Corcovado National Park

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A very early start today, with an hour's drive south to our start point where we embarked on a boat for a long cruise. An hour down the river through mangrove forests, seeing crocodiles basking on the muddy banks was followed by a very bumpy ride through the waves of the Pacific for another hour, eventually arriving at a remote beach on this reserve. A walk through the forests saw coatis, macaws, termites and leaf cutter ants, bats in a huge hollow tree and laots of huge forest trees and palms. The forest floor was covered with many hermit crabs and exotic seeds, including coconuts which our guide opened for us to eat. A waterfall in the middle of the forest was very popular as a swimming and genral cooloing off place, while the second group trekked along the shore, nearly being cut off by the rapidly rising tide. Picnic lunch at the ranger station was excellent, with plenty to eat and large chunks of fresh fruits to refresh us.
On the way back we spotted dolphins and brown boobies (much merriment) and as we came back up the river, howler monkeys and sloths. A huge tropical storm deluged us as we arrived back in port.

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