Manuel Antonio National Park & Refugio Curu, Costa Rica
What a start to our adventure! After a night of smooth sailing, Sea Voyager dropped anchor just off of a beautiful sandy beach, our entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. Splitting into small groups, we explored this area which is renowned for wildlife. We were not disappointed. Hermit crabs, accessorized in countless varieties of shells, left tracks crisscrossing the soft sand. A troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys foraged on palm nuts and then worked their way through the forest canopy, at one point all but flying as they crossed a large opening directly over our heads. Two-toed and three-toed sloths were easily spotted as they did nothing at all, except for one which was acting very unslothlike. Central American agoutis patrolled the forest floor looking for seeds. A collared anteater moved in what seemed like slow motion, randomly checking the leaf litter for tiny prey. It stopped and drank deeply from a coconut before slowly climbing a palm, looking to settle in for a siesta. Mantled howler monkeys howled their fierce-sounding territorial warning to other howler troops. Good fences make good neighbors. Long-nosed bats, all in a line, stuck to a tree trunk for their day’s rest, gently swaying in the breeze, mimicking the movement of leaves. Spiny-tailed lizards turned solar collectors sat on the upper edges of the beach. Birds, both familiar and exotic added to the show.
Back on board for a safety briefing and a fine lunch, most of us dedicated the early afternoon to a siesta as Sea Voyager cut through the gentle waters towards Refugio Curu, our late afternoon destination. Brown boobies kept us company for most of this crossing. Along the way, Bernal gave the first in our series of naturalist presentations, An Introduction to Costa Rica. We also managed a snorkel briefing and handing out of snorkel gear.
After visiting a tropical moist forest this morning, we found a substantial contrast in our afternoon’s explorations through Curu, a tropical dry forest. Trees, many barren of leaves during the dry season, made for easy wildlife viewing. I think that we will all remember the astonishing displays by the howler monkeys, settling territorial boundaries, keeping the peace.
A striking sunset outlined the piles of cumulus as we returned to the ship for dinner.
What a start to our adventure! After a night of smooth sailing, Sea Voyager dropped anchor just off of a beautiful sandy beach, our entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. Splitting into small groups, we explored this area which is renowned for wildlife. We were not disappointed. Hermit crabs, accessorized in countless varieties of shells, left tracks crisscrossing the soft sand. A troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys foraged on palm nuts and then worked their way through the forest canopy, at one point all but flying as they crossed a large opening directly over our heads. Two-toed and three-toed sloths were easily spotted as they did nothing at all, except for one which was acting very unslothlike. Central American agoutis patrolled the forest floor looking for seeds. A collared anteater moved in what seemed like slow motion, randomly checking the leaf litter for tiny prey. It stopped and drank deeply from a coconut before slowly climbing a palm, looking to settle in for a siesta. Mantled howler monkeys howled their fierce-sounding territorial warning to other howler troops. Good fences make good neighbors. Long-nosed bats, all in a line, stuck to a tree trunk for their day’s rest, gently swaying in the breeze, mimicking the movement of leaves. Spiny-tailed lizards turned solar collectors sat on the upper edges of the beach. Birds, both familiar and exotic added to the show.
Back on board for a safety briefing and a fine lunch, most of us dedicated the early afternoon to a siesta as Sea Voyager cut through the gentle waters towards Refugio Curu, our late afternoon destination. Brown boobies kept us company for most of this crossing. Along the way, Bernal gave the first in our series of naturalist presentations, An Introduction to Costa Rica. We also managed a snorkel briefing and handing out of snorkel gear.
After visiting a tropical moist forest this morning, we found a substantial contrast in our afternoon’s explorations through Curu, a tropical dry forest. Trees, many barren of leaves during the dry season, made for easy wildlife viewing. I think that we will all remember the astonishing displays by the howler monkeys, settling territorial boundaries, keeping the peace.
A striking sunset outlined the piles of cumulus as we returned to the ship for dinner.
