Pelagic Postal Procedures

For your eyes only… a sneak peek of Book 2! Hitting shelves October 22, 2024. 

Charter boats such as this one are a supreme way to experience the elusive, enchanting realm of the Galápagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. 

Esteemed today for its natural diversity, the islands were quiet for many centuries after being discovered, their people dedicated to farming and fishing. It wasn’t until the 1930s that the surrounding waters saw a cruise ship. Soon they were inundated. The Fragata—named after frigate birds, who have the instinct to fly alongside cruising boats—is owned by a local family, dedicated to sharing the wonder of the isles while they still can (you know, global warming, the coming zombie apocalypse, etc.). Though an older ship, it is the best-rated one for spending a few days weaving through the archipelago…perhaps due to the authenticity of the stories offered by captain and crew.

The Fragata cruise takes you right by Floreana, one of the southernmost islands—a place of extraordinary natural beauty and heartwarming human innovation surrounding its postal procedures. 

On the north side of Floreana is Post Office Bay, named in 1793 when a sea captain installed a wooden whiskey barrel to serve as a post office for sailors, many of whom spent lonely years at sea, yearning for home. Passing sailors would leave a letter—and also check for mail they might be able to deliver upon returning home. 

This slow, simple system still works. The barrel and the tradition remain for travelers to leave correspondence, hopeful that the next visitors will volunteer as postal workers and take them home if the address fits. Delivery times have been as few as two days and as long as several years, making more explicit a true distinction between express and snail mail.