First thing this morning, we walked over to the part of the beach where the fishermen come in with their catch. We had been warned that it might be slow on a Sunday morning, and indeed, we only saw one boat come in, and unload a fairly small load of fish.

We came to Puerto Lopez to see the fishing boats, and also because this is the jumping-off point to visit Isla de la Plata, also known as the Poor Man’s Galapagos.  It is an island that is part of the Parque Mancalilla, about 75 minutes off the coast by boat.

This is an inexpensive way to see some of the same animals on the famed Galapagos Islands.  Our last 10 day trip to the Galapagos cost us roughly $10,000, but the day trip to Isla de la Plata cost $35.  The island mostly had blue-footed boobies, with birds sitting on eggs right on the walking path.  There were also some frigate birds, and a lone red-footed booby too far away to photograph.  Nothing like the bounty of the Galapagos national park, but then for $35, it was a bargain.

After a few hours walking on the island, followed by a short snorkeling swim, we headed back.  The water had gotten a bit more rough, and perhaps we were against the current, because the boat frequently “caught air”, making for a fast, but rough ride.