#876 Islas Ballestas, Peru

Just off Pisco (of alcohol fame) and Paracas, just outside of Iwa and Huacachina (#923) are the Islas Ballestas, the guano (bird poop) producing center that helped support Peru's economy at the turn of the century because of their phosphorus (and therefore fertilizer) capacity!

While the candelebra above is actually on the Peruvian coast, it astonished early European sailors and its origins are unknown, but perhaps connected to the nearby Nazca line civilization. An hour's sail off the coast, they have no permanent residents except for the noisy sea lions, fur seals, waddling Humboldt penguins, pelicans, blue footed boobys and other sea birds.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islas_Ballestas