Vamos a Tortuguero What a long gorgeous day... After an early tropical fruits filled breakfast it was off to the island of Tortuguero on the eastern Caribbean side of Costa Rica. As we took our crowded bus out of San Jose and moved further interior and towards the east coast, we saw lush almost prehistoric looking flora with ferns and leaves the size of people, and butterflies as large as a backpack.
We left our bus only to catch another very bumpy one aptly called the "Costa Rican massage," which dropped us to another waterway. Then finally we took a small boat ride, in a small motorized boat, over to Tortuguero. Tortuguero - for some reason this name reminds me off Pirates of the Caribbean, and I am really kind of hoping that the island is a secluded paradise. On the boat ride over I have high hopes for this as we see some crocodiles, and some magnificent and very colorful birds.
We left our bus only to catch another very bumpy one aptly called the "Costa Rican massage," which dropped us to another waterway. Then finally we took a small boat ride, in a small motorized boat, over to Tortuguero. Tortuguero - for some reason this name reminds me off Pirates of the Caribbean, and I am really kind of hoping that the island is a secluded paradise. On the boat ride over I have high hopes for this as we see some crocodiles, and some magnificent and very colorful birds.
Baby Sea Turtle!!! Upon debarkation we drop our things at our quaint hotel on the beach, and head off to a small restaurant serving "authentic Peruvian ceviche." Now I love food, and I have been really lucky to have previously have gone to the coastal areas of Peru where the dish comes from; and eaten quite a lot of the "real authentic stuff." I can honestly say that outside of the coast of Peru this is among the best ceviche I have had, and it is delicious; but really nothing compares with the original stuff on the Peruvian coast. Now for those who are not familiar with the dish, I like to call it Peruvian Sushi - it's basically crude fish and or shrimp, squid, and scallops cut up and heavily marinated and acid cooked in freshly squeezed lime juice. To this mixture chiles are added as is fresh cilantro, and chopped onions. Toasted and salted corn is sprinkled on top. Yum yum yum.....
After a afternoon rest, our group later heads on another adventure, a late night tour... A turtle watch. The tour will be without light - because - we are told - we do not want to affect the hatching sea turtles on their journey to the sea. Our guide leads us in the pitch black darkness with no lights down the beach to find baby sea turtles hatching. He begins to explain about seeing differing values of darkness to make out shapes, and explains how our eyes will slowly adjust to the tones of the darkness. He also explains different sound we are hearing in the void; birds of prey, and strange insects. We walk further, and he begins to tell us more about the sea turtles and why they come to Tortuguero to lay eggs. Then he begins to tell us about how jaguars like to eat adult sea turtles, and how they sometimes come down to the beach. In my overactive imagination, this is setting quite a tone. Here we are walking down an open and fairly secluded beach surrounded by dense fauna, we have no lights, or weapons, I am in flip flops, oh and there could be jaguars around... So exciting :) I kind of hoped we would see one.
We soon come across a nest of hatching sea turtles.... Sooooooo cute. They look like little rocks until they start to move around; they are sooo little. We help them down to the ocean with a couple of red flashlights we are now allowed to use directed towards the ocean. If we don't help, many will end up walking up to the light of the hotels, instead of the reflecting moonlight on the ocean. There, near the hotels they will be eaten by birds, run over by bikes and cars, or stepped on by people. On our way back we actually do find a couple of sea turtles near the hotels, and we scoop them up and run them back down to the beach. Perhaps a light ban is needed for beach hotels? Especially those near nesting grounds...
After a afternoon rest, our group later heads on another adventure, a late night tour... A turtle watch. The tour will be without light - because - we are told - we do not want to affect the hatching sea turtles on their journey to the sea. Our guide leads us in the pitch black darkness with no lights down the beach to find baby sea turtles hatching. He begins to explain about seeing differing values of darkness to make out shapes, and explains how our eyes will slowly adjust to the tones of the darkness. He also explains different sound we are hearing in the void; birds of prey, and strange insects. We walk further, and he begins to tell us more about the sea turtles and why they come to Tortuguero to lay eggs. Then he begins to tell us about how jaguars like to eat adult sea turtles, and how they sometimes come down to the beach. In my overactive imagination, this is setting quite a tone. Here we are walking down an open and fairly secluded beach surrounded by dense fauna, we have no lights, or weapons, I am in flip flops, oh and there could be jaguars around... So exciting :) I kind of hoped we would see one.
We soon come across a nest of hatching sea turtles.... Sooooooo cute. They look like little rocks until they start to move around; they are sooo little. We help them down to the ocean with a couple of red flashlights we are now allowed to use directed towards the ocean. If we don't help, many will end up walking up to the light of the hotels, instead of the reflecting moonlight on the ocean. There, near the hotels they will be eaten by birds, run over by bikes and cars, or stepped on by people. On our way back we actually do find a couple of sea turtles near the hotels, and we scoop them up and run them back down to the beach. Perhaps a light ban is needed for beach hotels? Especially those near nesting grounds...
 Town of Tortuguero | |
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