Galapagos For Skinflints Plus Another Painting

Isla de la Plata is touted as 'The Poor Man's Galapagos'. It is an island about 10 miles offshore form Puerto Lopez. Virtually every tourist who ventures to PL, goes there to visit Isla de la Plata, (silver island).

Boat tours to the island depart every day. I paid $40.oo for a day long tour with 5 other tourists. We were treated very well on the tour that included endless snacks, non-alchoholic drinks, and lunch. We landed on the island, hiked up to see nesting seabirds on the cliffs, and were taken to a cove for some snorkeling.

I was an avid snorkeler in my youth but over time I have mostly lost interest in the sport. This time I relaxed on the boat while the others got wet. From the boat I saw everything they saw.

It was a brutally hot day and a long, steep climb to the nesting seabirds. I told the guides that I would stick to the beach while the other gluttons for punishment trudged uphill. This crab was on the rocky shore.

There were plenty of birds to see right on the beach. This is a Blue-footed Booby.

These Boobies had absolutely no fear of people.

This is my favorite photograph of the trip.

There was some good scrub habitat behind the beach. There were some small lizards and many small birds in the bushes, including this Long-tailed Mockingbird.

The new birds I saw on the island were Red-footed and Nazca Boobies, and this Collared Warbling Finch. Of course the island was not nearly as good as the Galapagos, but it was certainly worth the $40.oo it cost to get there. I dont remember the name of the tour company but they went above and beyond for their clients. This was not the end of my trip to Ecuador. I saw more good new birds but my camera died so I have no more photos to show. Ecuador is definitely worth an encore visit.

This is not from Isla de la Plata. It is a painting of Alaska Seabirds, Tufted Puffins. Called, Highrise Housing, 16x12" I have sold every puffin painting that I have done. I hope this one is no exception.