Caletas Beach and Reserve & Corcovado National Park
This morning we started with a gloomy day in Playa Caletas, a remote location in Osa Peninsula; the weather forecast from the deck was rain. Our group is a collection of great sports (they are rainproof), so we were all ready to disembark in this beach of a rather light brown sand. Caletas is a beach property owned by a local Costa Rican family that protects the forest located in the buffer zone of one of the wildest national parks, Corcovado.
We went exploring a trail in the back of the property, where the hikers explored and found some of the forest species like white-throated capuchins, omnivorous monkeys that roam in the forest looking for any delights, such as fruits, lizards or insects. They have a unique social structure among the monkeys found in the tropics of the new world: they travel in groups lead by females who are head of the hierarchy.
During the morning activities we also found great tinamous, birds related to rheas, whose males take care of the chicks. Also sighted were the rare white-necked puffbird, and beautiful scarlet macaws, who were perched on some trees at the beach as if they were welcoming everyone.
Another group was lead by the photo expedition experts Jack and Rikki Swenson. As we were exploring a trail that runs parallel to the beach, a couple of chestnut-mandibled toucans caught the eye of the photo enthusiasts. These birds inspired a photography session, absorbing everyone’s attention while they were feasting on beans from a tropical legume tree in the Uribea genus. The birds spent at least an hour showing their best angles and profiles while the clicks were reigning over them.
In the meantime, some guests where having a fun time exploring the tropical forest on a horse. The trail took them to Rio claro, a pristine river, surrounded by giant tropical trees as it peacefully drains in the Pacific Ocean.
It is worthwhile to mention that by now the rainy clouds had gone dry, the sky had rewarded everyone and the blue sunny day brightened our visit to the Osa Peninsula till sunset.
Once back onboard, the Sea Voyager repositioned to San Pedrillo. This place is the northern most park rangers’ station in Corcovado. The remote location, the beauty and the stunning biodiversity has given this region a legendary name. There were two walks offered, one to a waterfall in the middle of the forest and one that runs parallel to the beach. The sightings this afternoon were outstanding; a couple of spider monkeys were swinging and eating berries in the canopy, while in the other walk a herd of 20 something white-lipped peccaries where digging out the mud looking for hard seeds and roots. These 2 species are known indicators of the primary rain forest, anyone who has the opportunity to see them can certainly tell how healthy and pristine the forest is. Other species found in the park were a large group of female and young coatis, a crocodile on a river bank and howler monkeys.
The day was a total success; rarely seen species crossed paths with us, making this a memorable day in Costa Rica.
This morning we started with a gloomy day in Playa Caletas, a remote location in Osa Peninsula; the weather forecast from the deck was rain. Our group is a collection of great sports (they are rainproof), so we were all ready to disembark in this beach of a rather light brown sand. Caletas is a beach property owned by a local Costa Rican family that protects the forest located in the buffer zone of one of the wildest national parks, Corcovado.
We went exploring a trail in the back of the property, where the hikers explored and found some of the forest species like white-throated capuchins, omnivorous monkeys that roam in the forest looking for any delights, such as fruits, lizards or insects. They have a unique social structure among the monkeys found in the tropics of the new world: they travel in groups lead by females who are head of the hierarchy.
During the morning activities we also found great tinamous, birds related to rheas, whose males take care of the chicks. Also sighted were the rare white-necked puffbird, and beautiful scarlet macaws, who were perched on some trees at the beach as if they were welcoming everyone.
Another group was lead by the photo expedition experts Jack and Rikki Swenson. As we were exploring a trail that runs parallel to the beach, a couple of chestnut-mandibled toucans caught the eye of the photo enthusiasts. These birds inspired a photography session, absorbing everyone’s attention while they were feasting on beans from a tropical legume tree in the Uribea genus. The birds spent at least an hour showing their best angles and profiles while the clicks were reigning over them.
In the meantime, some guests where having a fun time exploring the tropical forest on a horse. The trail took them to Rio claro, a pristine river, surrounded by giant tropical trees as it peacefully drains in the Pacific Ocean.
It is worthwhile to mention that by now the rainy clouds had gone dry, the sky had rewarded everyone and the blue sunny day brightened our visit to the Osa Peninsula till sunset.
Once back onboard, the Sea Voyager repositioned to San Pedrillo. This place is the northern most park rangers’ station in Corcovado. The remote location, the beauty and the stunning biodiversity has given this region a legendary name. There were two walks offered, one to a waterfall in the middle of the forest and one that runs parallel to the beach. The sightings this afternoon were outstanding; a couple of spider monkeys were swinging and eating berries in the canopy, while in the other walk a herd of 20 something white-lipped peccaries where digging out the mud looking for hard seeds and roots. These 2 species are known indicators of the primary rain forest, anyone who has the opportunity to see them can certainly tell how healthy and pristine the forest is. Other species found in the park were a large group of female and young coatis, a crocodile on a river bank and howler monkeys.
The day was a total success; rarely seen species crossed paths with us, making this a memorable day in Costa Rica.
