Golfo Dulce: Casa Orquideas and Rio Esquinas
Early in the morning, the Costa Rican immigration and customs oficials came on board the Sea Voyager to clear the ship. Once they were done, we sailed to our first stop in Costa Rica: Casa Orquideas, a beautiful botanical garden which a couple of American expatriates planted some thirty five years ago and which they continue to maintain, a real work of love. After disembarking from the Zodiacs on a pebbly beach, we divided into four groups with our naturalists and proceeded to explore the well kept paths adorned with all kinds of tropical plants. Orchids and bromeliads, aroids, calatheas, heliconias, philodendrums, were just a few of the ornamentals that we saw next to fruit trees and medicinal plants. The birding was also good, but the humidity and the heat of the morning was a good incentive for some of us to jump into the ocean from the stern and to take a nice long siesta after lunch. Then Rafael gave a presentation on the “Rising of the Central American Isthmus.”
Around four in the afternoon, we went kayaking and Zodiac cruising through Rio Esquinas. The mangroves, forests and grazing lands along the river were full of wild life. We had our first view of a three toed sloth, a boa constrictor as well as a multitude of wonderful birds. The tropical rain was soothing and made the experience of being in the rainforest even more real. By sunset, we came back onboard where we had recaps and a briefing followed by a buffet of typical Costa Rican food; a good way to mark the transition between Costa Rica and Panama.
Early in the morning, the Costa Rican immigration and customs oficials came on board the Sea Voyager to clear the ship. Once they were done, we sailed to our first stop in Costa Rica: Casa Orquideas, a beautiful botanical garden which a couple of American expatriates planted some thirty five years ago and which they continue to maintain, a real work of love. After disembarking from the Zodiacs on a pebbly beach, we divided into four groups with our naturalists and proceeded to explore the well kept paths adorned with all kinds of tropical plants. Orchids and bromeliads, aroids, calatheas, heliconias, philodendrums, were just a few of the ornamentals that we saw next to fruit trees and medicinal plants. The birding was also good, but the humidity and the heat of the morning was a good incentive for some of us to jump into the ocean from the stern and to take a nice long siesta after lunch. Then Rafael gave a presentation on the “Rising of the Central American Isthmus.”
Around four in the afternoon, we went kayaking and Zodiac cruising through Rio Esquinas. The mangroves, forests and grazing lands along the river were full of wild life. We had our first view of a three toed sloth, a boa constrictor as well as a multitude of wonderful birds. The tropical rain was soothing and made the experience of being in the rainforest even more real. By sunset, we came back onboard where we had recaps and a briefing followed by a buffet of typical Costa Rican food; a good way to mark the transition between Costa Rica and Panama.
