27/3 Ballestas Islands

Walked over to the jetty with a few others and climbed into 40 person speedboats with lifejackets (novelty).

 Headed down the bay until the Candelabra - a Nazca-like engraving on an inclined cliff. Something like 50 x 150 m. Opinions differ as to whether it is thousands of years old or whether it might be as recent as General San Martin, who landed here to liberate Peru from Spain, after doing the same for Chile and Argentina. Boy was he keen! No wonder there are roads named after him all over S America.

On to the islands, which didnt take long with 400hp at the back. We spent an hour or so coasting slowly round the islands, looking at the hundreds of thousands of seabirds, all assiduously dumping guano. Apparently it gets harvested every 10 years when it's 60cm thick. If you dont like birds, there are sealions by the hundred, in the water, sunbathing draped over rocks, or basking on the beach.

Jelly fish

Humbolt penguins

So many sealions

They were interesting to watch flippering their way up the steep-sided rocks. Best of all were the mums taking 2 month old babies for a swim. The babies didnt look at all keen - heads craning out of the water and trying to get on Mum's back. Mum waiting patiently and offering a not very helpful nose when Jr tries to follow her up the rocks. Huge 300kg males flopped out on the beach.

Swim said the momma sealion

Climb said the momma sealion ... all well till a wave washed it back into the water

Cuddles with Mum

He looks quite comfy snug on this rock

Highlight of the day was when some seabird dumped sunscreen all over the Japanese girl at the back of the boat. A big splattery one - laugh, we nearly died! The guide told us there are no sharks or killer whales here which is why the sealions are so prolific. Can't imagine why there wouldnt be sharks.

Dark pelicans here

By then it was lunchtime. The mini market sold us 2 mangoes, an avocado, a tomato, 6 small rolls and a litre each of chic milk and pineapple juice for less than $5. The rest of the day was devoted to researching transport and accomodation in Miami. Spirit airline are pretty vague about where they will be landing us but it seems to be Hollywood airport at Fort Lauderdale, fortunately only a few miles north of Miami, where the cruise ships sail.

Dinner at the cheap restaurants near the beach and we took coffee up the elegant end of the strip. The beachfront is very nicely done, with a 20m wide paved mall.