Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
The morning excursion began at the Park Headquarters at San Pedrillo. The seas were unusually calm along a beach that can be a particularly rough part of the not so Pacific Ocean. As we came ashore, we were greeted with large waves of migrating Green Urania diurnal moths which resemble swallowtail butterflies. The ridge-walkers began their upward trek to the top of the ridge where they encountered the endangered spider monkey. The rest of us watched a small troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys foraging on the flowers of a mango tree. Pollen and flower parts rained down on all of us standing below them. A scarlet macaw screeched and displayed to many of us awaiting the departure to the waterfall trail. Meanwhile, the flat land walkers headed off to their close encounter with close-up views of a white-nosed coati family and white-faced capuchins. As we walked into the forest along the San Pedrillo River, we had to carefully watch our step as we navigated our way over the twisted roots that required everyone to pay close attention. While we were looking at a pair of boat-billed herons along the riverbank, a Jesus Christ lizard ran in from the river doing its walk on water thing and settled in on the bank next to the herons. Someone said, “Jesus Christ, what was that lizard”? We all had a good chuckle over that. The trek continued across muddy patches and back up across roots. We saw cycad plants and talked about how they have survived relatively unchanged since the days of the dinosaurs and have toxic seeds that can cause liver cancer. There we spotted a beautiful scarlet passion flower. Then we crossed the upper reaches of the San Pedrillo where there were a couple of small waterfalls emptying into some very inviting pools. Almost everybody got into the water to cool off and got close to the waterfalls, forming a natural jacuzzi. After a refreshing dip, we continued to the larger, higher waterfall for a brief look before heading back to the Sea Voyager.
The afternoon began with a sumptuous barbeque on the beach. The crew once again outdid themselves getting ready this welcome treat prepared for us in the shade of a sea almond tree. There was a comforting breeze that made the noontime sun bearable. After lunch, everyone did his or her own thing from horseback riding, to a crew soccer game to boogie boarding. Some of our group read or simply watched the ocean and took in all of the wonder that makes Corcovado National Park one of the wildest places in Costa Rica. We were all back on board to set sail for Panama with a great sunset, complete with the green flash and a couple of pods of dolphins playing in the wake as the thunderheads turned a marvelous shade of pink on the horizon. It was another fantastic day of tropical biodiversity, another reminder that Costa Rica means the “rich coast.”
The morning excursion began at the Park Headquarters at San Pedrillo. The seas were unusually calm along a beach that can be a particularly rough part of the not so Pacific Ocean. As we came ashore, we were greeted with large waves of migrating Green Urania diurnal moths which resemble swallowtail butterflies. The ridge-walkers began their upward trek to the top of the ridge where they encountered the endangered spider monkey. The rest of us watched a small troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys foraging on the flowers of a mango tree. Pollen and flower parts rained down on all of us standing below them. A scarlet macaw screeched and displayed to many of us awaiting the departure to the waterfall trail. Meanwhile, the flat land walkers headed off to their close encounter with close-up views of a white-nosed coati family and white-faced capuchins. As we walked into the forest along the San Pedrillo River, we had to carefully watch our step as we navigated our way over the twisted roots that required everyone to pay close attention. While we were looking at a pair of boat-billed herons along the riverbank, a Jesus Christ lizard ran in from the river doing its walk on water thing and settled in on the bank next to the herons. Someone said, “Jesus Christ, what was that lizard”? We all had a good chuckle over that. The trek continued across muddy patches and back up across roots. We saw cycad plants and talked about how they have survived relatively unchanged since the days of the dinosaurs and have toxic seeds that can cause liver cancer. There we spotted a beautiful scarlet passion flower. Then we crossed the upper reaches of the San Pedrillo where there were a couple of small waterfalls emptying into some very inviting pools. Almost everybody got into the water to cool off and got close to the waterfalls, forming a natural jacuzzi. After a refreshing dip, we continued to the larger, higher waterfall for a brief look before heading back to the Sea Voyager.
The afternoon began with a sumptuous barbeque on the beach. The crew once again outdid themselves getting ready this welcome treat prepared for us in the shade of a sea almond tree. There was a comforting breeze that made the noontime sun bearable. After lunch, everyone did his or her own thing from horseback riding, to a crew soccer game to boogie boarding. Some of our group read or simply watched the ocean and took in all of the wonder that makes Corcovado National Park one of the wildest places in Costa Rica. We were all back on board to set sail for Panama with a great sunset, complete with the green flash and a couple of pods of dolphins playing in the wake as the thunderheads turned a marvelous shade of pink on the horizon. It was another fantastic day of tropical biodiversity, another reminder that Costa Rica means the “rich coast.”
