Mangrove Paddle

Tuesday’s, Thursdays and Sundays are the schedule for yoga classes at Avellanas. We joined Chuck, Sharissa and a crew expats for another session to start the day off on the right foot. I always find myself an out of the way corner so I can struggle in obscurity. The surf out front was picking up a bit and the wind is supposed to mellow out some. We drove around a new back road home and did a few errands on the drive back.

PJ and I were eager to put our new paddle boards to the test but the howling offshore winds made going out front seem a little precarious. So we strapped them on the car and bumped along the dusty roads down to the mangrove estuary at the far side of Junquillal. There was a pair of Ticos in a fancy motorized kayak putting in to go fishing upriver. We spoke for a few minutes then they went off in search of fish. A local named Jeffrey was watching the river flow past and said he’d keep an eye on the car.

We launched from the bank and paddled against the light current and more forceful wind. The further we worked our way up into the mangroves, the more protected we became. The paddling got easier but the wind was no longer keeping the bugs at bay. Swarms would gather around every time we’d slow to have a look around do we had to keep pumping to avoid our buzzing buddies.

We made a quick u turn and flowed with the current back out to the rivermouth to have a look at the sea. We parked along the inland side of the sand bar and hiked across the burning sand to have a look at the beach over the small dune. Nice offshore groomed little waves were breaking along the coast. We splashed around in the water for a few minutes then returned to the car and headed for home. The new boards worked great. Easy to paddle and comfortable to maneuver with.

Our afternoon plan changed as our plans often do. We intended to go into Santa Cruz to take care of business, but as we were eating lunch the molasses man arrived out front to coat the dusty road with a layer of sticky sugar cane byproduct to tamp down the clouds of dust. It was a sweet smelling project. The property manager contacted us and advised us not to drive on it for two or three hours. The perfect excuse to opt for a nice nap and then a swim in the pool rather than tend to our responsibilities.

Laying down the candy

Hot, sweet and sticky

Casa Playa Blanca is a wonderful place to just while away the days. As the evening approached, we walked the few steps down the private path to the beach below and sat on a length of driftwood and watched the sun melt into the sea. Some local families and teenagers were enjoying the end of the day also. Darkness sent us scurrying up the trail to barbecue more fish and feel the lethargy that a day in the sun creates.

PJ’s first scorpion out on the front porch. she didn’t blink an eye