Cool Spider under Wild Ginger
Arrival at Isla Violines (panorama credit - Viet Ngo)
Mangroves
Bufo Marinus
ARRIVAL ISLA VIOLINES
ON BOAT THROUGH MANGROVES, DEAN & FRANK
PARAMO 4000M
I should probably break this post up into multiple parts in an attempt to highlight each week of the trip separately.
To start where I left off -- We left from San Jose on a tour bus southward to the Osa Peninsula. After going up to 4000m to the Paramo where we saw Swanson Haks using thermals to glide in migration, We arrived in a town called Sierpe, which resides next to the Sierpe river where we had lunch and were exposed to the first real heat of Costa Rica. From the moment we stepped off the bus we couldnt' stop sweating and were just hoping for the slightest breaze to pass by. The women that served us lunch also accompanied us for the rest of the week on our trip to Isla Violines.
From Sierpe we piled onto two boats making sure to wrap our bags in plastic to ensure that the strom catching up with us didnt soke through. Traveling through the mangroves we made our way out to the Pacific Ocean before navigating some breakers to arrive at our destination for the next week. Even with the ocean (which was hott when you stepped off the boat) the temperature and humidity causeed you to sweat non-stop. Stopping at a beach that was met by giant primary forest I couldn't believe my eyes. This is where we would be camping?!?!? Walking past the windreak of palm trees the rain began as we frantically set up tarps and tents, only for it to stop as soon as we were done. The rain only added more humidity to the area and created sauna like conditions in the tent. After a quick swim and delicious food, I attempted to sleep in the tent. lying fully exposed on top of a sarong (sleeping bag was too warm) the sweat persisted, feeling like i was choking on the air in the tent. I finally fell asleep after getting up twice to take a cold outdoor shower.
Barely rested due to the heat of the night, classes began at 730h after a 630h breakfast. HOwever geting up wasn't a problem when you have Chestnut mandibled Toucans screaching in your ears at 530h in the morning. That day turned out to be quite a long day as it encompassed orientation hikes of the whole island as our first day of real class.
We started by looking at the intertidal, which due to thermal and UV stress, barely had any organisms living on it. Also human pressures on oysters.
Oh did i mention that we're on this island pretty much all by ourselves, surrounded by jungle and the ocean???
Anyways, after the intertidal we Checked out the mangroves and got to walk around balancing on the stilt roots they extend to balance in the shifting substrate they choose to live in. While there we saw some cool tree snails, and a cool tree crab that feeds on the leaves of the mangroves.
We had a break fro lunch before starting out second set of orienation walks that would take us up a skinny goat trail, looking at the different interesting flora found on the island. One of the coolest trees we saw was a strangler fig which is a hemi-epiphetic tree that lives partly as an epiphyte before extending its roots down around the host tree eventually chocking the old tree which decomposes and leaves a hollow fig tree standing.
After making it to the ridgline we met up with Pati, another one of out teachers, who taught us about Orchid Bees, stingless bees that are irridescent colors that pack in odors to their tibias to resynthsize their own pheromones.
On the way down from this part of the walk we found Oophaga granulatis, or "Blue Jeans" poison dart frog. I got super excited as i've dreamed of finding one of these since i was about 8.
Made it back to camp to split up into groups after dinner to discuss group projects the next day.
The next Day we chose to look at how far Orchid bees would be willing to travel form the forest in search of the right odor. WE got to use walky talkies and catch colorful bees alll day which was pretty enjoyable in comparison to all the hiking and running around form the day before. Went for a little body surf in the evening, glad i had brought my lunch tray, but unfortunately the velcro on my watch came undone and is now in the bottom of the ocean near the Osa Peninsula.
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