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Day 6: Navigating a Coral Maze
October 13th, 2009
Dive Boat
The BOOM! of a thunderstorm woke me up 45 minutes before my alarm. Lightning lit up the still dim sky. There was no way we were taking the boat out in this. But, just in case, I got ready and went to breakfast. The storm seemed to worsen as the morning wore on, and after getting the official cancellation phone call from Crocodive, I went back to sleep.
I woke up in a haze a few hours later. The rain had finally let up, although the clouds still looked threatening. I remembered seeing a sign for a bookstore a few kilometers toward Puerto Viejo, and began to walk.
Waves at Salsa Brava
Strolling past the surfers at Playa Cocles, where the storm had apparently spit out a pretty decent break, I was tempted to rent a board. It was a shame that I had nowhere to put my wallet and camera, and no one with me to watch my things. Talented surfers were doing jumps and tricks on decent sized waves. I couldn’t participate, and ten minutes as a spectator was a tease – so I carried on.
All-in-all, it took just under an hour to stroll from Hotel Kasha in Playa Chiquita to the Echo used bookstore. The shop was smaller than I expected, but featured a decent variety of titles. I found one I liked and took it to the register – where the manager offered me a piece of organic chocolate. Ever the chocoholic, I gratefully accepted. It was fantastic, and I impulsively offered to buy the whole bucket (fortunately for my wallet, it was not possible to buy in bulk).
Diver
Walking back, the clouds parted and my cell phone rang – it was Roch from Crocodive. I called a cab to take me to Puerto Viejo’s little park, “El Parquecito.” There, the diving crew were suited up and ready for a shore dive through a maze of coral.
Yesterday, the dive masters had described the site’s tunnels of colorful plants swarming with hundreds of species of fish. Unfortunately, visibility was so poor today that I couldn’t see any of it – only shadows.
Pink and Yellow Fish
On the bright side, the diminished visibility added a thrilling element of suspense to the dive. In the murk, my mind played tricks on me as we maneuvered through narrow coral tunnels. This was definitely an experience for advanced divers who had complete control over their buoyancy – otherwise, the risk of damaging the coral would be too great. Lots of surge and strong currents made for an exciting adventure. Challenging conditions also meant good practice for my ultimate diving goal: Islas del Coco.
Next, we practiced some of my rescue diver techniques. The most fun was trying to get control of a panicked diver, both above and below the surface. Above the water, a dive-instructor-in-training named Tanya pretended to panic. She flailed her arms about and tried to use me as a flotation device, pushing my head underwater in order to propel herself upward. This is what happens to panicked divers – they get out of control. I learned how to sink down and approach her from behind, grab onto her tank, and keep her back to me as I pulled her to the boat. By the time we got there, I was beyond exhausted from lugging two bodies and two sets of heavy equipment through the water.
Black and White Tropical Fish
Before heading back to Playa Chiquita, we stopped at the Pan Pay restaurant by the beach. For about $3.50, I bought the biggest, most delicious sandwich in the world. A cheese omelet with lettuce, tomato and avocado on a two-foot loaf of bread. We all ordered one, and it revitalized us. I went back to my hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the pool.
That night, I ordered the Magic Ginger’s Bombay chicken salad again, followed by a mouthwatering chicken dish. Louis made fun of me for not trying a new salad, but I explained that there couldn’t possibly be a meal that I could favor more. We chatted and drank a couple of glasses of wine at the bar, before I set off for bed.
For more information, see our travel guide on Puerto Viejo.
Day 5: Rescue Diver Certification
October 12th, 2009
Puerto Viejo Beach
The mellow ambiance of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast really takes the concept of “pura vida” to another level. Nevertheless, I wasn’t in Puerto Viejo to relax – I was here to advance my diving career and explore the area’s famous dive sites. Today I would begin the next step in PADI certification: the Rescue Diver course.
Roch, the French-Canadian owner of Crocodive facility in Playa Chiquita, had invited me to experience their unique program. He explained that the five-star dive center prides itself on providing state of the art equipment and exceptional dive courses – both assertions that I found to be true over the next few days.
Crocodive Center
As I entered the shop, I was hit with a delicious blast of cold air. Air conditioning is a priceless commodity in these parts. High-end diving equipment of all shapes and sizes was stacked neatly along the walls. From the mark 16 regulators to the weight-integrated BCD jackets (which eliminate the need for a clumsy weight belt), the dive shop just screamed luxury.
I particularly appreciated all of the comforts specifically designed for women – I would be diving with a special suit designed to fit the curves of the female body.
Learning CPR
Even the goggles were high-tech, with soft cloth around the headpiece to avoid hair tearing. As a new diver, I had no idea that such deluxe equipment existed – and little did I know just how much of a dive snob I was about to become. We hadn’t even hit the water and I was already spoiled.
Before we could complete the rescue course Roch explained that I needed my EFR certification, or Emergency First Response. While I thought this sounded tedious, it only took a few hours – and surprisingly ended up being one of my favorite aspects of the course. I learned about what to do in case of an emergency, if there is blood, or if the victim is not breathing. It turned out that I have a knack for CPR, although I did break a few of the dummy’s ribs my first few tries – whoops!
