Playa Caletas and Corcovado National Park
A cool and gentle rain welcomed the National Geographic Sea Lion to the area of Playa Caletas. After spending the night anchored in Drake’s Bay, we had weighed anchor and sailed to this destination for our morning activities. From the ship we sighted a lush evergreen forest, causing high expectations to see wildlife and the unmistakably scarlet macaw.
Shortly after breakfast, we prepared our gear to go out and explore the premises or trails of Playa Caletas. Once ashore, we divided into different groups according to our interests. Some chose to ride local horses and cantered along the beach and trails of the area, imitating the first Spanish Conquistadores exploring the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Others decided to take a short walk, hoping that the wildlife would be right around the corner, while the rest took a longer hike believing that their encounter with wildlife had to be deep inside the lush forest. Like the Conquistadores looking for gold, our quest was to find the scarlet macaw.
After covering a considerable distance during the different activities, one of the naturalists heard a squawking sound in the air and as he looked up, two distinctively scarlet-colored birds with long tails flew over and perched above in the branches of an emergent tree. The word was spread and the majority of the explorers gathered close to the tree to enjoy the view of two majestic scarlet macaws preening each other. To the joy of all, the mission had been accomplished, and we all returned to enjoy a delicious picnic lunch that the galley had prepared for us.
After lunch, the Sea Lion repositioned to Costa Rica’s most diverse area, Corcovado National Park. The park—isolated due to the fact that the only access to it is either by boat or hiking—has pristine areas. It is the home of different species of primates, reptiles, birds, mammals and major predators such as jaguars and cougars.
Different hikes were offered to the explorers. While one was a gentle walk through a trail that borders the shoreline, the other was a strenuous hike following the San Pedrillo River. This last one had a gorgeous reward—a spectacular waterfall and a pristine pool which many of us took a dip in.
To the delight of all, troops of spider and howler monkeys showed up on both trails. A mixed flock of birds filled the area with melodious songs while foraging in the shrub layer of the forest. Some small reptiles blended easily to avoid our presence while others, like the green anole, just couldn’t hide.
As the sun began to set, we all returned to the ship and prepared for the awaited cocktail hour. We concluded that a diverse area is related to the different species of plants and animals you can find in it and not necessarily to a great number of each species. Also, we must always relish in what Mother Nature wants to share with us.
