Adventure at the Osa Peninsula

[Kim]

Jeff, fantastic photos! You really scored with the scarlet macaws -- especially the photos of the attack macaw, that's crazy. I can only echo Jeff Searle's comments about Corcovado -- I recognize a lot of the landmarks as well, including the waterfall. Could that one palm really be 500 years old??? Looks like you had a wonderful adventure, thanks for posting the photos.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Thanks everyone!

Don, I didn't see any of the blue/gold Macaws, only the scarlet ones. To see them in flight was an amazing sight.

Jeff, I thought about you when I saw all those beautiful Zamias!

Kim, I can laugh about the attack Macaw now but at the time it really shook me up! It came gliding up behind me without a sound and then let out a blood curdling scream as it passed my ear. I like a bird with a sense of humor!

I couldn't even guess how old that Asterogyne is, 500 years seems a bit much to me but that's what the guide is telling people. During our hike, she was more interested in showing us animals and birds than plant life.

[amazondk]

Jeff,

I bet that the bird does that to other people he sees and enjoys the reaction. They certainly are smart enough to do that. They make such a racket to begin with.

dk

[Tala]

the crazed killer macaw, I almost spit soda all over my laptop, great stuff!

The oil palm is E.oleifera, the stems creep along the ground much like some ancient Serenoa do in fields here. Are the Zamia epiphytes? If so most likely Z.pseudoparasitica, gorgeous plants. I am certainly envious of your locale, one of these days ...

[Mike Evans]

Jeff, fantastic adventure! I cannot believe the trunks on those Zamias. I always looked at Osa Peninsula on the map when we were down around that area, but too remote to get to. Now I know what part of it looks like. Keep the pics coming. Hopefully there was always someone at the boat so you did not get stuck high & dry, with the large tidal swings. Did it rain everyday?

[JakeK]

Jeff,

Your photos are great. It's really hard to get good photos of the wildlife due to the low light and dense vegetation, but the photos of the owl and the trogons are pretty good. Scarlet Macaws are very noisy birds aren't they. Out of all the places I have been to in Costa Rica, the Osa was the best. I was down at the other end though, Cabo Matapalo. I am planning on returning to the Osa on my next trip down there.

[Mark_NoVA]

Wow, what a great travelogue! So many great photos, my favorites were of landscape + beach, like the view from your balcony, and those amazing shots (plus story) of the killer Macaw! That was really enjoyable to read and view, it let's you imagine you're there!

[Jeff in St Pete]

Dave, thanks for the ID on the Elaeis. I just assumed it was guineensis. As far as the Zamias, I don't think they were epiphytes, they were all growing in the ground.

Mike, there always seemed to be someone on the boat. They couldn't always bring the larger boat in close to the beach and sometimes we would have to climb into a smaller boat which would then bring us onshore. It did rain everyday but mostly in the late afternoon and evenings. One morning we woke up to rain but it quickly cleared up and the sun came out. Next time you come to Costa Rica, you will definitely need to check out the Osa!

Jake, you're right, the lighting in the forest is not good and it's very hard to get good animal pictures. The Macaws are VERY noisy! You can always tell when they are in the area. Next time I want to go down to Puerto Jimenez and the southern part of the Osa.

Thanks Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[junglegalfla]

What great pics Jeff! I snagged one of the macaw pics as my new wallpaper. Too cool! I can just imagine that scenario playing out with that macaw :lol: Those camera skills are really coming along! Some visit I'd like to go there, looks gorgeous!

[Paco]

Hi Jeff!! great pictures.

I did the same trip, and I went to Poor mans paradise as well, that was 5 years ago, and for me and my friend that trip became the begining of a new life... traveling and discovering places like Osa is what I like the most now. I feel like a landscape hunter.

I think that the name of your guide in corcovado is Consuelo, Am I wrong?? she said to us that that palm was 500 years old too, but the funniest thing was when she tried to convinced us that the Socrateas were palms that enjoy walking arround using their aerial roots to do so hahaha!!

I don't know if they still have "Paco" an amazonas parrot, it was very funny and he enjoyed having dinner with us. My name is Paco also so my friend was having a lot of fun joking about the parrot and me!!

We went to Isla del caño and we did snorkeling there. It is a very good place to swim with sharks and to enjoy the always beautifull coral fish.

Osa is a very unique place.

P.S: by the way, we got the same cabin as you did, beautifull views over the coconut trees and the ocean, the only thing I wasn't feeling very confortable with in Poor mans paradise , was walking at night time to reach the toilets thinking ¡I'm about to crush one of those huge toads!

Pura vida.

[simona]

What a wonderful piece of paradise!

Thank you for sharing your trip, impressions & great pictures.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Thanks Bren, the next time you visit, we should definitely go to the Osa, maybe the southern part!

Hi Paco, You are right! Our guide's name is Consuelo. She works at Poor Man's Paradise and went on tours with guests almost every day. Turns out she is pretty well known. A German guy that was also staying there told us he heard all about Consuelo on a German travel forum. She speaks Spanish, German and English. Socratea is referred to as the "walking palm" here but she didn't tell us that story, I've heard that one before. Oh and I didn't see a parrot named Paco, I'm not sure if I just missed seeing him or maybe he is no longer there. Our cabin had a private bathroom so we only had to walk a few feet with our flashlight to reach it at night. They give you a list of things to bring with you and the most important was a flashlight! I can't imagine walking around that place at night trying to find the bathroom. It really gets dark out there when they turn the lights out at 10pm!

