Day 8: Galápagos Islands – Floreana Island (Punta Cormorant, Post Office Bay & Mirador de la Baronesa) Devil's Crown Friday, November 02
In the morning, snorkel at Devil's Crown which is a shallow sunken crater that makes for one of the best snorkeling sites in the islands. The submerged volcano has clear blue waters and a variety of colorful fish. Sea lions were seen in the water and seabirds nest in the rock crevices .
Lunch onboard. Afternoon excursion to Post Office Bay that is on the northern side of Floreana Island. This is the site where whalers used to "mail" their correspondence. A barrel was used as a mail box and held letters from sailors across the globe. If a passing ship was heading where the mail was addressed, the captain would collect and deliver it.
Although the barrel is no longer the original one, the system still works since we visitors continue to collect and drop off mail.
A short walk from the famous barrel will take us to a tunnel formed by laval flows. From the lookout point enjoy great views of resident seabirds. Mirador de la Baronesa is a basaltic tuff formation located in la Olla Bay, between Punta Cormorant and Post Office Bay. The site earned its name from letters written by Baroness Eloisa Von Wagner and the Wittmer family describing the area.
Web links here:
Ghosts of the Galapagos, the Baroness Eloisa von Wagner Bosquet
http://www.calnative.com/stories/n_ghosts.htm
http://www.galapagosislands.com/galapagos-history/galapagos-modern-history.html
Wiki - Floreana Island
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floreana_Island
Photo of Margret Wittmer, Original Settler of Floreana ...
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6874212
Floreana: A Woman's Pilgrimage to the Galapagos by Margaret Wittmer
Photo 1. The Floreana 200 year old post office.
Photo 2. Looks more like a barrel than a post office box?
Photo 3. Us sorting thru what mail we might be able to deliver. I took 6 hoping to learn from those who are the addressees. That story for another time.
Click here for today's online photo album.
https://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/2012GIMPDay8Of17
