Pura Vida at Marina Papagayo

I dropped Dan off at the quiet beach early in the morning. Dan met up with local guide Johnny who was to take him on a journey of bureaucracy. First whisked away in a taxi to the police station to stamp passports for immigration, then to the port captain to fill out paperwork and finally a 30 minute drive to the airport to clear the boat through customs. With a mid-morning stop for brunch, a final stop back at the port captain to turn in copies of all the papers from the morning and a good ole chat with the Port Captain sharing photos of kids -- Dan had checked us in to Costa Rica.

Sunrise hike along Bahia Culebra

We spent the next few days anchored in Bahia Culebra (Bay of Snakes) then took up our slip in Marina Papagayo. This beautiful marina facility is perhaps one of the best we've ever stayed. Upon arrival, the marina manager walked me around the facilities which include a chandlery (which specializes in cleaning supplies for a ship shape yacht), the pool, the luxurious private showers and laundry room. The concierge is available to get us whatever we need or make reservations for us anywhere in the associated resorts. "How may I help you?" they say anytime we walk by. We will get spoiled!

The marina private pool with our boat in the background

There is a small market shop with outrageously expensive potato chips and coffee. There is a restaurant here called "The Dive Bar". The marina is associated with the equisite Papagayo Peninsula resort community (https://peninsulapapagayo.com/). The stream of mega yachts is constant. There are only a handful of owner-operated boats such as ours.

Our neighbors

This will be our home base until early July so we are getting familiar with the neighborhood. We've been doing some walking on the trails around the marina. This area is a 'dry tropical forest'. We have to hike in the morning as after around 10 am it gets a little too warm. Each day is low-mid 90's. There are howler monkeys calling in the morning (we've yet to see them but we know from others they are there!!) which makes our hiking more of a 'hunt' for the little guys. There are many many iguanas. I suppose there are snakes too -- it is called bay of snakes -- but I take my snake stick and watch my feet. Today, while watching to be sure I didn't step on a snake, I smacked my head into a tree. Lesson learned, I shouldn't worry so much about snakes and instead look at what's in front of my head. I suspect the resorts have done what they can to keep them further away in the deep jungle.

Mr. or Mrs. Iguana soaking up the afternoon sun

Yesterday, we rented a car for the next month so we'd have the ability to explore further inland. There really isn't anything other than nature and very expensive resorts that we can walk to. There doesn't appear to be public transportation.

The unexpected Italian superstore

With our new wheels, we visited the town of Playas del Coco and scoped out the fishing store, the local super markets, the 'home depot' equivalent and most exciting is the Italian food specialty store.

Posing with a local octopus in front of the Chandlery in Playas del Coco

We are cat sitting for our friends that flew back to Vancouver. This has given us a daily task besides boat maintenance. We head to the pool every afternoon for a few laps and a cooling off. Its really been very chill and we are just living life. Next week head up into the mountains. Pura Vida.

Captain Flint