Captivating Cuba

I have a confession; I'm not a huge fan of creatures of the reptilian variety. Their scaly skin and quick movements usually send shivers down my spine. So I'm not the sort of person that you would find on the island of Cayo Iguana. However, if there's one thing that I do love its catamaran cruises and scuba diving excursions, so on my last trip to Cuba I thought that I'd brave the iguanas and take a cruise to the famous Cayo Largo. Cayo Largo is located near to Cayo Coco, Cuba, which is littered with a number of all-inclusive Cayo Coco hotels and resorts. However, I'd chosen to board the boat in Trinidad, where excursions to Cayo Iguana run daily.

The catamaran cruise was amazing and en-route we stopped off at the beautiful coral reef surrounding Cayo Coco, Cuba for a spot of snorkelling. The marine life around the reef was incredible and although it was too early in the year to spot sea turtles, I saw brightly coloured angel fish, blue tangs, clown fish and grouper. I could have stayed at Cayo Coco, Cuba all day, particularly as it would have meant missing the iguanas of Cayo Iguana.

Hector, who was with me on this trip, began slicing up bananas for the iguanas almost as soon as the boat left Cayo Coco, Cuba. He explained that it was the iguana's favourite food, but you had to feed them quickly as they could nip your fingers. This fact really was not helping my phobia and neither was the fact that on sailing up to the island, I could already spy hundreds of dark green shapes. I'm literally not joking when I say hundreds; you can not see the sand for the masses of Cuban iguanas that lounge on the beaches.

Apparently, the island was far more populated with iguanas prior to the onset of Hurricane Michelle in 2001. The hurricane killed many of the iguanas and the devastation that it caused to the island's vegetation had a negative effect on the remaining lizards. However, the population is slowly improving, and Hector told me that he spotted several baby iguanas on the islands. The baby iguanas were keen to eat the fresh banana from his hands and largely ignored the hordes of excitable tourists snapping pictures of them.

Okay, I admit Hector had to tell me all about the iguanas as I was far too 'chicken' to even get off the boat. But maybe on my next trip I'll actually get to see the iguanas for myself. Just don't hold your breath.

posted at: 12:16 | path: /jasna | permanent link to this entry | 0 comments