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Adventure and fascinating story lovers! Today I'm taking you to the most enigmatic and storied island in the Galapagos archipelago: Floreana. Our visit last April was like stepping into a book of explorers, pirates, and untamed nature. Get ready to discover this unique gem. If you'd like to learn about the first stop on this adventure, read my post about San Cristóbal, available here: https://peakd.com/publish?edit=lapgarcia%2Fespeng-un-viaje-a-las-islas-galapagos-i-isla-san-cristobal-a-trip-to-the-galapagos-islands-i-san-cristobal-island Floreana (or Santa María) is one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos (about 1.5-3 million years old). Unlike the young islands to the west, filled with fresh lava, Floreana gracefully displays the passage of time: extinct and eroded volcanoes, its main volcanoes are extinct. Rain and wind have shaped rounded hills and deep valleys. Cinder Cones and Lava Tunnels: In places like Cormorant Point, you'll see volcanic tuff cones (compressed ash) and green beaches formed by olivine crystals—a rarity! Scarce Freshwater: Its mature geology allows rainwater to filter through quickly, making natural springs very valuable. This defined its human history! Floreana's isolation and age have created unique species. Its environment is wetter than other low-lying islands, thanks to its topography. Floreana Stars: Colorful Beaches and Pink Flamingos: Black Beach: Dark volcanic sand, ideal for seeing eagle rays near the shore. "La Picona" Beach: One of the few GREEN beaches in the world! Its olivine hue comes from volcanic minerals. Flamingo Lagoon: At Cormorant Point, this brackish lagoon is home to elegant flamingos that filter-feed shrimp with their beaks. In April, at high water, it was a pink spectacle. Floreana Giant Tortoises: Although almost extinct on the island, captive breeding programs (such as the small center near Pirates' Cove) seek to bring them back. They are genetically unique! Nazca and Frigatebird Boobies: Cormorant Point is a natural vantage point to see colonies of Nazca boobies (black and white) nesting on the ground and frigatebirds flying overhead. The Galapagos Petrel: This endemic and endangered seabird roamed the highlands of Floreana last night. With luck, you can see them at dusk. A winged treasure! Sea Lions and Iguanas: The Lobería: An islet off the coast where dozens of sea lions rest and play. Ideal for snorkeling with them. Marine iguanas abound on the coastal rocks, sunbathing after diving.
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Floreana has a surprising flora: It has arid coastal areas dominated by palo santo (white-barked trees) and opuntia cacti. Wet Highlands (Peace Haven): A green oasis with mosses, ferns, guayabillos, wild coffee plantations, and the endemic Scalesia villosa. Settlers arrived here for fresh water. Must-Do Experiences: Nature and History Snorkel in Devil's Crown: A submerged volcanic crater. We swam among reef sharks, sea turtles, eels, starfish, and schools of colorful fish! Crystal-clear waters teeming with life (April is ideal for calm seas). The Whalers' Mail Barrel: A historic ritual! At Post Office Bay, since 1793, sailors left letters in a barrel. Visitors would take them to their destination. Pirates' Cove: Lava tunnels where pirates and buccaneers hid. Walking with a flashlight here is like traveling back in time. Peace Haven: In the highlands. A walk between history (the tomb of the first settler) and lush nature. We looked for the endemic witch-bird and saw giant tortoises in semi-wild conditions. Cormorant Point: A walk between the green beach and the flamingo lagoon. Step only where indicated to avoid damaging nests! The Floreana Mystery: The Shadow of the Settlers Floreana isn't just nature. Its human history is dramatic and intriguing. In the 1930s, Europeans arrived seeking paradise (like the Wittmer family and the "Baroness"). Both families are linked to disappearances, suspicious deaths, and an unsolved mystery that surrounded the settlers. Today, the Wittmer family is still there. Her book, "Floreana: A Woman's Pilgrimage to the Galápagos," is fascinating. Floreana encapsulates the essence of the Galápagos: powerful geology, evolution in action, bold human history, and a unique yet vulnerable ecosystem. Seeing flamingos in a lagoon shaped by volcanoes, or reading centuries-old letters in a barrel, connects you with deep layers of time and adventure. It's the smallest island we visited, but the one that most made us feel the magic and mystery of the archipelago. A reminder that nature and human stories, when intertwined, create legends that endure.
[//]:# (!worldmappin -1.293198 lat -90.431513 long Un viaje a las Islas Galápagos I: Isla San Cristobal/ A Trip to the Galapagos Islands I: San Cristobal Island d3scr)