Galapagos Islands Day 4 - October 23

Floreana, Flamingoes, Boobies Galore and Sally Lightfoot Crabs

Departing Espanola about 0100, the roll motion was pretty severe coming across to Floreana Island, Punta Cormorant.  After breakfast we had a wet landing on a Olivine sand beach and walked to a brine lagoon with a few Flamingos and then to a sugar sand beach where we waded in the surf with Sting Rays.  Returning to Letty, we then went deep water snorkeling at Devils Crown.  Snorkeling at Devils Crown was a deep water snorkel with a fair chop, but the new snorkel helped a lot.  We circled the entire Devils Crown and saw an amazing variety of fish, including Heiroglyphic Hawkfish and White Tipped Sharks, as well as several varieties of Parrot Fish.

Greater Flamingoes at Punta Cormorant

Walking the sugar sand beach

The brine lagoon

Olivine Sand at Punta Cormorant

Returning to “Letty” we headed to Post Office Bay while we had lunch.  Post Office Bay has an informal Post Office Box where people leave notes and cards to be delivered by future guests.  The “post office” has been in operation for more than 150 years.  We left our postcards and then took several from Seattle and Bellevue to deliver when we return.  I was the only person who snorkeled from the beach, looking for sea turtles, but instead was in the center of a blue footed Booby attack from the air.  While swimming, I had a Galapagos Penguin swim by.  

"New" Post Office at Post Office Bay

Sorting through the mail for cards close to home

Old post office remains

Galapagos Penguin

Pelican at Punta Cormorant

After departing Post Office Bay in late afternoon, we headed for Santa Cruz Island and looked for marine life along the way, but no luck.  The skies cleared and I could see the green flash (finally) as the tropical sun set over the horizon during our briefing for the next day’s activities.

Departing Floreana Island

Following are the Blue Footed Booby fishing pictures when Patrick was in the water.