Costa Rica: Day 4 and 5 Brumbelow Honeymoon

We were picked up and set off for the Lower Pacuare river an 18 mile stretch of river that we would do over two days. Once on, we would be on our own with the guides, Jonathan and Yulian, until we got to the end. The first day was easy class II and III. We completed six miles in about two hours. We climbed up to the waterfall near the river lodge and then ate our lunch.


We quickly burned lunch off by schlepping our overnight clothes, gear, and food up to the top of the hill where the river lodge was located via rope and a 45 degree incline! We then got in our boars, ferried across one bit of waves and then got out to walk up to the lodge. We were pretty exhausted. But, the river lodge was BEAUTIFUL! It was rustic with just screened-in, one room huts. There was a bar and cooking area, hammocks, and it was all open air. The shower was just a tiled area with a view of the jungle. Katie said I did good on planning the honeymoon. We were the only four in the whole place, besides two constuction workers. Of course it was Easter. We showered, made our beds and sat down to bird watch before the sun set at its always reliable 6 o'clock in Costa Rica. I have never bird watched before. I enjoyed it but I would never go out to explicity do it. We saw Keel-Billed Toucans with long green bills, Social Flycatchers that would dive bomb the mirror, and Montezuma Oropendola which makes nests that look like pendulums (or testicles if you are a dirty minded person like me) That's my girl!


The boys first made appetizers of sausage, tortillas, nuts and raisins, and potato chips and that illusive white Guanabana juice that, to me, smells like air freshener. I love it! For dinner they made us dinner of Tilapia (my first taste of it ever!) Of course she'll try tilapia when two young Costa Rican guides will make it for her but when I suggest making it back in the states she says noooo. lol! That is because it isn't fresh, David. I doubt Eat'n Park can duplicate this meal! We also had grilled veggies, mashed potatoes, salad and strawberry-banana juice.


We fell asleep to the sound of the river, cicadas and the "jungle music." In the morning, we had scrambled eggs, toast, fruit salad and orange juice. I made sure to stuff myself with lots of food so we wouldn't have to carry heavy containers back down the way we came up! The guides told us the river would be getting more narrow today opening up Class III and IV rapids. I was already nervous about the Class IV before we left. We had 12 miles to do today so we set off. We did, however, offer the chocolate canoer that Terri gave us for xmas a few years ago to the Tellico River god. The first part started off with III and III+ rapids. I did not enjoy these 12 miles because almost every rapid seemed to be a turn in the river pushing all the water against a rock walls. I could not, for the life of me, surf the pillow so I got flipped, and flipped, and flipped....sigh. She did really good. I was proud of her. This is probably all the bad karma coming back to me.


Somewhere in there we stopped to rappel down a waterfall. I thought it was harder than it looked and of course I lost my balance halfway down. I think I was going too fast and not following proper technique. Noone ever told us that the rappeling rope would bounce like a bungee cord. After the rappeling the Class IV stuff kicked in. There were three Class IV rapids in a row including the hardest one of the day. I wanted to walk it but was convinced that I could do it. There was apparently a tongue but it looked like a scary eat-your-face hole to me! She hit the line perfect and did very good. I fucking gunned it and tried to paddle hard but ended up, you guessed it, flipped against the rock wall. My contacts moved, my nose plugs got blasted off, my gatorade exploded out of its holder and i came up gagging and crying. I still say she did very well. Whatever, I should have walked it. But, that was the end of the hardest rapid. There were of course more Class IV up-against-the-pillow rapids. I am sure Yullian was thinking, "what is with this girl!" lol. And i'm sure they've had alot worse.


So, finally, after the last Class IV we paddled through this beautiful canyon. There were high walls on both sides and calm green water. This was my favorite part of the river. And the stupid government wants to put a dam there. Luckily the people rose up and protested it and they won't be able to place a dam there for five years. At which time the people must rise up again.


We stopped for lunch about 20 minutes before the take out again and we were all amused at the minnows as they swarmed over food we threw into the river. I had to step out of the water because they kept nibbling the hairs on my legs. We could also hear howler monkeys occasionally but did not see any.


At the end of the river we got out (it had become very shallow) and changed/rinsed off. We wer in the town of Squirres which apparently, after dark, is the most dangerous town in Costa Rica. We then headed back to Turriabla and the Turrialtico Lodge. This time we got an amazing room with satelite tv (though very low volume), big tiled bathroom, hair dryer!!, and sound barriers!! We are off to dinner because I am hungry, of course!


Tomorrow we mountain bike and then head to the beach for two days. There's talk of bringing the kayak so we can surf the waves at the beach. Yep, i can't get away from it :-P