Yellow Seahorse
Most fun of all was learning how to use the defibrillator. When a person’s heart beats irregularly, or fibrillates, a defibrillator is necessary to jolt it back to its normal rhythm. I felt like I was on Grey’s Anatomy or ER, and it took all of my self control not to dramatically yell “CLEAR!” as I pushed the button that administered electric shocks. I walked away that afternoon feeling like I could really be useful were I ever in the middle of an emergency situation – that I could perhaps even save a life.
After a few videos and workbook quizzes, I walked 20 minutes back to my hotel just as the sun set. When I arrived, Louis was waiting to take my order at the Magic Ginger Restaurant. He served up a stupendous Bombay chicken salad, with shredded chicken, sliced figs, almonds and tomatoes. I couldn’t wait to emulate the recipe in my kitchen at home – the sliced figs were a brilliant touch.
Magic Ginger's Bombay Chicken Salad
Next came a fresh fillet of tuna sashimi, served with vegetables and a sweet sauce (since I do not like spicy food, this was custom-made to substitute for the ten spice “African Hot Adobo”). After my meal, Louis sent me off with a hot mug of lemongrass tea with a touch of molasses and a spoonful of ginger. Not only was the food spectacular, but it was homemade, just for me. I went to bed with a full stomach, excited about tomorrow’s plans to explore the coral tunnels in Puerto Viejo’s “Parquecito.”
For more information, see our Puerto Viejo travel guide.
Day 4: Shipwreck!
October 10th, 2009
Gearing Up
As much as we had enjoyed Bocas del Toro, it just wasn’t home. Sure, Panama has its perks and advantages apart from its breathtaking beaches (mainly the well-paved roads and better domestic beer), but we missed our adopted homeland. We love the good-natured smiles of Costa Ricans and simply knowing how everything works and what to expect. We were ready to return.
But first, I had one last dive to complete: Punta Manglar, also known as “The Wreck.” This was the dive that I had been looking forward to all week.
Genna Playing with the Jellyfish
Absolutely nothing in this world gets me more worked up than the prospect of exploring a sunken ship. We arrived at La Buga Dive Center at about 9:00 a.m., raring to go. Once again, I would be diving and Kim had her snorkeling equipment in tow.
My guide helped me gear up, and down we went, hovering at about 20 feet to play with a small school of jellyfish. Each was about a foot in diameter, and I was stupefied when the guide casually – and fearlessly – touched one. He touched a jellyfish! The fact that he hadn’t been stung seemed like a miracle, and I had to try it.
The shipwreck was undoubtedly the largest I have seen during my young diving career. The gargantuan hull of the boat loomed above us, covered in algae and an array of corals. Circular port holes lent a dramatic “pirate ship” feel, despite the fact that – in reality – it was just an old car ferry that had been purposely sunk back in 1999 to facilitate an artificial reef.
Camoflauged Scorpion Fish
Starting at the bottom and working my way up, I saw clams, lobsters, sea slugs and frogfish covered in sand. The bright purple and orange tropical fish inhabiting this boat were astounding. Floating up to the deck, I nearly spit out my regulator at the sight of – in the middle of the most beautiful coral and brightly colored fish I had ever seen – a rusty toilet.
Yes, a rusty toilet. Laughing underwater is somewhat rare, but this was too much. No one had prepared me to find a random commode glued to the middle of a seemingly mysterious pirate ship – and it more or less killed the theatrical effect.
Suddenly, the guide tapped me on the shoulder and motioned me to the surface. I wondered what I had done wrong. When we reached the top, he apologized and explained that he had a cold and was having trouble equalizing the pressure in his head. Luckily, the captain was a dive master, and was able to accompany me on the rest of the dive.
Crossing the Bridge to Costa Rica
Later, Kim and I showered, packed our bags, and hopped on the ferry back to Almirante. We decided to make use of the tickets we had bought under duress four days ago. The bus departed from Changuinola for San Jose – Kim was headed to San Jose anyway, but ¾ of my fare would be wasted, as I was getting off at Puerto Viejo, a mere two hours from the border. Thankfully, this bus was a great option, and the seats were plush and comfortable.
When we got to the border, Costa Rican customs officials asked for proof that we intended to leave the country within 90 days. We were fully expecting such a request on this side, and presented our printed flight itineraries, avoiding the purchase of another unnecessary bus ticket. Unlike entering Panama, no Visa fee is required to enter Costa Rica.
As soon as our passports were stamped, the skies opened up and it started to pour. I boarded the bus, sopping wet, and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the bus had arrived in Puerto Viejo. I got off and took a taxi to Hotel Kasha, in Playa Chiquita.
Hotel Kasha
The owner, Louis, welcomed me to his beautiful property with a warm handshake. He gave me a tour of the grounds, and when we got to the pool I had to resist the urge to jump in.
I took a stroll to get to know the area that afternoon, and within minutes, I was invited to a feast of exotic Asian delicacies by the owner of the Centro Gaia community center. The owner Silvio gave me samples of durian, known as the king of all fruit since it takes 10 years for the fruit tree to mature and produce. We also tasted mango star, a red pod that reminded me of the cacao plant.
Durian, "The King of All Fruit"
Silvio explained his mission to bring sustainable development and awareness to the Talamanca area. After a late lunch of fresh Italian pasta and salad, it was time for me to call it a day. I needed to get plenty of rest for my intense Rescue Diver training course the next morning.
For more information, see our Puerto Viejo travel guide.
