PJ arranged for a late check out so we could be stress free on our jungle boat cruise. We began the day with breakfast on the veranda where we got a naturalist warm up viewing a number of colorful birds while sipping our morning coffee
After gathering our gear, we drove a few short kms down to the river where Gerardo was waiting to navigate the muddy waters of the Rio Tarcoles for us. We had a large boat all to ourselves. Probably forty seats for us crew of three.
He began our voyage moving towards the estuary to float through the mangroves and see what animals might be out and about. Crocodiles everywhere. A heron for every occasion: night, great blue, baby blues, tigers, crested kinds.
Frigates were dominating the beach flats, filling the trees and harassing the fishermen cleaning their catch.
We brought the boat about then headed upriver past the other touring outfits until we came across el capitán, a giant crocodile who had a hand bitten off by Tornado, an even bigger crocs. Gerardo dropped us at the dock and we made it back to Cerró Lodge just in time for check out.
On the drive to Arenal, the car started balking outside of Puntarenas. We pulled off next to a truck mechanic that had a dusty soda next door. We sat and ordered lunch. While waiting for food, I took the air filter from the motor and borrowed the compressed air next door and blew the dirt out of the filter. After that it was a mellow commute to Casa Donna Rosa in Nuevo Arenal.
We got set up in our sweet little apartments then took a walk into the small town center. We revisited the soda we ate at years back and had a taco dinner before heading home to relax.
Heart on the Wing 