Puerto Refugio & Isla Granito
This morning, as the sun cast its orange eye on us, we slipped quietly into Puerto Refugio.
What a spectacular setting, with jagged peaks rising abruptly and shades of colored red rock. Our first walk gave a closer look at the papery, peeling bark of the elephant trees. The landscape was stark and arid with very few plants. Long and short hikes gave us the option to explore at our leisure. Kayaking in such a beautiful place brings a certain peace to the soul and at times we thought we might be all alone as we bobbed on the near calm seas.
By afternoon, we were offered Zodiac to explore around nearby Isla Granito where a colony of California sea lions exists. There were several adorable pups, only days old, some with the placenta still attached. Their forlorn cries and bleats warmed our hearts and we watched as the new mothers stayed close and attentive.
In the meantime, divers busily assembled gear on the back deck of Sea Voyager as they prepared for their first dive. After a back roll from the Zodiac, we found the water to be refreshing and a little murky. But the poor visibility did not stop us however, from getting up close first encounters with the playful sea lions. They seemed to come out of nowhere and quickly engulfed us. We were surrounded by so many at one time that I thought we might have to push our way through the mob so that we could continue with our explorations. These magnificent marine mammals were a real thrill to watch as they twisted their sleek pliable bodies into positions that made me ache. They seemed to take a huge interest in our noisy exhaled air bubbles and our clumsy feeble swimming style.
Back on board, we listened to a most interesting talk by author and president of the Blue Ocean Institute, Carl Safina, about the voyage of the turtle. We learned that the leatherback turtle is an ancient giant reptile capable of diving as deep as sperm whales. It has managed to survive thus far but its future could be uncertain in the hands of mankind. Afterwards, while still cradled in our private picturesque retreat, we enjoyed Rolando’s special cocktails and an array of mouth-watering appetizers which included marinated fish ceviche on the sun deck.
What a perfect way to wind down after such a busy day.
This morning, as the sun cast its orange eye on us, we slipped quietly into Puerto Refugio.
What a spectacular setting, with jagged peaks rising abruptly and shades of colored red rock. Our first walk gave a closer look at the papery, peeling bark of the elephant trees. The landscape was stark and arid with very few plants. Long and short hikes gave us the option to explore at our leisure. Kayaking in such a beautiful place brings a certain peace to the soul and at times we thought we might be all alone as we bobbed on the near calm seas.
By afternoon, we were offered Zodiac to explore around nearby Isla Granito where a colony of California sea lions exists. There were several adorable pups, only days old, some with the placenta still attached. Their forlorn cries and bleats warmed our hearts and we watched as the new mothers stayed close and attentive.
In the meantime, divers busily assembled gear on the back deck of Sea Voyager as they prepared for their first dive. After a back roll from the Zodiac, we found the water to be refreshing and a little murky. But the poor visibility did not stop us however, from getting up close first encounters with the playful sea lions. They seemed to come out of nowhere and quickly engulfed us. We were surrounded by so many at one time that I thought we might have to push our way through the mob so that we could continue with our explorations. These magnificent marine mammals were a real thrill to watch as they twisted their sleek pliable bodies into positions that made me ache. They seemed to take a huge interest in our noisy exhaled air bubbles and our clumsy feeble swimming style.
Back on board, we listened to a most interesting talk by author and president of the Blue Ocean Institute, Carl Safina, about the voyage of the turtle. We learned that the leatherback turtle is an ancient giant reptile capable of diving as deep as sperm whales. It has managed to survive thus far but its future could be uncertain in the hands of mankind. Afterwards, while still cradled in our private picturesque retreat, we enjoyed Rolando’s special cocktails and an array of mouth-watering appetizers which included marinated fish ceviche on the sun deck.
What a perfect way to wind down after such a busy day.
