Sunday the 12th

Last night, both groups headed out to turtle watch at eight o'clock pm. We got to the beach and split into three groups. One group stayed at home base, one went to the north side, and the other went to the south side. We each stayed there for 20 min then walked back. Each group alternated between the different stations until 12 pm. Everyone was so amazed by the vibrant stars and visible Milky-Way. Inbetween the different stations we were all able to "rest" on the sand, listen to the ocean waves, and watch the shooting/falling stars.  Eddie also cut down fresh coconuts for us to try.

When we made it back to Horizontes, everyone hit their beds and were out. In the morning we all woke up and headed to breakfast (ham, eggs, rice, beans, and fresh watermelon). After fueling up we went on a hike through the dry forest with Freddie; the local naturalist. We observed the insane plant life and learned all about Costa Rica's dry forest. After the two-hour hike, we all took a well deserved two hour nap. Well rested we headed to lunch, consisting of chicken, rice, beans, and salad.

Baby tarantula

With Freddie the field guide

After lunch we all got ready for the second day at the beach. First we walked the estuary (where the fresh water meets the ocean) to see if we could find some crocodiles. Without any luck we headed back for some beach time. Some of us swam while others did hermit crab racing. A few of us went to get copo; a traditional Costa Rican shaved ice with different milks and flavorings. While in the water we got taken out by huge waves, swam with the sting rays, saw a crocodile, and had a blast. Best of all, we witnessed an endangered green sea turtle looking for place to nest. Veronica our guide told us all about the amazing process they go through just to find the best place to nest. We took sunset pictures with our group and some with Eddie and Felix. We headed back to the research center in Horizontes to shower and try to remove the sand.

Green sea turtle

Sea turtle tracks

Hermit crabs

Group photo with Eddie one of our drivers

Sunset as we left the beach

After the long awaited showers we were all surprised by the amazing cookout the Horizontes staff had prepared for our departure. We were served three types of meat, grilled pineapple, eggplant, zucchini, mashed potatoes, and salad. We sat at a huge table with beautiful lights strung and traditional Costa Rican music playing. While around the table we shared our favorite experiences here in Costa Rica, shed some tears, and laughed a ton. After dinner we all made our way back to our rooms to pack and get a good nights rest for our red eye flights to come. We will see you all soon!

Beautiful table set by the staff at Horizontes

Group celebration of all of the great adventures and lessons learned on this trip

Happy late Birthday Dad love you! -Amellia