This is the fourth largest island and it had two settlements during the 1900s. The first attempt occurred on May 23,1937 by a couple from the United States. Ainslie and Frances Conway wanted to have a peaceful life on an island that would not be crowded, but to their surprise when they boarded the vessel that was taking them to James Bay they realized they were not the only ones. Years later they abandoned the island.
A few decades had gone by when there was a second settlement. This time (early 1960s) a group of people led by Mr. Hector Egas (hence the name of the site, Egas Port) arrived to the island to exploit salt. Salt mining was not very profitable for Mr. Egas and he too decided to abandon the island.
Our walk this afternoon took us not only to the interior of the island but also along the shoreline, where we admired a wide variety of shore birds. This is a tranquil and peaceful hike so that everyone leaving the islands keeps the feeling that nature can be rescued. Santiago is the island Polarishas adopted. The program of eradicating pigs is very successful, with fewer than ten remaining on the island! It is much more than a good feeling when we learn that these programs do succeed. This is a taste of what this island offers. It is not only filled with animals that have managed to survive in this environment, but also with exquisite volcanic features.
