Lizards on Isla Santa Maria

Pos: here
Loc: Isla Santa Maria
Acc: tent
Dist: 37,2 km
Start: 8:00 End: 15:30

Tomorrow:
Estimated landing: North end of the peninsula
Estimated starting time: Right after sunrise
Estimated landing time: Well before sunset

The expected artificial rain out of the irrigation system on that small lawn we were camping on didn’t happen this night. Either the guard switched it off (which I understood he can’t), or it doesn’t “rain” every night. Our protective water bags and pots were all dry ;-(

We were happy to be back on the water again! I had a quick peep at the sea from the harbour exit on a high spot on the wall, and it was looking very different to yesterday already. Our paddle out was accordingly smooth in the narrow lane between the breakers.

The visibility was as bad as it could be this morning, we barely could make out the southern headland of the peninsula. When we were coming nearer, the visibility became even worse. This, plus the still reasonably high swell of 3-4 m were perfect conditions for me to get sea sick! Which I was…more or less. I was fighting it hard by really steering by the what was to be seen from the headland, but the swell direction from the side on this crossing didn’t let me go. How I’d have loved to really throw up…but my stomach was only burping every half a minute or so…thank goodness we had already breakfast on the beach this time. I managed to eat at least half an apple, half an orange and a kiwi, but probably the fruit acid didn’t help to make my stomach air free…

When we started, we had some land breeze from the right shoulder side, which turned into the usual lull until lunch. It was warm, and the water here in the southern bay was warmer than outside! I took my jacket off, my boots and even my thick pair of neoprene socks to get a bit of fresh air against the upcoming sea sickness, but nothing was really helpful.

The only helpful thing was eventually to turn around the south western headland, and to have the swell from behind again as usual! Within five minutes my sea sickness was gone! What a relief…now started a nice section of coastline with many rocks, which I could enjoy again!

The southern end of Isla Santa Maria had a bunch of nice single high cliffs, and the paddle into the gap was beautiful and became eventually dead calm. Besides the now stronger afternoon wind was pushing us along nicely!

We could spot the island beach with some sand, but were sensing around the triangle tip there must be an even more sheltered sandy beach…which we found!

We were looking forward to an afternoon on our own remote island with even some sunshine, as we could not spot any houses here! We landed easily, and put up our tent. But soon we spotted one other single tent right around the corner, and right when I took a small dip in the sea the inhabitant spotted us also around the corner, probably alerted by our voices.

I didn’t make many efforts to cover myself perfectly, meaning:”Please stay away for a while!” which he quickly did…but five minutes later a woman stuck her head also around the corner, and I was just drying myself. She probably got rather scared by Peter’s broad bare shoulders and backside pointing at her, and was also fast gone again

Isla Santa Maria

Well, when we were ready for a short walk on the island, we dropped by with a card and some small talk, as you should do with neighbors on remote places! Another single guy came just walking down the island top with a small back pack, he was looking like a birdwatcher or such, and soon got a pick up from a boat. The tent people must have used this local “ferry service” also, as we could spot no boat.

Lizards on Isla Santa Maria

We were watching a bunch of small lizards on a sunny cliff edge, cute! The almost were looking like small baby crocodiles…the vultures probably spotted them also! Somehow, the locals must have brought some vehicles to this island, as we saw a few wheel tracks…probably for the “sea weed industry”!

Lizards on Isla Santa Maria

The whole island’s cliff edges were probably worth a longer walk, but we couldn’t circumnavigate the whole island this afternoon and rather relaxed a bit in the tent before dinner.

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