‘Grilled up that last big mahi (at last) to the hooting and barks of howler monkeys in the thick jungle surrounding our little half-moon bay at Anclaje (anchorage) Nacascolo last night. The last few days have been a pleasant reward for our snotty toil from Huatulco south.
We were quarantined from our arrival Tuesday afternoon until late Wednesday: ‘stuck’ at the new Marina Papagayo in the north end of Bahia Culebra (Bay of Snakes – eek!) in northwestern Costa Rica, until Customs & Immigration cleared us in. I voraciously took advantage of the amenities during that time: namely the pool and gym -- plus the wifi, laundry room, and remarkably good bar food. Offshore boating doesn’t provide you that much activity (especially on a boat with push-button winches) so it felt wonderful to MOVE: swim, work out a little (in a modern mini-gym with a/c and TVs even!) and walk the docks and property. If I sound a little insane about that – consider this: ten years ago at this time I couldn’t walk. Could Not Walk. If you have ever had something so precious and yet so basic as your ability to walk stripped from you, you understand. Walking, seeing, hearing, breathing – you take these things for granted and yet ... a decade ago I was in agonizing pain, hobbling with a cane, looking at the prospect of life in a wheelchair. Had I been a German Shepherd they would have put me down! Nine years ago today I had the last of three major surgeries (in 11 months) to fix all the broken parts ... then months of physical therapy, trying and testing ... Every morning I wake up THANKFUL that I can walk! ‘That I am pain free! And I am so protective of this precious ability to be mobile, if I seem a bit lunatic about this – perhaps I am.
Wednesday night we were finally cleared and joined a friend in Playas Coco for dinner and some sightseeing in the cramped, scrubby, but cheerful downtown that serves the whole bay. Then we wound back on the shadowy roads to the marina and joined the crew of EOS (the world’s largest privately-owned sailing yacht) at the bar, ‘til closing ... we continued a small party onboard FRC until the wee hours: a very entertaining night and fitting celebration of our passage!
Despite the late hour we were up early to explore a trail in the hills flanking the marina, and look for monkeys (guess what: monkeys DON”T get up early ;-/ ... they are smarter than us ;-o). We picked our way through vines and greenery (getting whiplash as we alternately looked DOWN for snakes and UP for monkeys and spider webs): but nothing too rough – until the end when the trailhead emerged immediately behind the bulls eye at a nearby resort’s archery range!!! LUCKILY no-one was shooting when we popped out of the jungle ... ‘cause for a bit of (nervous) laughter! Then we trekked back along the road where I visited the pool (again!) and the guys monkeyed with the boomvang before we took off for Playas Cocos: a wet dinghy ride to shore, decent dismount, short trek through vendors plying snowcones, painted gourds, hammocks and t-shirts along the scruffy streets, to the supermercado. Several restaurants were decorated with Christmas lights and I wistfully thought of home, family, friends, parties I am missing – and how eager I am to seeing my folks in a couple of weeks!
Stocked up with fresh food and Lizano (!) we got back to the beach and approached a few fisherman about a panga to take us back to the boat (nobody likes soggy groceries!) ... no sooner had we asked than Carlos peeled off his shirt and began swimming to the moorings. After our swift, dry panga ride to FRC we circled the bay and picked this lonely, quiet anchorage – save for the racket of monkeys hidden in the lush forest.
This morning I awoke early (we are officially in the Central American Time zone even though we are due south of the Florida panhandle; so we’re really an hour ‘off’ here :-?) and dragged my blanket on deck to enjoy the cool breezes, the cacophony of bird calls, and water gurgling past the hull (swift tide) as the sun rose. Today we’ll RELAX and dink around the bay; Saturday afternoon we’ll head south (overnight) for Jaco to pick up more crew (Sunday), then about-face back across Golfo Nicoya to the Islas Tortugas, where we’ll spend a day (Monday) snorkeling and enjoying these little islands. At least ... that’s the plan for now.
Sending love, over and out J XOXO Mom / Betsy
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