Many Monkeys & So Much More

It's unusual for me to be happy to have not gone fishing any day. Considering that today was my last day at one of the greatest sportfishing destinations on the planet, the might seem almost unimaginable. The truth is, though, that I wouldn't have traded today's rainforest exploration for any fishing trip, and if I ever get another chance to visit Crocodile Bay Resort, I'll definitely schedule one day on another eco-tour.

I spent an incredibly fun day today with Dennis, a Crocodile Bay eco-tour guide, Keith Sutton and Larry Bozka, exploring the Osa Peninsula and taking pictures of everything from toucans to monkeys to ants to caimans. We probably identified 50-plus bird species (Dennis is an amazing naturalist), and collectively we shot several thousand photos. The forests themselves and two beaches we visited were spectacularly beautiful, and many of the species (if not most) were ones you'd only expect to ever see in a pet store or a zoo.

The unified pursuit of photos, the fellowship and the fun of exploring amazing new places and seeing so many species for the first time made for a truly fabulous day.

Jump, Jump, Jump

I'm not sure how many times Keith Sutton's sailfish jumped, but the answer would be best stated in dozens. There's little doubt in my mind why people travel to Crocodile Bay Resort from all over the world to fish. Along with the sails and dorado, I heard that at least on marlin was landed today on another boat.

Tomorrow we're leaving the fish catching to everyone else and heading into the rainforest to explore, see wildlife and take photos. As much as I'd love to spend another day targeting roosterfish or billfish, I'm even more excited about tomorrow's tour.

First Full Day in Costa Rica

Today began with a spectacular early-morning flight over the mountains of Costa Rica's interior, and we landed on the Osa Peninsula, only minutes from Crocodile Bay Resort. The wildflowers and wildlife are astounding. Brilliant-colored birds you only expect to see in zoos all around the resort, everything in bloom, the sound of howler monkeys in the trees, iguanas casually sunning themselves, humpback whales rolling beside our fishing boat, jumping manta rays...

We didn't connect with the roosterfish today (although I'm pretty sure one fish I missed was one), but we did catch some bright-colored snappers that I'd never seen before and that they tell me will be highlights when we sit down for dinner after awhile. Tomorrow, we'll target billfish, and we'll have all day to fish. Off to take pictures of some birds now!

Spring Rains, Sore Back, Monkeys & Marlins

Warm temperatures and plentiful rain the forecast suggest that North Georgia trout should be chomping this week, and I've heard recent reports of a fair number of fish looking up and sipping dry flies. However, I need to be content to enjoy reading the reports and leave the fish-catching to someone else because my back has been out of whack.

The back trouble does seem to be diminishing, but I don't want to do anything that might cause the mending to "backtrack" because by this time next week, I'll be at Crocodile Bay Resort in Costa Rica. The trip includes a day of offshore fishing, possibly for sailfish or marlin; a day of inshore fishing, possibly for brutally strong roosterfish; and a day of eco-touring, which will include a ropes course through the jungle. A good back is pretty important for all three days (and for two full days of travel).

One benefit for the back, travel-wise, is that the temperature is always between 70 and 90 degrees where I will be, so I can get by with a small, light duffel. Next week's blog should be full of cool images -- and hopefully some videos -- from Costa Rica, so be sure to check in regularly.