Back To Costa Rica!

Happy days are here again (are you singing….we are!)  We are back in Costa Rica.  The weather is hot and it’s a bit muggy, but this is paradise.  The rainy season just ended and the entire jungle that surrounds us is varying shades of green.  Very plush.

The plush greenery around the marina.

The vast open spaces we see on our way into Coco.

Sugar cane fields are all over Costa Rica

We arrived here on Nov. 14^th and had guests for three days.  The boating world is rather small.  In anchorages and marinas along the coast line from Mexico to South America we see many of the same boats.  We met up with several of those boaters here in this bay, and a few new friends we met at the Papagayo marina.   It was decided by unanimous decision that we all wanted Thanksgiving dinner… our friends would buy the fixings and Jewell, of course, would do the cooking.  The Elysium would be the host boat.  

Jewell preparing Thanksgiving.

The cave woman emerging from Jewell.

Our friends sailed over to the Marina from Playa de Coco.  They looked like the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, one following the other.  They anchored right outside the Marina and Jewell and I rushed out on the skiff to get the food!  We had a gorgeous 16 lb. turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans and loads of desserts made by the various guests.  It really was a feast!  We ate, drank, and talked for several hours.  It was fun.

The food is coming via The Nina, The Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Henry making the turkey transfer from Rapscallion.

The guest of honor!

Guests from Macha and Sundancer have arrived.

Pamela (Riley's mom) from Precious Metal and Henry feasting with Deb.

Let the cork games begin!

Deb had their undivided attention!

The Gang - Carolyn,Tony and Milea from Macha, Heather, Jewell, Pamela, Henry, Deb and Ron.

Pamela brought her Blenheim cavalier, Riley, to Thanksgiving dinner.  He is just so sweet and well behaved.  He and Aggie used to run around the beaches together in Mexico.  We had our “doggie fix”.  Thanks Pamela.

Mr. Riley from Precious Metal.

I want Aggie to spend more time with Riley, he has such good manners.

We really miss Aggie.

There is a small bay very near us and we went there, anchored the skiff, and went swimming.  We were in the water for about an hour when I felt a pinch on my arm.  Then another and another.  I looked like a crazy woman hitting myself.  I looked up and Jewell, who was about 20 yards in front of me, was laughing and asked, is something biting you?  Turns out we were being bitten by little tiny jelly fish larvae.  It wasn’t funny.

Just before the jelly fish began biting.

After the jelly fish began biting.

Pamela and Henry joined us for dinner one night in Playa de Coco and we went to an Italian restaurant we saw advertised on a street sign.  We drove onto a dirt road to what looked like the road to nowhere.  About two blocks in, a few twists and turns, and we arrived at the sweetest little Italian restaurant with fabulous food….really fabulous food.  It was a good night! 

Sweet Italian restaurant in a residential section of Coco on a dirt road.

A few days ago Jewell, Lucio and I went by skiff to Playa de Coco for lunch and some food shopping.  It was a bit rough going across the bay but it was nothing compared to the ride back.  The Papagayo winds started blowing and we were going into 4 to 5 ft. waves in the bay.  The skiff was full of food which was getting soaked by salt water.   Lucio was sitting in the bow and thankfully he was taking the brunt of the water splashing over us.  A larger fishing boat came flying past us and I was able to follow in his wake for the last 15 minutes of the ride.  It was brutal!! 

Rain approaching the marina.

This peninsula is full of surprises. In case you didn’t see any other blog, the Papagayo Marina is on a peninsula with just the Marina and the Four Seasons Hotel.  The property either belongs to the Hotel or the Marina.   The marina manager took us on a long tour.  There are about 20 homes that have been built and two or three condo buildings with 5 to 10 condos in each building, priced in the area of $1,250,000 and up.  There are 20-25 homes, all facing the bay or ocean, which is spectacular, that range in price from $2,500,000 up.  Some are gigantic.  One is about 25,000 sf. The cost of building is, are you ready?, $750 per sf.  

Part of the golf course on the Four Seasons property.

One of the gorgeous anchorages behind the property.

Beautiful views from all angles.

When we departed last April construction on three condo buildings had just begun right above the Marina.  They are about half completed.

Condo complex behind the marina.

The bay has several small communities across the water from the Marina.  Most are condos and the rest single houses.  The residents are Canadian and American.  Some are full time residents, some are snowbirds.  Also, several hotels and a few all inclusive resorts are across the bay.  This is the type of place where, if you have some money and you invested here about 6 to 7 years ago, you would have multiplied your investment 10 x’s or more.  And, it will continue to mature.  It reminds us of Punta de Mita in Puerto Vallarta.

Jewell and I took skiff rides to several anchorages.  We are leaving tomorrow to anchor in one of the more beautiful ones called Bahia Huevos.  The anchorage is surrounded by jungle (with howling monkeys, deer, strange and exotic birds, and strange raccoon like animals called Coati or Pizote). 

Coati (English) Pizote (Spanish) for the raccoon like animal

We haven’t spotted any whales yet, but have seen lots of dolphins, rays and fish of all sizes, shapes and colors.  It’s a fisherman’s paradise.

We attempted diving with our Hookah (remember, it’s a diving Hookah, not a smoking one) and now have an appointment with a dive master to go with us for a day.  We weren’t too successful on our own.

She is ready to hookah!

Our marina has a few super mega yachts docked.  We watched in awe as a helicopter landed on top of the Legacy.   

Legacy with helicopter after we watched it land.

And then of course there are the Super Mega Yachts, and a sunset!

Super Mega Yacht - Pegaso

And another sunset.