Floreana Island (Isla Floreana)
The last full day of the sea cruise. 🙁
The Millennium starts it engines around 2am to head west from Española Island (Hood) to Floreana Island.
Floreana Island is named after Juan José Flores, the first president of Ecuador, during whose administration Ecuador took possession of the Galapagos archipelago from the Spanish in 1832. It was previously called Charles Island (after King Charles II of England) and Santa Maria Island after one of the ships used by Columbus. Columbus’ ship was actually called the La Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción (Spanish for The Holy Mary of the Immaculate Conception), or La Santa María. It was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage to the Americas.
The younger Islands are in the west of the Galapagos archipelago and the older ones in the east. Both Española and Floreana are no longer volcanically active and are in the process of weathering. In time, they will be eroded away and disappear under the ocean.
Punta Cormorant (Cormorant Point) offers two contrasting beaches; the landing beach is of volcanic origin and is composed of olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tinge (like the beach at Punta Pitt). At the end of the trail is a carbonate beach of very fine white sand, formed by the erosion of coral and shells.It is a nesting site for green sea turtles. One turtle had visited and laid eggs that night.
Once we were we visited a brine lake, with a solitary flamingo feeding. Later a grey heron visited. Back to the beach where a penguin was feeding, a blue-footed boobie diving for fish, yellow crown night heron on the rocks and sally lightfoot crabs on the beach.
A longer hike took the group around to carbonate beach of very fine white sand. The Doc took a few explorer photos with his point and shoot. It was a nice beach and the lookout on the way back allowed some shots of the brine lake from a height.
Next stop Isla Campión (or Champion Island), a small Islet about 40 minutes away to snorkel. More sea lions, turtles and fish. The water was deeper here, but still clear. A group of snorkellers from the National Geographic boat were also about. One was probably a free diver judging from his breath control. He could stay down for a long, long time. When The Doc dived about 10 metres, The Doc saw him another 10 metres below heading even deeper. He disappeared off into the deep.
Lunch time. Then we set off for Post Office Bay a short distance away. On the way, the Captain called over the PA, dolphins sighted. Most moved to the viewing areas to get a better view. Quickly two other boats joined the Millennium. We were surrounded by a pod of more than 100 dolphins, they were everywhere, occasionally riding our bow wave, a few jump out and many more were swimming about.
Post Office Bay
At Post Office Bay on Floreana Island, there is a barrel with postcards left by other visitors. You leave your cards take some from your country. When back home you post the card with a local stamp. The Doc posted 3 cards. Lets see how long it takes to get the cards back in Australia. (The Docs’ parents received the first postcard on 8 January 2014). One of the group was going back to the US and took some cards. Others found cards for Australia. No Australian postcards in the cards given to The Doc. Oddly some left postcards in the barrel saying NOT for delivery, a European thing apparently.
The dark coloured sand was very hot and could easily burn your feet. It was nice to get back to the beach and cool them off.
Why the barrel? Since the 19th century whalers kept a wooden barrel that served as post office so that mail could be picked up and delivered to their destination, mainly Europe and the United States by ships on their way home. Now postcards and letters are placed in the barrel without any postage. Visitors go through the postcards and letters in order to deliver them by hand or post locally.
The group also had the chance to snorkel. There was 7 penguins, several pelicans and some other birds.
The pelicans put on a show of dive bombing to fish right in front of us, sometimes just a couple of metres away. A lost opportunity for The Doc as he took only his point and shoot camera to land on that trip, the first time. Lesson learnt.
Time to head back to Santa Cruz Island, named after the Holy Cross. Its English name Indefatigable comes from the famous British battleship HMS Indefatigable.
Back to Santa Cruz Island
The sun was about to set and The Doc went top side. Bomber command was flying formation, so he got his camera and tried to get the setting sun on the feathers of the black frigate birds, to get a different look.
Another jam packed day. As the cruise is now effectively finished, we are to leave the boat early the next day, it was time to tip the crew and guide. We had been well served by both during the trip. Great food, fine seamanship, friendly service and an excellent guide. The Doc was happy to give a generous tip to both.
The Doc also had some souvenirs from Australia. Pato had 3 children and they each got a kangaroo key ring each, plus a magnetic boomerang each (fridge magnate). Pato recognised a kangaroo even if the pronunciation was not exact.
The Galapagos Sea Trip is now effectively over. 🙁
Postscript
After writing this report up, The Doc looked out his windows at the Hotel Solymar and saw the Galápagos Great Blue Heron by the pool, The Doc grabbed his camera and took portrait shots of that heron, a smaller lava heron and a lava gull. You cannot get decent whole body shots with such an artificial background, but portraits can work, with a blurred background. The Doc learnt his lesson on Day 6, do not let an opportunity pass!