A fern fiddlehead at Isla Cocos.

A ginger flower at Isla Gorgona.

The beach at Isla Gorgona.

A historical boulder on the beach at Isla Cocos having carvings of names and dates of past visitors to the island. Observed by crew and scientific party of NOAA Ship McARTHUR during stopover while conducting STAR 2000 project.

Marine conservation area at Isla Cocos National Park.

Prop roots and epiphytes in the jungle on Isla Cocos.

The Gorgon -- the namesake of Isla Gorgona, known for its snakes.

Crew and scientists wading out to the launch for return to the ship at Isla Cocos National Park.

A view of a cove as seen from a hillside on Isla Cocos.

Crew and scientists adventuring on the beach at Isla Cocos.

A rocky beach on Isla Cocos.

Overgrown and deteriorating prison walls at Isla Gorgona.

Prehistoric rock carving of what appears to be a sea-bird at Isla Gorgona.

Rocks and sand at a cove on Isla Cocos.

Sunset and birds at Clipperton Island.

A termite mound built on a wall at the Isla Gorgona prison.

A wasps' nest on a tree at Isla Gorgona.

Scientist Xenia Brobeil exploring the beach at Isla Cocos.

Part of the Costa Rican rain forest at the Carara Biological Reserve.

Deck hand Mike Theberge at the Carara Biological Reserve.

NOAA Corps Ensign Doug Krause with deck hand Mike Theberge at the Carara Biological Reserve.

Part of the Costa Rican rain forest at the Carara Biological Reserve.

A jungle river in the Costa Rican rain forest at the Carara Biological Reserve.

A shrimp boat seen from the NOAA Ship McARTHUR while entering the harbor at Puntarenas.

Looking over the bow of the NOAA Ship McARTHUR at the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN at Puntarenas.

Let sleeping dogs lie unless the car starts to back up. Apparently there was no leash law at Puntarenas as dogs seemed to roam about the town at will.

Police massed to stop potential demonstrations near the Presidential Palace in downtown Lima, Peru.

The Presidential Palace at Lima, Peru.

Arches in an alcove of a Lima cathedral.

A colonial era library in a cathedral at Lima.

The geometry of the dead in the catacombs below a Lima cathedral.

A garden on the grounds of a Lima cathedral.

Deck hand Mike Theberge in the catacombs area of a Lima cathedral.

Part of the crew of the McARTHUR enjoying sight-seeing in Lima.

Part of the crew of the McARTHUR enjoying sight-seeing near the Presidential Palace in Lima.

A street scene in Lima.

A cathedral in Lima.

A crewman from the McARTHUR sight-seeing at Isla Gorgona.

A derelict boat on the beach at the prison island of Isla Gorgona.

A statue of the Virgin Mary on Isla Gorgona.

The jungle right next to the caretakers quarters on Isla Gorgona.

A boa constrictor on Isla Gorgona.

The beach at Isla Gorgona.

View of the jungle at Isla Gorgona.

Deck hand Mike Theberge at Isla Gorgona National Park.

The view from the fuel pier at Balboa.

The view from the fuel pier at Balboa.

The bow of the McARTHUR at the Balboa fuel pier.

The skyline at Balboa as seen from a distance.

A view of Isla Cocos.