Isla Murcielago & Santa Elena , 12/26/2019, National Geographic Sea Lion
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Lion
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
Finally we had a chance to get in the water today! A highlight for many, including myself, was seeing the healthy rocky reef ecosystem at Murcielago. The afternoon was spent at Santa Elena taking kayaks and Zodiacs to explore the tropical dry forest ecosystem.
Kim is a marine biologist, adventure photographer, and full-time nomad. Not a fan of having her feet solidly on the ground, she spends most of the year diving, paragliding, skiing, hiking, kayaking, and working on ships. She made it to all seven cont...
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Costa Rica has many very successful stories related to initiatives to protect our flora and fauna. On the southern end of the Nicoya Peninsula in 1963, a Swedish couple, Karen & Olof Wessberg, encouraged the creation of the first officially protected area in Costa Rica, Cablo Blanco Absolute Reserve. Starting in the 1970s, other conservation projects associated with our federal government and private territories added buffer zones and biological corridors to the newly created national parks. Among those private sectors on the Nicoya Peninsula, the Schutt-Croix family purchased land with the main intention to farm it. After realizing the natural beauty of the mangroves and forest, they decided to set aside several hundred hectares for pure conservation. On this property, Curu Wildlife Refuge, wildlife can migrate between the mangrove vegetation at sea level to around 1,000 feet above sea level. Curu has an area of 1,416 hectares, and 70% is devoted to conservation. White-throated capuchin monkeys were the stars of the day. We observed at least three different troops during our walks. We also enjoyed incredible sightings of northern tamandua anteaters, white-nosed coatimundis, crab-eating raccoons, mantled howler monkeys, and white-tailed deer, a national symbol for Costa Rica. All of these observations were fantastic additions to our morning walk on Curu Wildlife Refuge. Later in the day, biologist Maguil Céspedes offered a great presentation that provided insight into his work with the people of the mangroves at Isla Chira inside the Gulf of Nicoya. The galley made preparations to serve a farewell dinner on the beach with a barbecue on Tortuga Island. The evening was splendid. We all gathered on the beach to enjoy our last hours onboard National Geographic Quest as our fantastic exploration of Northwest Costa Rica draws to a close.
On a beautiful morning, we arrived at a small bay in front of Zapotal Beach. After National Geographic Quest anchored, we started our exploration activities. Some of our guests decided to go to the mainland for a walk, while the vast majority chose to spend the morning snorkeling in the Brunel Islets. Those who went for a walk found howler monkeys, green iguanas, pale woodpeckers, and many other typical birds of the dry forest. Those who went to the islets enjoyed several hours in the water in search of pufferfish, starfish, angelfish, and hawksbill turtles. After repositioning National Geographic Quest in Huevos Bay in the afternoon, we disembarked at one of the nearby beaches. Some guests decided to take a Zodiac cruise to tour a nearby mangrove, while others took to one of the trails near the beach. Other guests combined a bit of kayaking with paddleboarding, or they simply enjoyed the seashore in this charming place. Of course, those who went to the mangrove spotted various species of waterfowl, while those who went on the walk and/or stayed on the beach were able to see howler monkeys passing along the trail.
During sunrise, National Geographic Quest sailed to drop anchor between Muneco Islet and Junquillal Wildlife Refuge. On our way, the humpback whales showed up again and put on a show. At this time of the year, individuals from the Northern Hemisphere head down to give birth to their young. After breakfast, some guests headed to Muneco Islet for our first snorkeling outing. The backside of the islet gave us a protected cove. The beautiful geological formation bears witness to the magnificent uplifting of this unique region. Guests observed sea stars, damselfish, surgeonfish, bicolor parrotfish, and cornetfish. The experience was enhanced by the wonderful calls of the whales. What a beautiful way to snorkel! As a second activity, we enjoyed downtime at the wildlife refuge. We walked on a secluded beach where we spotted birds, such as white-throated magpie-jays and crested caracaras. Orange-fronted parakeets appeared to show off their colorful plumage. In the afternoon, photo instructor Jose Calvo gave us a great lecture that included useful photography tips. We enjoyed different options to explore Junquillal Bay Refuge. Some guests worked out their upper bodies by paddling kayaks while exploring mangroves, and others observed the scenery on Zodiac cruises. We all observed species like ringed and green kingfishers, little blue herons, spotted sandpipers, whimbrels, white ibises, and more. We talked about the habits and behaviors of the different species. The impressive root system of the mangroves welcomed us, and we were transported to a place with scenery that looked like it came from a story. We learned about this unique system and the challenges it faces to adapt and survive in high salinity environments. Other guests chose hikes through the tropical dry forest and enjoyed amazing views of the spectacular Peninsula de Santa Elena. Recap and dinner were followed by a wonderful presentation by the Director of Guanacaste Conservation Area, a UNESCO World heritage site. The speaker put in perspective the high importance of this protected part of Costa Rica, including its contributions to the world.
