Manuel Antonio National Park and Agujitas River, Costa Rica
Our first morning on the Sea Voyager found us on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, right in front of Manuel Antonio National Park’s first beach. At 7:00 am sharp, one second after the park opened, we were disembarking onto a forest-draped white-sand beach. The group was divided into five sub-groups. Two of them went up the rugged trail of Cathedral Point, once a barren, rocky island, this island became part of the continental land mass due to sand accumulating and has turned the island into a geological formation known as a tombolo. We got our morning exercise going up and down the hill, later on we walked down the Sloth Valley trail, where two of the other groups had gone through earlier. Most of us got to see 100% of the sloth species in the country – as there are only two of them, it is not such a hassle. The fifth walk, the stationary walk, didn’t go to far, but that’s the whole idea of such a walk, and as it always happens, this is the walk onto which the white-throated capuchin monkeys came to. Not a bad first morning: sloths, monkeys, ctenosaurs, basilisk lizards, long-nosed bats, many species of birds, plus a daydreaming swimming beach, not bad at all!
Moving on towards our afternoon’s destination we sailed quite a distance to the southern-most peninsula of the country, the Osa Peninsula. Well known as one of the most pristine areas of the Central American region, this peninsula is home to a huge array of species, both of flora and fauna. Our first and true experience of the rainforest happened today. As we disembarked onto our trustworthy Zodiacs, we were headed towards the forest swimming “pool” or for a ride in the Zodiacs up a river. Since everything is always relative, the Central American guides and Zodiac drivers were freezing while our guests were happily enjoying a dip in the Agujitas cold waters. Kingfishers, little blue herons, boat billed herons, terns, pelicans, frigatebirds, and beautiful views of the rich, dark green forest rewarded those who decided to ignore the rain and went out.
Back on board, just before our recap session began, our stern became alive with marine animals and other animals associated to these. Small silver sides, needlefish, spotted dolphins, and bulldog fishing bats gave a great example of a food chain. I certainly know worse ways to spend our day.
Our first morning on the Sea Voyager found us on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, right in front of Manuel Antonio National Park’s first beach. At 7:00 am sharp, one second after the park opened, we were disembarking onto a forest-draped white-sand beach. The group was divided into five sub-groups. Two of them went up the rugged trail of Cathedral Point, once a barren, rocky island, this island became part of the continental land mass due to sand accumulating and has turned the island into a geological formation known as a tombolo. We got our morning exercise going up and down the hill, later on we walked down the Sloth Valley trail, where two of the other groups had gone through earlier. Most of us got to see 100% of the sloth species in the country – as there are only two of them, it is not such a hassle. The fifth walk, the stationary walk, didn’t go to far, but that’s the whole idea of such a walk, and as it always happens, this is the walk onto which the white-throated capuchin monkeys came to. Not a bad first morning: sloths, monkeys, ctenosaurs, basilisk lizards, long-nosed bats, many species of birds, plus a daydreaming swimming beach, not bad at all!
Moving on towards our afternoon’s destination we sailed quite a distance to the southern-most peninsula of the country, the Osa Peninsula. Well known as one of the most pristine areas of the Central American region, this peninsula is home to a huge array of species, both of flora and fauna. Our first and true experience of the rainforest happened today. As we disembarked onto our trustworthy Zodiacs, we were headed towards the forest swimming “pool” or for a ride in the Zodiacs up a river. Since everything is always relative, the Central American guides and Zodiac drivers were freezing while our guests were happily enjoying a dip in the Agujitas cold waters. Kingfishers, little blue herons, boat billed herons, terns, pelicans, frigatebirds, and beautiful views of the rich, dark green forest rewarded those who decided to ignore the rain and went out.
Back on board, just before our recap session began, our stern became alive with marine animals and other animals associated to these. Small silver sides, needlefish, spotted dolphins, and bulldog fishing bats gave a great example of a food chain. I certainly know worse ways to spend our day.
