During the night we entered Costa Rica. By about 5:30 a.m. National Geographic Sea Lion started navigating into the very calm waters of Golfo Dulce, on the most southwestern point of Costa Rica. Since we were coming from Panama our first stop today had to be the port of Golfito in order to report to the authorities and to do the immigration paperwork (well, our purser did it for us). Sun rose up over the hills while we were still attached to the rusty pier of this remote little town.
A little later in the morning, we disengaged the dock and navigated back into the Gulf to visit two great places today. Our first stop for the morning was at Casa Orquideas botanical garden, always one the favorites among our guests. It is owned and created by Trudy and Ron McAllister, two American expatriates who have been living in this remote place for the last 30 years in a Robinson Crusoe lifestyle that deserves writing a book.
Casa Orquideas is truly a showcase for the tropics. Only accessible by the sea, encased inside the hilly pristine tropical rain forest, the McAllister’s hard work over the many years of grooming and gardening have created a beautiful exhibit of many kinds of tropical plants, flowers, and fruits of many shapes and colors, that in turn attract many of the incredible and diverse birds that inhabit the neighboring surrounding forest. And all on a flat easy walk! Casa Orquideas truly offers something for everybody!
Our guests could leisurely walk escorted by a naturalist or on their own, stopping and spending as much time as they required to closely observe and photograph any of the plants, insects, flowers, or birds of their predilection.
As for a welcoming party, during the full time spent at Orquideas we enjoyed the presence of loud and colorful scarlet macaws flying back and forth overhead.
By the end of the morning, our guests had the opportunity to enjoy a swim from our fantail into the refreshing waters of the Gulf; all under the careful watch of our officers.
For the afternoon National Geographic Sea Lion repositioned to Saladero, another remote place owned by Susan and Harvey Woodward, another couple that also felt the appeal of the tropics in this peaceful and friendly Costa Rica. Here at Saladero we all spent more time on easy walks to observe the forests edge and adjacent patch of mangroves. Some of our guests chose to try some more kayaking and where rewarded by beautiful sights of marine turtles and bottlenose dolphins. And as we were getting back on the boats to get back on board we spotted toucans and scarlet macaws sharing the same tree.
As for a perfect ending on our visit at Saladero this afternoon Susan and Harry offered us some freshly cut (in our eyes) coconut milk and home-made coconut candy (locally called “cajeta de coco”).
Truly a wonderful day spent walking among birds, flowers, and greenery…and “cajeta de coco.”
Welcome to Costa Rica!
