We enjoyed our second stay at Contadora and spent most of the time catching up on internet with the Wifi connection we were able to pick up from the anchorage. Then we spent three nights at Isla Bayoneta where there are several white sand beaches in the area to explore at low tide. We liked the first one we visited on the west side of Isla Gibraleon best. It was a long white sand beach and John found a turtle nest that looked as if it had been dug fairly recently. It was too rough to make it around the corner of Bayoneta to the western beach where there is supposed to be especially good shelling. Even though I'm trying to cut down on my collecting we'll have to save that for another visit.
We made our entrance to Bayoneta on a low rising tide because there are many rocks and reefs. We didn't have any close calls but the water is such a murky green color that it's almost impossible to see anything even in depths of less than 15'. This also means that we haven't been doing any snorkeling, though we did get to see a few spotted eagle rays in very shallow water during our beach explorations.
Our last evening there Ziggy was making "I see a bird" noises while intently looking at the solar panel up on the sissy bar. I assured him there was nothing to see and picked him up to prove it by tilting the panel down towards us. Of course a small tern/gull fluttered up into the air and Ziggy was anxious to get it. John had to finally shine a spotlight at it to get the bird to fly away (the idea being that you ruin their night vision and they can't re-land on the boat; this is what we do to keep frigate birds from roosting at the top of the mast when we're doing night passages). Another life saved, and we could go to bed in peace.
Woke up the next morning to find the bird just waking up to dawn on the solar panel. It's a good thing Z. hasn't learned how to climb up there yet!
Linda and John
http://www.geocities.com/svnakia/map_app.htm?08,29.472,N,79,02.892,W,Isla%20Bayoneta,