Simona, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[Jeff in St Pete]

My friend Colleen got back to PA last week and emailed me her pics so I thought I would post some of them here.

After meeting her at the airport in San Jose, we drove back to Manuel Antonio that afternoon. We stopped at the Tarcoles Bridge so she could check out the crocs. This is the same bridge that the IPS members crossed during the Biennial on the way to Carara National Park.

We had three days in Manuel Antonio before leaving for the Osa. One day we had lunch at GAIA (a local hotel) and also got a personal tour of the hotel and spa from one of the owners.

The hotel is on the top of a mountain and has some great views.

Rooftop deck of one of the suites

Luna Restaurant

[Jeff in St Pete]

Along the river during the boat ride to Poor Man's Paradise

Me with my camera ready

We make a quick stop at this dock to unload some building supplies for a house along the river.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Corcovado

Me inside the hollow tree taking a picture

[Jeff in St Pete]

Her owl picture came out much better than mine

Ranger Station

Ginger

[Jeff in St Pete]

Scarlet Macaw at the National Park

Flowers on the beach

[Jeff in St Pete]

More flowers

Root ball of a massive tree that fell over. This root ball was the size of a single story house.

[Jeff in St Pete]

On her whale watching/dolphin excursion, they saw a mother whale with a calf and some dolphins.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Boat landing on the beach

Heading back to Sierpe

[Jeff in St Pete]

After we entered the river, the captain took a short-cut back. He took us through some very narrow channels through mangrove swamps. At times it seemed as though the boat was not going to fit.

Driving back to Manuel Antonio

[Jeff in St Pete]

At the airport in Quepos

Flying over Quepos

[Jeff in St Pete]

The new marina being built

At the airport in San Jose

[Kris]

Dear Jeff

thanks for the lovely tour,the camera and your photography is simply stunning...

iam very fond of AmazonDK's travelogs,but i must say you have made us all feel as though we are travelling with you..

And page one stills resolution is fentastic,its so nice i feel like using it as postcards for greeting our members on their birthdays...

thanks & keep up the good work

lots of love to u,

Kris

[gcyao]

Hello Jeff,

Your thread sure brings back memories! And it reminds me that I have not finished posting my pictures of Corcovado. Is it too late?

[Jeff Searle]

Hello Jeff,

Your thread sure brings back memories! And it reminds me that I have not finished posting my pictures of Corcovado. Is it too late?

It's never too late!!!!

Jeff

[Jeff in St Pete]

Hi Kris, I'm glad you enjoyed the stills! Please feel free to use any of them.

Hi George, It's never too late to post photos of Corcovado. Please post them!

[amazondk]

Great pictures Jeff.

dk

[Alicehunter2000]

Jeff...what was the name of the place you stayed? just kidding.

I really liked your pictures, your lucky to live someplace like that. I visited many years ago and remembered the crocs.....and the guy with the assault rifle hidden in the bushes guarding the crocs.

Do they still have to guard them from poachers?

[Kris]

Hi Kris, I'm glad you enjoyed the stills! Please feel free to use any of them.

Thanks Jeff

[Jeff in St Pete]

Jeff...what was the name of the place you stayed? just kidding.

I really liked your pictures, your lucky to live someplace like that. I visited many years ago and remembered the crocs.....and the guy with the assault rifle hidden in the bushes guarding the crocs.

Do they still have to guard them from poachers?

David, I've never seen anyone guard the crocs although there is a small police building at one end of the bridge and there usually is a police presence there. So maybe they are in charge of guarding the crocs.

[freakypalmguy]

Wow it's beautiful there. Thank you for showing the pics Jeff. Excellent photography.

Matt

[gcyao]

Jeff and Jeff,

Thank you for your encouragement. I have finished posting to the thread of Kim on our Corcovado post-biennial where I originally posted my contribution:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...40&start=40.

Hope you all will like them!

[FossilNypa]

Hi Jeff,

The photos are great! The giant hollow tree and the trunking Zamias are very impressive. I've always wanted to visit Osa Peninsula.

Regards,

Luis Diego.

[Steve]

Wow, thanks for sharing the pictures. My favorites were those with the Macaw flying around you. Looks like a great place to visit.

[Al in Kona]

Jeff, I can only ditto what Mark NoVA said above:

Wow, what a great travelogue! So many great photos, my favorites were of landscape + beach, like the view from your balcony, and those amazing shots (plus story) of the killer Macaw! That was really enjoyable to read and view, it let's you imagine you're there!

Yes you are lucky to have chosen to live in such a beautiful part of the Americas! Silvia and I truly enjoyed our short stay with you in May. Thanks for showing us around beautiful Manuel Antonio and Quepos area. It wouldn't be hard for me to chose to live in your area, that's for sure. "Pura Vida!"

Aloha,

Al in Kona

A short distance from your place of us on the beach at Manuel Antonio in May, 2008

[Jeff in St Pete]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

Al, Thanks for the photo. You and Silvia are welcome here anytime. I had a great time with you guys before the Biennial.

Luis Diego, maybe the Osa can go on the list of possible meeting places for our new group - Asociación Costarricense de Palmeras.