We weighed anchor shortly after breakfast and traveled to Puerto Magdalena, a small fishing village (population 85) and the only inhabited area of Isla Magdalena. Enroute, presentations by naturalists were offered in the lounge in addition to wildlife watching from the bow.
After anchoring, we embarked on a late morning hike through a desert harboring several plant species unique to Isla Magdalena and along a mangrove forest between the desert and adjacent Bahia Magdalena.
After lunch, some guests toured a part of the island on fat-tire bikes then joined the rest of us for a mid-afternoon tour of Puerto Magdalena and the all-important desalination plant. As there is virtually no potable water on the island, drinking water must be brought over by panga from the mainland. Water used for other purposes is obtained from the desalination plant, which produces ~1000 liters per hour for up to 40 hours of operation per week.
After the tour we relaxed at Chejos’s, a classic open-air cantina. We enjoyed light beverages and avocado tostados, listening to Chejos’s oral rendition of the village’s history, and playing fetch with Lola, a beloved ‘guardian’ dog at Chejos.
The day concluded with an after-dinner assembly on the sundeck for constellation identification and viewing.
