Casa Orquideas & Esquinas River, Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
Welcome to Costa Rica! After navigating from Panamanian waters, the National Geographic Sea Lion found itself in the unique area of the Golfo Dulce. We spent all day exploring this Tropical Fjord, but as far as we know Fjords are carved by glaciers, well the Golfo Dulce was created when two micro plates moved apart causing the center area to sink down. At its entrance, it has around 50feet in depth and its deepest point around 700 feet.
Our first stop was at the little fishing town of Golfito, where we cleared customs and were officially welcome into the country. At almost 6am, when the sunrise was trying to break through the clouds, the lushness of the vegetation and the tall mountains were our welcome committee.
After breakfast the ship repositioned to a nearby bay, where a couple of US expatriates decided to make their home for almost 30 years. They started with a little self sustainable garden that grew into a lifestyle.
Casa Orquideas is the name of this “tropical plant lover paradise”. Orchids are everywhere, growing from the ground all the way to the tree tops. Bromeliads, which can hold up to 2 gallons of water, decorate the trunks of palm trees. Papayas, pineapples, cashew trees, bananas and cocoa trees work as great natural feeders for birds such as toucans, parrots and tanagers. The many different types of flowers are excellent places to watch hummingbirds.
After lunch, the ship repositioned to the mouth of the Esquinas River. With our Zodiacs and kayaks, we decided to explore the wonders of this river, which meanders through an impressive mangrove ecosystem. We ended up river in a rainforest habitat. Mangroves might not be as diverse as a rainforest or a coral reef, but without them neither of those two ecosystems would have the great biodiversity they are known for. The entangled root systems of these salt-tolerant species work as a nursery for little fish, protecting them from large predators until they are bigger and migrate to the open sea. The mangroves also collect sediment which forms land for the rainforest to expand and occupy.
As the sun was setting, the Zodiac cruisers and strong paddlers made their way back to the National Geographic Sea Lion. Ready for a new adventure, we will see what tomorrow brings.
