Floreana Island

This morning was a nice calm, clear day in the ocean. The mist of the morning woke us up earlier than needed. I was ready to go with my backpack carefully packed. It included a friendly letter to a close friend of mine, myself. Yes, a new mailing system had all of the sudden entered into our options for communicating. The knowledge I had about post offices did not prepare me for using what was going to be the oldest mailing system in the Pacific and the only one of its kind. A pre-breakfast wet landing and a minute walk had us in front of the many times repaired barrel from Post Office Bay, Floreana Island.

Many addresses were read out loud and in a few minutes all continents were mentioned. Finally my turn came and I was able to put my letter in the barrel. Fortunately, there was a couple that had plans of going to Norway some time soon because they took all the letters going that way.

Champion was the host island for our morning snorkel. We had an idea of the conditions because we had done a zodiac ride around it earlier looking for the endangered mocking bird from Floreana. The conditions were perfect. We went in the water in an “orderly manner.” By now we have it clear that we must be ready with our fins and masks on before going in the water. The sea lions had everyone going in circles, up and around. They were as curious with us, as we were with them. Their whiskers came close to our masks and they turned their bodies as an invitation to play with them. We played alongside the lava flow which had its small air pockets full of life; sea urchins, damsel fish, king angel fish and the stars of all time, the friendly sea lions. When time came to get out of the water I felt like I had charged my batteries.

We had two opportunities to have a kayak experience. After lunch, while anchored at Punta Cormorant, we saw that it was calm and sunny. We rode the Zodiac with water bottles and cameras hanging from our wrists. Soon, the water passed under the hull of the kayak, and the sound it made was very soothing. We didn’t mind that it was very hot. We could not believe our luck… penguins were swimming all around us and blue footed boobies were within our eye sight.

It was a perfect day, a lagoon full of flamingos and a sunset to remember.