
One of those whalers was James Colnett; in 1793 he set off a mail box barrel on this place as a swap mailing system. Vessels on their way back home could pick letters to hand deliver later on - sometimes months, or years, afterwards. We still keep this whaling tradition, so our visitors can deliver mail without stamping their post cards and letters.
Later on in the morning we were at Champion islet, which is a satellite islet off Floreana full of wildlife; we had the chance to do water activities. The glass bottom boat was a great way to explore the underwater ecosystem from a different perspective (not getting wet at all), and gaining knowledge of the different species of fishes found in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The deep water snorkel was so fascinating that even being there with those nice creatures it was hard to believe that in this realm so many critters can coexist together in harmony. This is an example to humankind to understand that we can live in peace in our beautiful planet. Happy Christmas Eve!
The morning was overcast, but promising beautiful and clear skies. Today we started a little earlier than normal, because we had a lot to explore. This is the mysterious island, with fabulous scenery, where we can feel something palpable floating in the air.
Our first landing was Post Office Bay. In the 18th and 19th centuries, sailors, whalers, seal hunters, buccaneers, and pirates were visiting Galápagos seeking marine mammals but also for fresh water and food supplies; the latter consisted largely of giant tortoises, stored aboard in order to have fresh meat for their voyages back home. This peaceful creature can survive without water and food for almost seven months.
One of those whalers was James Colnett; in 1793 he set off a mail box barrel on this place as a swap mailing system. Vessels on their way back home could pick letters to hand deliver later on - sometimes months, or years, afterwards. We still keep this whaling tradition, so our visitors can deliver mail without stamping their post cards and letters.
Later on in the morning we were at Champion islet, which is a satellite islet off Floreana full of wildlife; we had the chance to do water activities. The glass bottom boat was a great way to explore the underwater ecosystem from a different perspective (not getting wet at all), and gaining knowledge of the different species of fishes found in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The deep water snorkel was so fascinating that even being there with those nice creatures it was hard to believe that in this realm so many critters can coexist together in harmony. This is an example to humankind to understand that we can live in peace in our beautiful planet. Happy Christmas Eve!
