Following the Trails on Isla Isabel

December 19, 2024   

Our second day at Isla Isabel was spent on shore.  We packed water and a picnic lunch, and we rowed into the beach once again.  After pulling Kiki well up the beach and tying her off we put on our shoes and started along the beach towards the trail that we had found the day before. 

It was slow progress as we kept stopping to watch the birds and with my big camera along there was the frequent sound of the shutter.  The birds were so photogenic and with being able to get so close to them without even trying there was no need for a large telephoto lens.   

As we entered the forest we had to be careful not to step on any lizards or iguanas as even they were fearless, although they did seem to move at just the last second, otherwise I fear that we would have stepped on several of them since they were camouflaged so well. 

Now that we were away from the shoreline there were no booby birds around. 

The forest floor appeared to belong to the lizards and iguanas and the canopy, which was not high, maybe 10-15 feet, belonged to the Frigate birds. 

Many were sitting on nests and others were sitting in the trees. 

Many of the male birds had their bright red with black spots mating balloons inflated in their neck with their wings open making a very cool echoing drum sound.

As we walked below all of this action and life, and saw it through the branches, the sounds were incredible and it sounded very prehistoric. 

The warm, moist forest air combined with the sounds and smells of the forest made the place feel almost like an alien jungle.   

As we followed the path through the forest we came up and then down a set of stone steps to a volcanic crater lake. 

It was the main crater, but apparently there were seven more that surrounded the island. 

After watching the lizards that were out sunning themselves along the rocks of the lake and taking some time for Falcon to throw rocks into the water, we continued on and came out to the area of fishing huts on the south shore. 

Going past the old research buildings there were iguanas everywhere. 

We followed the trail up to the lighthouse tower at the top of the hill on the southwest side of the island where we got a beautiful 360-degree view out to sea and around the island. 

At times we had walked past trees with nesting or roosting Frigate birds so close that I could have reached out and touched them. 

On the top of the grassy hill there were nesting booby birds and we sat and ate our lunch watching the constant soar of Frigate birds all around. 

After lunch we walked back through the fishing shacks and then took a trail to the north end of the island where we followed the shore and an old trail back along to our beach and our anchorage. 

After going for a swim and playing on the beach we went back to our rocking home to make dinner.  It had been an amazing day!