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Less than a kilometre from the eastern coast of Santa Cruz, the two tiny Plaza islands were formed by seismic uplift, flat islands dramatically tilted to form sheer cliffs on the southern side. Only PLAZA SUR , the larger of the two at less than 1.5km long and under 250m at its widest point, is open to visitors. Being within range of the Puerto Ayora day-trippers, the little island can get crowded, so a dock has been built to prevent tourists causing erosion on landing. Vociferous members of the thousand-strong colony of sea lions here see this as a territorial boundary, so take care boarding and disembarking; snorkelling and swimming is also better around Plaza Norte, out of the war zone. A rather more subdued group of elderly bachelors holds a corner of smooth lava (polished by the defeated over the years) up on the cliffs, a tortuous climb over the rocks away from the macho action of the main colony. The island has striking vegetation, a covering of juicy Sesuvium plants that turn crimson in the dry season, punctuated by chunky Opuntia cactus trees. When their juicy pads fall to the ground, land iguanas wriggle out of their torpor for a bite to eat. Before the park rules were in place, the iguanas were often fed fruit by visitors, and subsequently learned to dash to the dock whenever a party landed. As a hangover from those lax days, you'll often see them lurking around newly arrived groups, trying their luck for a banana or orange. A trail leads up to sheer cliffs, an excellent vantage point to spot noddy terns, swallow-tailed gulls, Audobon shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds as well as the occasional blue-footed and masked boobies, frigate birds and pelicans . Looking down into the swell, you may see yellow-tailed mullet, surgeonfish, manta rays and dolphins .
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