Dec. 2016: We had a beautiful drive along the coast from Palomino to Camarones. The road was straight with lush trees on both sides and almost no other cars. It reminded us of the California coastline.

Camarones is a happening little town with lots of activity on the main drag. The housing structures are small, square, single story and appear to be one room.

We followed the signs for the Flamingo Sanctuary – Santuario de Fauna y Flora Los Flamencos, and continued on a dirt road out to the point. At the point is a collection of restaurants and fishing boats.

We stopped to ask for information about seeing the flamingos and we met Alvaro, a young man in his mid 20’s with a great smile. He offered to take us out in a “traditional” sailboat across the lagoon to see the flamingos up close. For $20,000cop per person, we agreed.

We slathered on the sunscreen, loaded up the water bottles and cameras in the dry bag. We offered to pay José, a young boy, to keep an eye on our stuff in the truck. We loaded into the flat bottom boat and sat on the wooden benches provided for us.

Alvaro pushed us out and then set up the sail. It is a large square of old gunny sacks sewn together and then attached to the center mast. Another rod is then slid in diagonally and he uses two strings to adjust how taut it is.

We were a little nervous about the condition of the sail but he assured us the lagoon is shallow, 60cm (2ft) at its deepest. But the bottom is covered with oyster beds so it is not easy to walk across. We passed men casting for shrimp, boys fishing and lots of birds doing the same.

We had to go completely across the lagoon to get to the flamingos. We passed other families in boats as well.

Along the way, we saw pelicans, cormorants, roseate spoon bills, egrets, and blue herons. Alvaro was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and told us all about the estuary and the reserve.

When we reached the flamingos, they were beautifully pink.

Alvaro took down the sail and pushed us so we silently got closer and closer. Then, at some instinctual distance, the flamingos would fly or walk further away from us.

The juvenile birds are still white with black tips on their feathers and they all hang together, apart from the adults. Funny, just like human adolescents.

When we were done taking pictures, we sailed back. We passed a young boy and his father. The father was casting the shrimp net and the boy, who was maybe 6 – 7 years old, had a long fishing line set up between a stake and a their boat. He walked along the line taking the fish off of it that got caught and putting them in a pouch at his side.

Overall, it was 2hrs round trip and the kids were worn out from the sun. It was time for lunch.

What to eat in Camarones? Well, shrimp, of course, caught fresh that morning. We sat on the beach at Restaurant Flamingo and had fresh shrimp, coconut rice and patacones for lunch.

 

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