The morning began with an early morning expedition landing craft cruise around Rio Esquinas. This is one of the eighteen rivers that empty into the Gulf Dulce. We saw red and black mangroves and many birds, such as osprey, snowy egrets, parrots, and parakeets.
For those who stayed on board National Geographic Sea Lion we started the day with a gentle yoga class on the bridge deck, with an amazing view of the ocean and dense rain forest. It was a perfect backdrop for class. After breakfast some ventured out for a morning walk at Finca Saladero. Others enjoyed kayaking through the mangroves of Esquinas. Taking advantage of high tide in the mid-morning, we kayaked a 3 1/2 mile loop in a protected estuary by the river mouth.
After our morning activities we gathered in the lounge for a presentation on the "Geological Evolution of Costa Rica" by one of our naturalists, Ronald Calvo. Then we enjoyed lunch aboard the ship and then headed to our next destination, Casa Orquideas. This is a beautiful tropical garden that is only accessible by boat. It is owned by an American couple, Ron and Trudy McAllister, who have lived here for 35 years. So many beautiful tropical plants are here, such as bamboo, spider, and lady of the night orchids, as well as medicinal herbs and tropical fruit. After exploring the garden for a few hours we had the opportunity to take a swim from the beach and relax.
Before sunset we all boarded National Geographic Sea Lion, which pulled anchor and repositioned to Golfito for a quick stop. Then we said goodbye to Costa Rica and sailed 120 nautical miles to Panamanian waters.
