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Morning tour to Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island.
Black Turtle Cove is a mangrove swamp on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. The boat anchored at the entrance to the cove and we went in on the two pangas - a wonderfully quiet way to spy schools of rays, white-tipped sharks and green sea turtles as well as herons and lava gulls. We had some lovely displays from blue footed boobies, posing for us on nearby rocks as we floated close to them on the panga boats. The green turtles were mating beneath the water near us, and we spied plenty of rays.
Afternoon visit to Chinese Hat.
This island is so named because of its perfectly conical appearance. After a wet landing, we walked around the island to observe flamingoes and a small colony of sea lions. On the return journey, we had a chance to try snorkelling, sea lions ready to play! We had taken advice to don wetsuits, and that worked well as the water isn't ultra warm!
Yes, well, I had my first shark experience while snorkelling, when the half dozen others beckoned me over to where the wave surge carried me above a hole in the seabed. By holding onto the edge of the hole, to avoid being sucked in, you could peer down - and see a myriad of 6 foot white tipped sharks circling in the chamber below! I think I grabbed a couple of other snorkelers so I could make my hasty exit, as I felt the wave surge me forward, and down?! Having survived, much later, I thought it was pretty cool.
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