Today I went snorkeling.
Off the coast of Costa Rica, I jumped into the water to see what was below.
This is the third time I’ve snorkeled. The two other experiences were magical.
My first time was in Hawaii on a family vacation when I was a child. I vividly remember swimming in a lagoon there, and a sea turtle came up next to me to swim alongside. It’s illegal to touch sea turtles; I didn’t know that at the time. So I reached out and petted its shell. It was as big as I was! From that moment on, I have loved snorkeling.
My next experience was in the Bahamas on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Here, they have a special designated spot to snorkel, although you can swim almost anywhere. But the roped off section holds Mickey Mouse statues and other memorabilia from the Disney archive that fish dart in and around, adding a touch of Disney magic to the already magical ocean life. While I didn’t see any sea turtles here, there were plenty of colorful fish. Later, on the adults-only beach side of the island, I also saw a starfish.
So when the time came to jump into the Pacific waters of Costa Rica, I was ready! Our boat captain and tour guide from Costa Tours made sure we knew there was no guarantee to see any wildlife, but they would do their best to try.
As we left the dock, we passed by several fishing boats and the country’s iconic mangroves. We picked up speed as we entered more open waters, then came to a sudden halt just in time to see a whale and her baby breach! Every minute or so they continued to come out of the water before submerging again. It’s not uncommon to see dolphins in this area, too, but we didn’t see any that day. Nevertheless, whales are much more rare to see, so this was a special treat. Even the boat crew was amazed at our luck!
As the boat began moving again, we approached an island without a beach, just rocky cliffs topped with vegetation. This wasn’t our stop for snorkeling, but a place to see howler monkeys! Unfortunately, they must have been napping or on the other side of the island. But after seeing the whale and her baby, I didn’t care. Having been to many nature reserves and on safari, I know how unpredictable seeing animals in the wild can be. It’s not like a zoo where you’re guaranteed to see specific things. These sightings are a gift.
Once more, the boat picked up speed to take us to our snorkeling destination. In the waters near Isle Tortuga, we jumped off the boat and began to look all around for fish and other aquatic life. I saw silver fish with blue and yellow strips over a foot long! Then smaller blue and yellow fish, not quite like Dory from Finding Nemo, but similar. I also saw a black fish that looked suspiciously like a catfish? And on some rocks nearby, several crabs ranging in size from a quarter to a grapefruit scurried along, blending in with the rocks apart from their blue bellies. The boat captain jumped in the water, too, and found a starfish that was unlike any I had seen before. It was dark gray, with arms that resembled centipedes. Kinda creepy. Definitely unique.
After some time in the water, we climbed back into the boat and headed for the island to rest, eat, and enjoy the rest of the day. I settled into my shaded beach chair ready to chat with my friends when a rather large shadow passed by… a wild pig! Or was it a boar? Coming to eat the coconut I had just finished drinking out of! Later we saw a few more pigs and their babies. And an iguana. And more fish, birds, and other miscellaneous marine life.
But the day was nearly done, and I still hadn’t seen a sea turtle. Which isn’t that uncommon–you never know what to expect when you’re in the wild! But the island we were on is called “Isle Tortuga,” which literally means “Turtle Island.” Apparently this is because it’s shaped like a turtle. Oh, well. Seeing the whales was enough of a gift!
We returned to the boat and began the drive back to the mainland. At this point, the tour was done. Everyone was sleepy, but enjoying the ride back to shore.
Until the boat once again suddenly stopped!
Right there, just a few feet from us, were two sea turtles. I’m hesitant to use words like “they were beautiful” because they were mating. But it was beautiful! They lingered on the surface of the water so we could see them both full in view. Our tour guide said their mating process lasts hours, sometimes days! And the weight of the male sometimes unintentionally submerges the female in the process until she drowns. Yikes!
After a few moments of seeing these giant gentle creatures, the boat picked up speed one last time. We returned to the dock in Puntarenas and our snorkeling adventure was done. It was a nearly perfect day. Great weather, plenty of wildlife, excellent food, and I can’t speak highly enough of our tour guide, Diane. It was the perfect way to rest and rejuvenate from my work in Costa Rica.
Today I went snorkeling. It was another magical experience that I won’t forget any time soon.