Post Office Bay Floreana Island

When the whaling ships were in the Galapagos in 1793 they put a wooden barrel on this beach and called it a post office. As they traveled the high seas in search of whales, sometimes for a year or so at a time, they would be home sick and desired to get news to loved ones. The seamen would leave their letters in the barrel in the hopes that the next seamen that passed by would be headed in the direction of their letters, and pick them up to hand deliver the letter. 

Today visitors that visit the Post Office check the barrel for any letters that are near their home. If there is something addressed that is near their location they then take it home with the intent to hand deliver the mail. Sometimes the mail can be in this barrel a long time before it gets delivered and sometimes only seven minutes.

We had completed our business at the post office and walked a bit farther up the trail to explore and to learn about the fascinating history of Floreana Island when another group of tourists arrived at the barrel to search the letters and leave their own. There were two boats in the bay this day, the Grace and the Ocean Spray, and one of the passengers from the Ocean Spray came running up the trail asking who lived at such and such address because that is his home town and he noticed that it was dated for the day we were all there. One of our traveling companions, Terry, spoke up and said that the post card was for her Mother. What a joy to be part of that day’s events and to see just how close we are all connected.

We were not able to bring any home as there were no Alaska destinations in the barrel. 

We mailed three post cards via the post box at Post Office Bay and I wonder just how long it will take them to make their way to the intended recipients. 

Sally Lightfoot Crab

Blue Footed Booby

Brown Pelican

It was another magnificent day exploring the Galapagos!