Walking through town it is common to find sea lions lounging everywhere
The town of Baquerizo Moreno surrounds the bay where Madrone is anchored on Isla San Cristobal. While there’s plenty of wildlife here – sea lions actually walk the streets in town – we wanted to get away from town.
The beach of La Loberia stretches along the south side of the island, an easy walk of about a mile or so from town through the scrub and rocks typical to the area.
The Spanish name for sea lion is lobo marino, so La Loberia means place of the sea lions. As we turned the corner to the beach, the reason for the name is clear – sea lions of all ages dot the beach, resting on the sand or on rocks warmed by the sun filtering through the low marine layer.
A further half-mile or so trek leads across the rocks towards a cliff guarding the eastern edge of La Loberia.
A half-hike/half-clamber wound around literally hundreds of marine iguanas warming themselves on the rocks. Their rest was only interrupted by an occasional shaking of their heads before ejecting a giant sneeze of salt spray.
