We had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then late in the lazy morning walked down to the small village of Santa Cruz. The wind was whipping down by the lake - a good day to watch kite surfers.
Kite surfers on Lake Nicaragua
Ride 'em, cowboy
By the time we stopped for lunch at Comedor Relax, the wind was so fierce that the rice was blowing off my plate, and our waiter had to build a makeshift windbreak. The food that made it into my mouth was quite tasty.
View from Comedor Relax
With the crazy wind, we grew concerned about the kayaking trip we'd booked for this afternoon. Back at the hotel, Carolina at reception contacted the kayak tour folks, who assured us that the wind and water were calm where we'd be kayaking on the opposite side of the isthmus, just 2 ½ miles away.
At 2:30 Hector from Kayak Tours El Caiman picked us up and brought us to the launch site. When we reached the beach, we were introduced to Hender, who guided us from there.
Kayak Tours El Caiman
Kayak launch site
To reach the mouth of Rio Istian, you first have to paddle a short distance along the lake's shore, which inspires me to share this interesting fact. Even though Lake Nicaragua is a freshwater lake, it is inhabited by bull sharks, one of the most dangerous species of shark in the world. Hender assured us he'd never seen one, but what else is he going to tell a tourist in a kayak?
Jana at the mouth of Rio Istian
Once we reached the river, we were led through the meandering, swamp-like waterway. For much of the year, the river almost completely bisects the the island, leaving just a few dozen yards of land connecting the two volcanoes. But late in the dry season, the water almost disappears, and Hender leads walking tours where today we paddle.
Jana and Hender
Hender searches for caymen
Tom paddles the swampy river
There was indeed no wind here, and gliding along the river was quiet and tranquil. At first, the sky was dark and overcast, but then the sun came out, and we were blessed with a beautiful afternoon.
Gliding peacefully along
Among the mangroves
Golden hour
We paddled back out into the lake shortly before sundown. Volcanes Concepcion and Maderas were still shrouded in clouds, but the sky had cleared enough for us to enjoy a spectacular sunset.
Volcan Concepcion
Volcan Maderas
Good night, sun
It was dark by the time Hector dropped us off back in still-very-windy Santa Cruz. What a difference a few miles makes. Instead of the hotel, we had him take us to Comedor Los Cocos. This time, I ordered spaghetti with chicken, and Tom opted for legumes with beef. Delicious! Platanos (plantains) are a major crop on Ometepe, and they are served with everything.
After dinner, we walked up the hotel's long, rocky driveway in the dark, again being mesmerized by the sight of thousands of glowing spider eyes. Then we sat out on our terrace with a couple of Victorias, enjoying the mild weather. Great day!