Bahia Zapotal & Tamarindo Beach
Today we had a great family day of beach activities and marine sightings. Our morning started with a short navigation from Coco’s beach, where we cleared customs back from Nicaragua, to Bahia Zapotal, an isolated white sand beach in the northern pacific coast of Costa Rica. There we had many optional activities to pick from and stay busy during this blue-sky sunny morning. Kayaking, snorkeling, torpedo blaster rides, a walk in a second growth area or just “sun bathing” were some of the options at Bahia Zapotal. The group who went on a walk saw mangrove crabs, turquoise-browed motmots, the noisy white-throated magpie jays, and songsters like the banded-backed wren and rufous-naped wren. Those birds and other wildlife were just part of this deciduous forest covered with lianas and odd epiphytes like the pitaya cactus. In the meantime families were taking advantage of the sunny beach, with torpedo blaster rides pulled by the Zodiacs, snorkeling or kayaking activities.
Due to the beautiful morning we were served lunch at the lounge of the Sea Voyager, with an almost 360 degree view, as we were on-route to Tamarindo beach. Right after lunch, someone saw whales and everyone went outside to see and photograph them. At least three Humpback whales, one of them a calf, were coming out to the surface so the Expedition Leader and the Captain decided to take a detour and stay with them. At a certain moment we saw one of them breeching and splashing, something no one is going to forget. Other sightings at the same spot were several pairs of Olive-Ridley turtles swimming next to the ship, something we don’t get to see that often.
Later in the afternoon, we disembarked in Tamarindo beach for surfing lessons or exploring the town, with local stores and handcrafts. Another, almost unbelievable and very rare sighting near our beach station was a six-foot American crocodile off shore, a non desired guest in one of the long sides of Tamarindo beach. Further north, the surfers were first learning the techniques and then practicing how to ride the waves.
Back on board the Sea Voyager, we had a great presentation on global warming, volunteered by the well known journalist/writer and guest Andrew Revkin, great opportunity for all of us to learn about the main issues that address one of the major challenges of human history. And later, as if it were not enough, dozens of rays were jumping out of the waters and another whale made its appearance while we were enjoying a great sunset as we navigated 130 nautical miles south to our next destination, Manuel Antonio National Park. A great day, almost too good to be true!
Today we had a great family day of beach activities and marine sightings. Our morning started with a short navigation from Coco’s beach, where we cleared customs back from Nicaragua, to Bahia Zapotal, an isolated white sand beach in the northern pacific coast of Costa Rica. There we had many optional activities to pick from and stay busy during this blue-sky sunny morning. Kayaking, snorkeling, torpedo blaster rides, a walk in a second growth area or just “sun bathing” were some of the options at Bahia Zapotal. The group who went on a walk saw mangrove crabs, turquoise-browed motmots, the noisy white-throated magpie jays, and songsters like the banded-backed wren and rufous-naped wren. Those birds and other wildlife were just part of this deciduous forest covered with lianas and odd epiphytes like the pitaya cactus. In the meantime families were taking advantage of the sunny beach, with torpedo blaster rides pulled by the Zodiacs, snorkeling or kayaking activities.
Due to the beautiful morning we were served lunch at the lounge of the Sea Voyager, with an almost 360 degree view, as we were on-route to Tamarindo beach. Right after lunch, someone saw whales and everyone went outside to see and photograph them. At least three Humpback whales, one of them a calf, were coming out to the surface so the Expedition Leader and the Captain decided to take a detour and stay with them. At a certain moment we saw one of them breeching and splashing, something no one is going to forget. Other sightings at the same spot were several pairs of Olive-Ridley turtles swimming next to the ship, something we don’t get to see that often.
Later in the afternoon, we disembarked in Tamarindo beach for surfing lessons or exploring the town, with local stores and handcrafts. Another, almost unbelievable and very rare sighting near our beach station was a six-foot American crocodile off shore, a non desired guest in one of the long sides of Tamarindo beach. Further north, the surfers were first learning the techniques and then practicing how to ride the waves.
Back on board the Sea Voyager, we had a great presentation on global warming, volunteered by the well known journalist/writer and guest Andrew Revkin, great opportunity for all of us to learn about the main issues that address one of the major challenges of human history. And later, as if it were not enough, dozens of rays were jumping out of the waters and another whale made its appearance while we were enjoying a great sunset as we navigated 130 nautical miles south to our next destination, Manuel Antonio National Park. A great day, almost too good to be true!
