Los Islotes & Punta Dispensa
This morning we woke up to views of a guano-covered rock, Los Islotes, on the northern tip of Isla Partida. The wailing of young California sea lions, the raucous barking of the adult males and, of course, the smell of guano further awakened our senses. This southernmost colony of California sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, turkey vultures, yellow-footed gulls, and many other visitors and more permanent denizens of this rock kept us well entertained all morning long.
Zodiac cruises along its shores gave us an overview of life on this tiny island. Much of what we witnessed in regards to the sea lions was a lot of lounging, creative nonetheless. Some dangled their heads over rocky ledges. Others were sprawled out one on top of another. More impressive, however, was in contemplating how some managed to climb up onto very precarious looking rocks. Furthermore, arrow dynamic boobies flew this way and that. Some pairs even put on flirtatious shows in lifting one blue foot and then the other and sky pointing.
Soon after, we went snorkeling in the clear cool waters. We discovered just how acrobatic these amazing pinnipeds are underwater. Also, in seeing various sea stars, colorful king angels, giant damsels, stealthy sting rays, dazzling nudibranchs and many other sea creatures, a whole new world opened up to us.
Afternoon hikes through the desert vegetation of Esprítu Santo exposed us to the most dramatic plant of the desert, the cardón. Numerous agaves with beautiful flowering stocks jetting up into the sky dotted the desert here as well. And many of the other plants gave us an opportunity to review the names of plants we had learned the day before. Also, a fortunate few witnessed the endemic black jackrabbit scurrying off into the distance.
And finally, we spent the evening enjoying a delicious dinner on shore, calm waters lapping the beach and stories of old told around a campfire.
This morning we woke up to views of a guano-covered rock, Los Islotes, on the northern tip of Isla Partida. The wailing of young California sea lions, the raucous barking of the adult males and, of course, the smell of guano further awakened our senses. This southernmost colony of California sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, turkey vultures, yellow-footed gulls, and many other visitors and more permanent denizens of this rock kept us well entertained all morning long.
Zodiac cruises along its shores gave us an overview of life on this tiny island. Much of what we witnessed in regards to the sea lions was a lot of lounging, creative nonetheless. Some dangled their heads over rocky ledges. Others were sprawled out one on top of another. More impressive, however, was in contemplating how some managed to climb up onto very precarious looking rocks. Furthermore, arrow dynamic boobies flew this way and that. Some pairs even put on flirtatious shows in lifting one blue foot and then the other and sky pointing.
Soon after, we went snorkeling in the clear cool waters. We discovered just how acrobatic these amazing pinnipeds are underwater. Also, in seeing various sea stars, colorful king angels, giant damsels, stealthy sting rays, dazzling nudibranchs and many other sea creatures, a whole new world opened up to us.
Afternoon hikes through the desert vegetation of Esprítu Santo exposed us to the most dramatic plant of the desert, the cardón. Numerous agaves with beautiful flowering stocks jetting up into the sky dotted the desert here as well. And many of the other plants gave us an opportunity to review the names of plants we had learned the day before. Also, a fortunate few witnessed the endemic black jackrabbit scurrying off into the distance.
And finally, we spent the evening enjoying a delicious dinner on shore, calm waters lapping the beach and stories of old told around a campfire.
