It was an early disembarkation – and everyone was happy about it! We got out before the heat started, a clear day was already in the making. Espumilla Beach on the western coastline is a long, heavily-used marine turtle nesting area. Fresh tracks from the night before were clearly visible from a distance. The dark-brown sand also showed where ghost crabs had cleared out their burrows with the lowering tide. Brown pelicans and brown noddy terns were already busy fishing off shore. I’ve always enjoyed the sight of the dainty terns balancing on the heads of the pelicans – who are helpless to do anything about this ignoble situation, what with a bill full of water and fish.
A trip into the interior led us through a forest of some of the largest palo santo trees and oldest mangroves that I am aware of. It had rained recently, so water droplets glistened on the twigs and branches. Darwin finches were singing in competition with the mockingbirds. The rain means flowers and seeds, time to start breeding.
After breakfast the ship had repositioned to one of the most famous coves of the archipelago: Buccaneer Bay. The Beagle, the U.S.S. Essex, the Encantada – many were the boats that had anchored in this protected area. A duel was once fought on its beach, and many sailors have hiked inland in search of food and water over the centuries.
Lindblad Expeditions adopted this island back in 1997, and ever since our guests and the company have supported efforts to restore the island back to its original (pre-human) state. Most introduced mammals have been eradicated, but now the battle is with the introduced blackberry!
Not only did we snorkel in Buccaneer Bay, we also had the glass-bottomed boat out, and all of the kayaks. The red cliffs are an impressive backdrop to any activity in the area.
The afternoon light was precious for all – cameras or not. Puerto Egas lies just south of Buccaneer Bay, and we followed the coastline for a half-mile. Back-lit prickly-pear cacti, tidal pools, marine iguanas basking, singing mockingbirds, Galapagos fur seals sleeping in the grottos, and ocean water flushing through narrow fissures were all of our views as we traveled. The reflections were a photographer’s dream; Jurassic-looking marine iguana heads and crests doubled and tricked the eye in silver-plated water.
