Sunday has become our day for visiting the sights around Santa Cruz. This past week, we went on a boat tour of Academy Bay with another volunteer and one of the staff scientists and his family. Heading out of the sheltered harbour in a small lancha gave us a taste of travel at sea (made me wonder how I’d handle the 2 hour trip to Floreana or Isabela).
First we headed east to see “La Loberia” where the lobos marinos (sea wolves aka sea lions) hang out. We saw the animals from a distance while our craft bobbed up and down. Apparently, these same animals are the ones we see at the fish market. We were too far to take photographs but here are two of their cousins at another spot.
Next we cut back across the bay to the west side to “Canal del Amor” and “Canal de las Tintoreras”. The water was too low to venture into the love canal so we jumped off the boat and walked to see the tintoreras. What are tintoreras? Despite the fact that this could be a picture of minnow or maybe coi, they are in fact small white tipped sharks taking a snooze. Note the sign: Do not wake the sleeping sharks!
After seeing the sharks (and two manta rays) we followed the trail to Playa de los Perros, a beautiful beach carpeted with Sesuvium, an endemic plant that turns red during the dry season. Our guide was made of tough stuff, walking barefoot over lava rock and cactus spines.
Finally we headed back past the Sally lightfoot crabs to watch lava gulls and blue footed boobies from the boat. We had the option to snorkel but it being surprisingly cool, we declined. We were back in town by noon, just in time for almuerzo (lunch).
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