A mishap on the Rio Nosara

There was no wind to keep us awake and I slept much better. But we were both awake around 5.00 AM to see the moon starting to set in the sea opposite. So naturally we got up, grabbed our cameras and went out onto the terrace to take photos. The flat wooden ledge of the balustrade made a perfect impromptu tripod for a series of delayed release shots, experimenting with different settings. But we took some time too simply to enjoy the sight.

Unfortunately the local insects were as appreciative of the feast I offered them as I was of the setting moon, and I ended up with a couple of itchy bites that prevented me from going back to sleep as I would have wanted to. So as soon as it got light, about half an hour or so later, I sat up to read and watch the egrets in the trees below start to wake up too.

After breakfast we secured a couple of loungers in a shady spot on one of the terraces near the two infinity pools and had a relaxing morning interspersed with a few swims. At one point a large lizard wandered past, as did a few leaf cutter ants.

Boat ride on the Montana and Nosara

We had lunch a little early as we'd arranged to go on a boat tour of the rivers and mangroves below. This turned into a bit of a mini adventure!

It started simply enough, with a jeep ride down to the river bank. We had a guide, Victor, and a boat driver whose name I never caught. The boat was electric so almost silent - perfect for wildlife spotting.

We set off into the mangroves that line the Montana river, while Victor pointed out the differences between the white, red and black mangrove trees. The former are the smallest and the most able to grow in saline water so they are found near the river mouth. Further in are the red mangroves and further still the black ones which need fresh water to thrive.

Did you know that cormorants poop when scared? We didn’t, until Victor told us. And we saw it for ourselves when the boat driver manoeuvred close to this tree! Best not to go directly below such a tree as you could get hit with an unwelcome shower!

We didn't find the crocodiles that sometimes bask on the banks here, but we saw lots of birds, some of which were new to me like the Tiger Heron and Roseate Spoonbill. These were mostly along the other river that reaches the sea at this point, the Nosara. Not all were easy to photograph. Our driver several times slowed and reversed the boat but never brought it to a complete stop. However I got more than enough photos to satisfy me and to share in this blog!

The complete list of our sightings was:

Cormorants
Little Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Tiger Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Boat-billed Heron

At the furthest point that we travelled on the Nosara we saw a small troop of Howler Monkeys in a tree.

Our driver let us watch them for a while then turned to head back downstream. A couple of minutes later there was a slight knock underneath - we had scraped a log. No problem. But then it happened again and this time it seemed it was a problem. A blade of the propeller had snapped off. But again, no, not a problem, as the driver carried not one but two spares in his tool box and the spanner with which to fit one. The outboard motor was hauled into the boat, the damaged prop removed and the replacement lined up to be attached.

Ah but yes, a problem after all, as it was the wrong size, and so was its twin in the tool box. As Victor explained later, the motor had quite recently been replaced and these spares fitted the old motor but not, it turned out, this replacement.

So what to do? With very little help from the driver, who seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing, Victor managed to get us back with a combination of paddling (luckily they carried oars!) and wading in the thankfully shallow water, pulling us along. Of course it took far longer than it should have done, but Victor's hard work and willingness to get very wet ensured we made it back without getting wet ourselves! Only as we neared the end did he mention that he was rather worried about those crocodiles!

Needless to say, we tipped him well. But the boat driver? Not so well!

Time to unwind

It had been very hot on the boat even before the breakdown so when we finally got back to our room we freshened up and then spent the last part of the afternoon on our terrace, watching another troop of Howler Monkeys pass through at one point (easier to photograph than from a boat too!).

We watched the sunset from here then went to the bar for a pre-dinner drink and then dinner itself in the restaurant, where I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Beyond Meat burger (there not being a meat version available!) Another new experience to chalk up!