An Awesome Experience

April 2, 2025  

On April 2nd we pulled up anchor and travelled 4 nautical miles back south to the islands at the south end of Bahia Chamela.  We spent two nights there and were the only boat in the anchorage.  The anchorage reminded us of some of the anchorages on the coast of BC.  A combination of a rocky reef and islands broke up the ocean swells close by, and although we sat happily on mostly calm water in the anchorage, large crashing waves were constantly pounding the rocks that sheltered us. 

The sound of the crashing waves was quite different than that of them breaking onto a beach such that both the sound and the look of them crashing onto the rocks reminded us of BC.  The cool air and chilly nights added to the feeling of BC and our hatches even started to drip with condensation overnight, definitely reminding us of BC.   

There were several beaches right around the anchorage and the first day there we went ashore to the largest of them and went for a nice long beach walk.  There was also a beautiful surf break that we would have loved to surf, but we didn’t get a chance.  At the end of the beach closest to the anchorage there was hardly any swell at all. 

We were easily able to get to shore and it was a perfect area for swimming.  Many panga boats were also tied up there and fishermen obviously went there for easy access, presumably coming from the town that was inland as there were only a few houses along the shore.  The sand at that end of the beach was so soft and silky, perfect for bare feet and sand castles. 

Walking along the beach we passed the surfing spot where two locals were out catching waves.  The break looked perfect.  As we carried on, the beach became quite steep and large waves smashed at the steep slope.  It would have been amazing to see this area with large southerly swells in the summer.  The sand along this part of the beach was much courser and easy to sink into, like walking in soft snow.   

Back at our kayaks we walked up into what appeared to be a common picnic area with locked lockers seemingly for the pangas to keep nets and such in.  We enjoyed our picnic lunch in the shade and then swam and played on the beach. 

That night at sunset Jason saw a line of bats travelling across from one of the islands to the marshy lagoon area on the mainland.  When I got up into the cockpit after getting Falcon to sleep the line of bats was still going and we watched it until it was too dark to see.  There had been bats flying in a steady line for more than 15 minutes.  During that time several groups had come from seemingly different areas on the island and travelled together across to an area on the mainland.  It was absolutely incredible.  We decided that the next night we would kayak out for sunset, and hope to see the bats up close.   

The following morning we went out in our kayaks and paddled along the inside of the reef out to some of the outer islands. 

It was a nice paddle, but quite the jumbled mess of broken up waves.  Coming back we paddled around the far end of one of the two islands that made up the anchorage and we found a large split in the rocks of the island that was only about six feet wide, but appeared to go way back.  We would have loved to have been able to explore inside, but it would not have been safe getting in.  I wondered if it was somewhere inside there where the bats came from?   

We went ashore on one of the islands to a small rock and sand beach that faced our boat, as it seemed like a lovely beach for exploring. 

There were many rocks and shells on shore with areas of smoothed rock containing tide pools, as well as an area where we could get through to the other side of the island to a really cool canyon looking straight out to the west with crashing swells coming in, it was particularly west coast BC like. 

We had a lovely time at the beach before we headed home for a late lunch/early dinner before our sunset bat paddle. 

As the sun settled lower into the sky and the north wind blew, and the cool air spilled out of the river-marsh area, we bundled up, got into our kayaks, and paddled towards the end of the island where we sat and waited for sunset and the appearance of the bats.   

Sure enough, right on schedule, we spotted the first of the line coming up and over the trees.  They dropped right down at the edge of the island, flew through the brush on the shore and out along the water. 

All of them appeared to fly within about ten feet of the water, probably to help avoid an attack from predator birds.  We did see one predator bird that we think was a night hawk make an attack right at the begin of the flight, but it missed and we did not see it again.  From the start of the line of bats right at sunset, until after dark and after we paddled home, the line did not end.  It would come and go in density, but the bats never stopped coming.  It was absolutely incredible to see so many bats that just kept coming and coming. 

With the north wind blowing it was impossible to stay in one place without paddling.  At times I would paddle up into the line of bats and watch them flying straight at me and around me as I took pictures and videos and stared in awe, and then the wind would blow me out of the line and away.  Then, I would paddle back up again and watch in awe once more. 

Falcon was with Jason and they stuck closer to shore, in the lee of the wind, with Jason able to maintain their position paddling while they watched, and Falcon happily watched and pointed around at all of the bats.   

Later, before we paddled home, Falcon came into my kayak with me and as I fed him some leftovers of his dinner he pointed at the passing bats counting “1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,15,17,18”.  When the light was fading and we could barely see the continuing line of bats anymore we let the wind blow us home, and Falcon settled into bed.  What an incredible experience! Definitely a highlight for me.   

Unfortunately we were only able to stay at that end of the bay for two nights because there were strong north winds forecasted.  We wanted more protection from the land for this wind and so the next morning, before the strong north winds picked up, we pulled up anchor and motored the four nautical miles back to the north end of Bahia Chamela and anchored once again off of the town of Perula. 

As the wind increased we paddled into shore and enjoyed the day on the beach.