Galapagos Islands - Floreana Island
Our group on our 8-cabin boat
Our third day in the Galapagos, we visited Floreana Island. We started the day off with a wet landing after breakfast- taking the small, inflatable dinghies up to the beach and getting out in the water. We took a hike from the beach, including to the oldest post office- a wooden mailbox stationed here in the past for people coming by to take letters and hand deliver them to the addressee. We all looked through the postcards and notes, many of which had been there for years and were just notes meant to stay. Others from all around the world, people had addressed and we were all encouraged to take a postcard to hand-deliver if we found someone nearby where we lived.
Several people snorkeled from the beach here where we saw Galapagos penguins, more sea turtles and pelicans dive-bombing to catch the plentiful sardines in the water. It was a wonderful time, followed by another snorkeling adventure which I took part in. We went on the dinghies to another, deeper area with a magnificent coral reef. I put on my wet suit and snorkeling gear and just jumped out of the boat into deep water and strong currents! If you would have told me that I'd be doing this before coming, I certainly would not have believed you :), but the magic of the coral reefs was too much to resist. Though we were told to just go with the currents, it was hard not to try, although futilely, to swim against them. I felt very safe with a life jacket on and the crew members following all of us in the dinghies at a close distance, but it was a tiring adventure :). I am so glad to have had the experience of looking into the vast, vast ocean and being able to see down to the starfish laying on the bottom because the water was so clear. I saw thousands and thousands of fish, rays and the beautiful coral reef. It was amazing!
Our day continued after lunch with another wet landing on Floreana. We hiked around and then at the end of the day, we walked back to the beach to go back to the boat. While waiting for the dinghy transportation to arrive, we observed sea turtles in the waves, a Galapagos shark!! and hundreds of small sting rays in the water as the waves would crash and recede. It was unfortunately time to return to our boat and say our goodbyes to this amazing place so we could visit another amazing place the following day. :)
To see more pictures from this day, visit my photo website.
Approaching Floreana Island
Galapagos Penguin
Rocks by the shore
Oldest Post Office
Oldest Post Office
Letters from the oldest Post Office
My footprints
A pelican dive-bombing into the ocean for sardines
A pelican happily eating his sardines
Me on the deck of our boat with another ship behind us
A fancy lunch
Crab on the beach
Sea lions relaxing in the water
Sleeping
Yawning
Pretty view
Me and Char
Me with yet another baby sea lion :)
Ladybug with no Spots
Pretty view
I liked the treeline
Beautiful water
Sting rays in the water right near the shore
Galapagos Shark!! See the white on the tip of his fin.
Me standing with the crabs
So pretty
Sunset
Sunset
Our third day in the Galapagos, we visited Floreana Island. We started the day off with a wet landing after breakfast- taking the small, inflatable dinghies up to the beach and getting out in the water. We took a hike from the beach, including to the oldest post office- a wooden mailbox stationed here in the past for people coming by to take letters and hand deliver them to the addressee. We all looked through the postcards and notes, many of which had been there for years and were just notes meant to stay. Others from all around the world, people had addressed and we were all encouraged to take a postcard to hand-deliver if we found someone nearby where we lived.
Several people snorkeled from the beach here where we saw Galapagos penguins, more sea turtles and pelicans dive-bombing to catch the plentiful sardines in the water. It was a wonderful time, followed by another snorkeling adventure which I took part in. We went on the dinghies to another, deeper area with a magnificent coral reef. I put on my wet suit and snorkeling gear and just jumped out of the boat into deep water and strong currents! If you would have told me that I'd be doing this before coming, I certainly would not have believed you :), but the magic of the coral reefs was too much to resist. Though we were told to just go with the currents, it was hard not to try, although futilely, to swim against them. I felt very safe with a life jacket on and the crew members following all of us in the dinghies at a close distance, but it was a tiring adventure :). I am so glad to have had the experience of looking into the vast, vast ocean and being able to see down to the starfish laying on the bottom because the water was so clear. I saw thousands and thousands of fish, rays and the beautiful coral reef. It was amazing!
Our day continued after lunch with another wet landing on Floreana. We hiked around and then at the end of the day, we walked back to the beach to go back to the boat. While waiting for the dinghy transportation to arrive, we observed sea turtles in the waves, a Galapagos shark!! and hundreds of small sting rays in the water as the waves would crash and recede. It was unfortunately time to return to our boat and say our goodbyes to this amazing place so we could visit another amazing place the following day. :)
To see more pictures from this day, visit my photo website.
Approaching Floreana Island
Galapagos Penguin
Rocks by the shore
Oldest Post Office
Oldest Post Office
Letters from the oldest Post Office
My footprints
A pelican dive-bombing into the ocean for sardines
A pelican happily eating his sardines
Me on the deck of our boat with another ship behind us
A fancy lunch
Crab on the beach
Sea lions relaxing in the water
Sleeping
Yawning
Pretty view
Me and Char
Me with yet another baby sea lion :)
Ladybug with no Spots
Pretty view
I liked the treeline
Beautiful water
Sting rays in the water right near the shore
Galapagos Shark!! See the white on the tip of his fin.
Me standing with the crabs
So pretty
Sunset
Sunset
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