Day 2 – Manuel Antonio Mational Park and Curu Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica

The inflatable Zodiac boats and the way we get from the ship to the beach. On this trip there was a new way to board and disembark from the Zodiac, Because of the potentally biger wave action in this area, you board from the bow of the Zodiac and disembark at the aft (back end). This wa different then the procedure in Alaska or Mexico. With Lindblad it is all about the guest (passagners). this technique take more staff and in the middle picture there is Bud the Expedition Leader, Jody the Chief Mate, Deibys a Naturlist, and a boad driver all assisting the guests exiting the Zodiac. On the left is the breifing on the beach.

There were two walks offered. One was "more difficult and strenuous"and was about 1.5 milees long and had about a 250 foot elevation change. This sounded too much like the day before at the Water Fall Park and so we obted for the "wider easier path.

On the walk some of the animals were easy to find but some most needed to be pointed out by on the the naturalists. One of thier techniques is to use a geeen lazer pointer. The do not highlight what they are trying to show us but rather start at the base of a tree working up and then out onto a limb where they would say one foot to the right of the light. Even with this help it took a long time for me to spot the snake in the picture on the right.

Maguil explaining tripical leaf design and a photo opportunity with the results on the right.

The picure above is a Sloth high in a tree and tt is very hard to spot without the help of a naturlist. Matthew figured the this possision would help him get a great picture.

We returned to the ship for a lunch of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup, Mixed Green Salad Ram & Gruyere Cheese Partials or Vegetarian Paninis upon Request and Fresh Baked Cookies for dessert.

During lunch the Sea Lion headed north to Refugio Curu and an example of a Dry Tropical forest.

After lunch the was the manditory safety meeting and a fashion show of our life jackets.

You are asked to go to your cabin retreive you life vest and return to the lounge. And yes one size fits all.

On our way north to our afternoon destination several pods of pantropical spotted dolphins came to bow ride on the National Geographic Sea Lion for awhile.

Lindbald Moment! We borded the Sea Lion in Herradura ong the west coast of Costa Rica and cruised south to visit Manuel Antonio Natinal Park in the morning. After lunch we headed north of Herradura past Herradura, where we started, to visit a Refugio Curu that is an example of a tropical dry forest. This was not the shortest route but it was the best for the experience of the guests. the morning in Manuel Antonio when it was not crouded and then being to experience a tropical dry forest which we would not see again on the cruise.

Lots of palm trees and wild life in Curu and a reminder that coconut are seeds and new palm trees grow from them.

As the sun was setting we returned to Evening recap in the lounge.

Dinner was Panzanella Bread Salad, New York Strip Steak with Red Wine Sauce OR Salmon with a Tomato Basil Relish OR Mushroom and Vegetable Ragout Roasted Potatoes Sautéed Green Beans. For dessert Caramel Flan. Fruit Plates, Ice Cream or Sorbet

Tomorrow we will be Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.