The Cradle Of Life: • Day 006: Friday January 6th

10:30 Got up a bit late so didn’t get to help DL out with preparing breakfast. There were some papayas left and so I tried it with lemon as suggested but still just found the taste interesting and decided they are not really for me.

After Lee High University left, along with the kitchen staff, DL and I went out for a real snorkel, where she could concentrate on helping me get my eye in on all the fish out in the lagoon. I took some photographs which I'm sure will be helpful, including this cute little guy...

Keeping A Look-Out, A Hancocks Tube Blenny (D.Philpot)

Another Of His Friends (D.Philpot)

And Another... With A Cute Red Chin (D.Philpot)

Googly Eyes & Pink Lips (D.Philpot)

DL also taught me how to sex Conch Snails, here is a photo of me with one:

Alien Snail Says Hello (D.Philpot)

Butterfly Fish Couple (D.Philpot)

Snook (D.Philpot)

Grunts Grunts Grunts (D.Philpot)

A Little Green Puffer (D.Philpot)

Escaping The Waves (D.Philpot)

When we came out DL showed me how the snorkelling gear is kept, meanwhile another Howler Monkey came touching distance from me on a branch (See Video 10) by DL's hut and was not phased by my presence at all.

Hanging By A Tail (D.Philpot)

Just Above The Hut (D.Philpot)

Monkey Foraging (D.Philpot)

View To My Right - Fins (D.Philpot)

View To My Left - Howler Monkey (D.Philpot)

I also got to see a Bare-Throated Tiger Heron down by the stream, which has a vibrant tiger coloured striped neck and a distinct call, and also an Osprey which of course as a bird of prey was awesome to see.

Three Black Vultures also just followed one of the cooks up to the trash bin / organic food disposal area, which seemed funny and they really reminded me of the vultures in the Jungle Book, who said cartoons don’t teach you things Disney was pretty accurate.

Buzzie, Flaps, Ziggy & Dizzy - Resident Black Vultures (D.Philpot)

21:30 I briefly met a couple of volunteers earlier including a nice girl from Switzerland that enjoyed seeing all my underwater photos, though they were only stopping by before heading to the Cabuya sector on the East side to work with other volunteers.

DL and I made lunch then walked to the lower San Miguel waterfall (“el jacuzi”) and I got some more lovely waterfall photos whilst learning more about the local geology and seasonal differences, apparently the huge sand berm wall between the bottom of this stream and the ocean / tidepools will completely burst through in wet season. Something I would love to see I thought.

Stream Hike (D.Philpot)

My Own Private Bath (D.Philpot)

Under What Will Be A Waterfall (D.Philpot)

Along with the rarer Vested Tamandua Anteater, I saw another of my favourite animals to knock off my bucket list for Costa Rica, my first Coati, which luckily for me are one of the most common animals I will share this area with:

Always Being Watched By Someone (D.Philpot)

We later stopped some English speaking tourist before having dinner. Unfortunately it does happen, people walk past the signs or have an excuse but I am told that normally when they hear there is nothing for a tourist to do in this reserve they leave, and I only hope it stays that way. I spent some time creating a fish identification sheet using my photographs and then compiling a fish list of species seen, a list that I will complete on each and every snorkel session that I partake in.

A troop of 6 White-Faced Capuchins came through the area carrying the tiniest baby monkey along with them which was an absolute joy to witness in person. In the afternoon we went tide pooling, which I love anywhere in the world, and I saw some interesting crabs (including the gorgeous guy below) as well as other creatures but couldn’t tell you what they were just yet. The so-called Mexican Dancer and Sea Hare were my favourite creatures to see, very beautiful and slow moving.

Mexican Dancer - A Sea Slug (D.Philpot)

Rock-Pooling Under The Stars (D.Philpot)

I also have further species to mention firsts for including; beautiful White-Throated Magpie Jays, some Sapwing Bats (that rise 5 minutes before sunset every day, to catch twilight insects maybe?), a fierce looking Tailess Whip Scorpion (Video 9), a giant guinea pig otherwise known as an Agouti though it was fairly far away, a loud Social Flycatcher, a huge scary Tarantula Hawk Wasp that joined us for dinner (that I was not so fond of), and lastly a Bark Scorpion sharing my room with me right before I went to bed. DL was just talking about them, and so she had a practical demonstration ready to show me how to get rid of them, and then I went to bed, sweet dreams…

Other photos from the day, firstly the Tailess Whip Scorpion -