Located in the south of the archipelago, Floreana is a beautiful island with a rich human history. Several books have been written about the island, especially about a series of mysterious events involving murder, death, and desolation.

The island was widely used by pirates and whalers in the 1800s for fresh water and tortoises. Today, the island is inhabited by about 150 residents. Three years before the visit of naturalist Charles Darwin, the celebrated annexation of Galapagos to Ecuador took place here in 1832.

Early in the morning, we used kayaks and paddleboards to enjoy the wonders of the bay, the landscape, and the wildlife. We made a brief stop at the post office barrel to drop off and pick up correspondence, just as the whalers did beginning in 1793. We continued the morning by exploring the island’s underwater world at Champion Islet. We finished the day with an invigorating hike at Cormorant Point, where we photographed wildlife and the landscape.