Gulfo Dulce, Costa Rica
Today we awoke in the middle of the calm water of Golfo Dulce (or sweet gulf) of Costa Rica. This is the second largest gulf of the country; it is called sweet gulf because in the rainy season, the amount of rain that flows into the gulf may make you think that is a fresh water gulf and not a salt water one.
Right after breakfast we went ashore to a place call Casa Orquideas. Here we had an amazing time walking through manicured trails looking at orchid flowers, bromeliads, heliconias, palms, fruit trees, and many kinds of tropical flowers and trees, but we weren’t the only ones on the garden. As we walked by we realize that this tropical paradise attracts tropical birds like tanagers, macaws, hummingbirds, hawks and even tent making bats, so we not only got to enjoy the tropical botanical garden but its visitors as well.
After a morning walk in the tropical hot sun we were ready to enjoy a refreshing swim from the stern of the ship and even a ride on the banana boat for the most adventurous explorers.
Our Captain repositioned the ship in the afternoon to a river mouth in the gulf. Here we were able to explore the mangrove forest which is considered one of the most diverse ecosystems in our planet. Today we were able to get a taste of that as we got to see the mangrove forest with its toucans, sloths, egrets, shore birds,and kingfishers.
Federico Chacon, Naturalist
Today we awoke in the middle of the calm water of Golfo Dulce (or sweet gulf) of Costa Rica. This is the second largest gulf of the country; it is called sweet gulf because in the rainy season, the amount of rain that flows into the gulf may make you think that is a fresh water gulf and not a salt water one.
Right after breakfast we went ashore to a place call Casa Orquideas. Here we had an amazing time walking through manicured trails looking at orchid flowers, bromeliads, heliconias, palms, fruit trees, and many kinds of tropical flowers and trees, but we weren’t the only ones on the garden. As we walked by we realize that this tropical paradise attracts tropical birds like tanagers, macaws, hummingbirds, hawks and even tent making bats, so we not only got to enjoy the tropical botanical garden but its visitors as well.
After a morning walk in the tropical hot sun we were ready to enjoy a refreshing swim from the stern of the ship and even a ride on the banana boat for the most adventurous explorers.
Our Captain repositioned the ship in the afternoon to a river mouth in the gulf. Here we were able to explore the mangrove forest which is considered one of the most diverse ecosystems in our planet. Today we were able to get a taste of that as we got to see the mangrove forest with its toucans, sloths, egrets, shore birds,and kingfishers.
Federico Chacon, Naturalist
