The communications team can usually be found plugging away on our computers at the rainforest base. During the week we focus on connecting with talented instructors, chatting with future students, and making sure stories and photos from course are shared with the outside world.
But when the weekend rolls around, we can be found pursuing what brought us to Costa Rica and the OBCR office: adventures in the jungle.
This past weekend, with the help of programming staff, we loaded up the car and headed to the Sarapiqui river, where each one of us mentally prepared to kayak class II and III rapids. With guidance from the executive director and all-things-adventure-fanatic Jim Rowe, we prepped our kayaks and headed to the water to practice paddling and learn about hydrology while testing our balance in a “hole” meant for surfing. After intentionally flipping the boats to prove our capabilities in case of the accidental (though inevitable) fall in the rapids, it was time to head down river.
In between rapids with names like “superman” or “pillow waves” that felt very little like actual pillows, everyone would eddie out to discuss what went wrong or right. With adrenaline pumping, we watched as each tiny kayak holding a coworker seemed to disappear into the frothing water, only popping out without said coworker once in a while. We rested our arms during calmer parts and took in the massive palms and jungle foliage that towered over us.
After one last dip in the cool river water, everyone packed into the car to grab an asado and exchange river-tales before driving to Recreo Verde. Once there it was only a matter of minutes before the gear was stored safely inside and we headed to the steaming pools fed by natural hot-springs deep underground. The list of minerals posted was extensive and the brownish tint of the water created a mist that was immediately soothing to everyone’s sore muscles. It was the perfect spot to unwind, and we spent the night dipping into the pools, reading in the hammock and indulging in the cheap and invigorating massages offered at the hot springs.
The next morning everyone awoke ready for the canopy tour. After a safety brief and a short van ride up the mountain, we were harnessed in and flying through the treetops of the jungle canopy. On the second platform, one of the guides signaled for everyone to be quiet while pointing up. It was a group of howler monkeys sitting on the nearest tree, including a curious and wobbly baby monkey who clung to its mother. Jim taught us about the monkeys before beginning to make a loud howling sound to which the head male monkey began howling back. The rest of the tour was spent zipping through the treetops, soaring above the Toro Amarillo river, and rappelling between platforms.
Without missing a beat, we bid “adios” to our guides and drove towards a waterfall that the ticos had suggested visiting – stating that it was a little-known tourist spot but definitely worth the trek. The falls didn’t disappoint and the Jurrasic Park-like setting made for the perfect transition before hitting the river for the last hours of our adventurous weekend. A couple of the girls tested their skills from the day before in a two-person kayak, and ran the river in just enough time to start the drive home in the daylight. One huge casado dinner later – complete with fried chicken, rice, beans and the ever-popular fried plantains – we were back on base and unpacking our waterlogged life vests and boats while reminiscing on a whirlwind 48 hours.
Today, the communications staff are back in the office – this time with yet another Costa Rican adventure under our belts, and plenty more to come.
