Los Islotes & Dispensa beach, Espiritu Santo Archipelago
A green flash sunrise greeted the day on glassy flat seas, and before the morning wake-up call dolphins were spotted. Captain Kalbach couldn’t resist the temptation and guided the Sea Bird over to the group of bottlenose dolphins, and they rewarded us with bow riding. The dolphins surfed our bow and guided us to the morning’s destination of Los Islotes, a magnificent rock formation covered in nesting birds and hauled out California sea lions.
After breakfast we boarded the Zodiacs to explore the islets up close and personal, and were greeted with a screaming pair of peregrine falcons. Blue-footed boobies soared overhead, while brown boobies roosted near the waters edge. Frigatebirds lifted off, rising high on the thermals, as they set off to sea for a day full of fishing. The sea lions, however, were the true highlights. A cacophony of noises overwhelmed us from the rocks that were covered with sea lions of various sizes. Males barked to mark their territories while pups bleated searching for their moms. The rocks were rounded from thousands of years of sea lions lazing on them, and many pairs of nursing moms and pups were closely watched.
The next phase of our exploration was to enter the realm of the sea lions by donning snorkeling gear and plunging into the water. We attempted to imitate the sea lions in their graceful underwater ballet, but we couldn’t quite mimic their fluid movements. Some lazed gently at the surface while others rocketed around and around, seemingly playing with us as much as we were playing with them. It certainly was a treat to be able to spend time in their realm, observing them so close.
During lunch we headed south, but were quickly distracted by a distant blow. A mom and calf humpback whale was slowly traveling north, and we maneuvered close for some wonderful views of this pair. The surface of the water was still glassy and we also observed a marlin, large manta ray, and a lot of flipping Mobula rays. These are the sea watching days that we dream of, but we had a destination for the afternoon so we set off onward to Dispensa Beach on the south end of Espirtu Santo. This long sandy beach was the perfect ending for our voyage. Kayaking, swimming, and interpretive walks were offered, but simply strolling on the beach and reflecting on our fantastic week seemed to be the highlight of the afternoon for many.
A green flash sunrise greeted the day on glassy flat seas, and before the morning wake-up call dolphins were spotted. Captain Kalbach couldn’t resist the temptation and guided the Sea Bird over to the group of bottlenose dolphins, and they rewarded us with bow riding. The dolphins surfed our bow and guided us to the morning’s destination of Los Islotes, a magnificent rock formation covered in nesting birds and hauled out California sea lions.
After breakfast we boarded the Zodiacs to explore the islets up close and personal, and were greeted with a screaming pair of peregrine falcons. Blue-footed boobies soared overhead, while brown boobies roosted near the waters edge. Frigatebirds lifted off, rising high on the thermals, as they set off to sea for a day full of fishing. The sea lions, however, were the true highlights. A cacophony of noises overwhelmed us from the rocks that were covered with sea lions of various sizes. Males barked to mark their territories while pups bleated searching for their moms. The rocks were rounded from thousands of years of sea lions lazing on them, and many pairs of nursing moms and pups were closely watched.
The next phase of our exploration was to enter the realm of the sea lions by donning snorkeling gear and plunging into the water. We attempted to imitate the sea lions in their graceful underwater ballet, but we couldn’t quite mimic their fluid movements. Some lazed gently at the surface while others rocketed around and around, seemingly playing with us as much as we were playing with them. It certainly was a treat to be able to spend time in their realm, observing them so close.
During lunch we headed south, but were quickly distracted by a distant blow. A mom and calf humpback whale was slowly traveling north, and we maneuvered close for some wonderful views of this pair. The surface of the water was still glassy and we also observed a marlin, large manta ray, and a lot of flipping Mobula rays. These are the sea watching days that we dream of, but we had a destination for the afternoon so we set off onward to Dispensa Beach on the south end of Espirtu Santo. This long sandy beach was the perfect ending for our voyage. Kayaking, swimming, and interpretive walks were offered, but simply strolling on the beach and reflecting on our fantastic week seemed to be the highlight of the afternoon for many.