Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
Our third day of the trip and the last day in Costa Rica began with an early wake-up call. “Good morning everyone, today inside the calm waters of the Sweet Gulf, we will be visiting two very different habitats: a botanical garden and a mangrove forest.” We disembarked on a very pebbly beach, where Poochie, our three-legged welcoming committee, received us. Anything from palms to orchids, bromeliads and fruit trees, aroids, calabash trees, breadnut trees, and innumerable species of native and exotic plants made our own picture taking Eden. If taking loads of pictures and walking through fantastically kept trails wasn’t enough, most of us young at heart were summoned at the stern of the ship to ride our version of a banana boat, the “Torpedo Blaster.”
After a hearty lunch we were ready to start with our afternoon activities. We were either kayaking, or walking, or taking a Zodiac ride through mangrove forests. All of the activities offered different advantages. Kayaking offers the relaxing feeling of being alone in the world floating on clear, mirror-like waters. Walking gives one the chance to exercise and see part of the countryside we can’t see otherwise. The Zodiac cruising is great because, without much effort, one can cover long distances and with the company of one of our naturalists the educational experience is enhanced. As we all did our things, we spotted several species of birds such as orange chinned parakeets nesting, northern jacanas fighting and a large chestnut mandibled toucan calling as the sun went down. We all met at a common spot, a local bar with typical music, where we all swapped activities. After a cold refreshment, we all came back on board ready for our trip into Panama waters.
Our third day of the trip and the last day in Costa Rica began with an early wake-up call. “Good morning everyone, today inside the calm waters of the Sweet Gulf, we will be visiting two very different habitats: a botanical garden and a mangrove forest.” We disembarked on a very pebbly beach, where Poochie, our three-legged welcoming committee, received us. Anything from palms to orchids, bromeliads and fruit trees, aroids, calabash trees, breadnut trees, and innumerable species of native and exotic plants made our own picture taking Eden. If taking loads of pictures and walking through fantastically kept trails wasn’t enough, most of us young at heart were summoned at the stern of the ship to ride our version of a banana boat, the “Torpedo Blaster.”
After a hearty lunch we were ready to start with our afternoon activities. We were either kayaking, or walking, or taking a Zodiac ride through mangrove forests. All of the activities offered different advantages. Kayaking offers the relaxing feeling of being alone in the world floating on clear, mirror-like waters. Walking gives one the chance to exercise and see part of the countryside we can’t see otherwise. The Zodiac cruising is great because, without much effort, one can cover long distances and with the company of one of our naturalists the educational experience is enhanced. As we all did our things, we spotted several species of birds such as orange chinned parakeets nesting, northern jacanas fighting and a large chestnut mandibled toucan calling as the sun went down. We all met at a common spot, a local bar with typical music, where we all swapped activities. After a cold refreshment, we all came back on board ready for our trip into Panama waters.
