The unspoiled San Lorenzo Island

Just 30 minutes off the coast of Lima, by motorboat, stands the biggest island in Peru, San Lorenzo, most of it arid and lonely with the exception of a few Navy buildings on the southeast side overlooking the mainland. The island is 8.5 Km long from North to South, and 2 Km wide from West to East. Looking at it from Lima’s beaches, cliffs, and boardwalks, seems like a long and desert whale-like mountain popping out from the Pacific Ocean up to 393 meters above sea level.    

Despite its solitude and lack of drinking water, the island was visited and occupied for different reasons over the centuries. Recently, a couple of mommies have been uncovered in the area called Caleta de la Cruz, which turned to be an ancient cemetery (XV-XVI AC) that yield a few but important archaeological objects such as textile instruments and ceramics. The island was also a stopover for buccaneers aiming for the Incas’ gold that the Spaniards used to ship to Spain on colonial times.  The Dutch pirate Jacques L’Hermite was buried in San Lorenzo Island around 1642 after sacking Guayaquil, and then battling the Spaniards in Lima’s port of Callao without succeed.

           

Nowadays, a fleet of tourist boats takes visitors to San Lorenzo to see its wildlife, such as the sea lions, seals, and sea birds, as well as to enjoy the island’s solitary and pristine beaches. And of course, to guess where the buccaneer L’Hermite was buried; some of his treasure may be underground too.  These sailings may also include a cruise around the Fronton Island, just 800 meters south of San Lorenzo, where a prison complex used to be located. It is a small island surrounded by the cold seawater with perilous currents that may have kept prisoners from escaping.