Floating on the river, walking in the mud

Yesterday we decided that we would find a guide to take us on a canal tour in the Tortuguero National Park. There are quite a few guide options, some with motor boats, some canoes, some large, some small. We ended up choosing Ernesto. I was impressed by his laid back vibe, helpfulness, and chain smoking. And so, we work up at 4:45 this morning for a four hour tour. 

Two general observations before I talk about the park. One, Tortuguero is one of the best smelling places on the planet. It must be some combination of the sea air and the lush vegetation but the air has this strange sweetness without being overbearing. Two, the waterproof camera is great at not turning into a brick in the rain, but not so great at zooming for wildlife pictures. Fortunately Chris's camera takes pretty good wildlife shots. At any rate, this blog is using my iPhone pictures and because I did not want to destroy my phone, I did not take it on the boat trip. The pictures are from our hike later in the day. Just pretend, okay?

The National Park is vast and much of it is inaccessible. We were in a canoe and were able to go places that the motor boats are forbidden to venture. Along with Ernesto we were with a couple from the Netherlands and a couple from Poland and Italy who were quite keen on PDA.  

We were very lucky and saw tons of monkeys, lizards, birds, butterflies, an otter, and even a sloth. Ernesto, who grew up in Torteguero and used to hunt in the swamps as a child, knew all about the animals we encountered. This was particularly helpful in tracking the river otter and he swam around and popped up for air only occasionally. 

I swear, there is a monkey in that last picture. At any rate, after the tour and a much needed nap, we headed back into the forest for a walk. There is only a very limited trail in the park and it is extremely muddy. Chris took a tumble in a puddle that was unexpectedly deep. 

Finally we made it down to the beach and walked along the shore where, during the season hundreds of turtles lay their eggs. This time of year there are merely remnants. 

The ocean is unusually high today creating massive waves and riptides. Along the beach it was peaceful with some unexpectedly wet moments when the sea encroached on bits of the shore line where it is not supposed to go. 

Tomorrow we leave Tortuguero. It is a beautiful town with excellent Caribbean food, friendly people, and the kind of languid pace that makes for the perfect start to a vacation.