Curu Wildlife Refuge and Tortuga Island

Earlier than expected, we arrived and anchored in a small bay in front of Curu Wildlife Refuge. As we departed on various walks, we enjoyed the lush vegetation of the mangrove forests and the tropical dry forest. The adventurous younger partakers started with a tropical snack of tasty termites. The American crocodile was a nice sight on the riverside and the melodious song of the Rufous-naped wrens kept us company most of the way. We had a great morning with the local wildlife: squirrel cuckoos, Hoffmann’s woodpeckers, variegated squirrels, mantled howler monkeys and spiny tailed iguanas. The army ants were carrying their larvae across the trail and some of them got to our feet.

The last adventure was crossing the estuary at the end of the walk, because the high tide rose up to the bridge.

After a wonderful lunch, we listened to a great lecture on Costa Rican history. The ship had already repositioned to Tortuga Island. The beautiful sandy beach was just for us to enjoy. The other activities of the day included the torpedo blaster, sandcastles, a sunset piñata on the beach and soccer and volleyball games in which even the ship’s captain joined in.