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Tamarindo – day 1

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2009 Southern Skies Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast

March 1, 2009 – Sunday – Hotel Las Tortugas, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

I had only finished my first cup of coffee and placed my order when my friends join me for breakfast. Afterward, we do some computer work in the Wi-fi area near the front desk, since there is no Wi-fi in the rooms or other areas of the hotel. I walk the beach this morning – a sublime day with light winds, clear skies and not too hot. There are a few Ticos (local Costa Ricans) enjoying the surfing. Later in the morning, we have some coffee in my friends’ room, since they have a fridge and a coffeemaker.

I have a very good chicken quesadilla for lunch. The rather slow Internet allows me to post four astronomy photos to my online gallery and also setup an email account on my notebook computer so I can maintain contact with home. There was no connectivity at La Ensenada Lodge where we were staying previously, so it’s nice to be able to catch up with friends and family.

We make arrangements with the hotel staff to on a boat trip up the estuary to see the birds and other wildlife. Initially, we read in the pamphlet about renting canoes and a guide, but none of us are too keen on the canoe concept, so this boat trip appeals to us. Cost is only US$25 each for about a two hour boat trip, so we book it for Tuesday at 8am. That will get us back to the hotel before it gets too hot.

Here on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the winds often pick up in the afternoon, sometimes being quite fierce. The temperature also climbs to the point where it’s uncomfortably hot, so afternoons are a good time to take a siesta or hang out in the shade by the pool, which is protected from the wind.

My friends and I enjoy beer, natcho chips and salsa around 6pm, and eventually ordered dinner. I enjoy a local mahi mahi fish burger, since I am still pretty full from the quesadilla I had for lunch. My friends order a Tico entrée and a palmito (palm heart) salad to share between them – a good idea to get some variety and keep the cost reasonable.

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La Ensenada Lodge – Day 1

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2008 Costa Rica Southern Skies Fiesta, Volcanos & Rainforest

Feb 5, 2008 – Tuesday – La Ensenada “Star” Lodge, Abangaritos, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Early morning wildlife walks are conducted by our guide Diego every day we are at the lodge. The main draw is the variety of birds, however iguanas, squirrels, vegetation, flowers, and the farm animals are also observed by our group. For those of us who are dedicated night sky observers, we sometimes join the wildlife walks as the Sun rises, before having breakfast and then going to bed!

Rufous motmot in a tree

I don’t have high expectations for the Tractor Ride this afternoon, however it turns out to be a memorable experience. The owners of La Ensenada are Italians, and their son Giancarlo guides the hour and a half Tractor Ride all over the property. We see their salt ponds, horses and Brahma cattle grazing in the pastures, stop at the Aguna Observatory wildlife observing platform at a pond. Along the way we spot lots of birds and iguanas, and near the end we wind up a narrow road to the top of a hill overlooking the property and the Gulf of Nicoya. Giancarlo’s Mama serves us some superb antipasto, beer and soft drinks while we take in the view. What a nice touch! By the way, the passenger wagon we are seated in is being pulled by an Italian Landini tractor.

The group having snacks and beverages atop the scenic hill

It is clear this evening, so I take a series of wide field photos of the Taurus-Eridanus-Aires area, and then the Orion area later. Eridanus – The Celestial River – is a very large constellation near Orion, but it hugs the southern horizon from our nothern latitude, so observing it from Costa Rica means it is much higher in the sky. I then capture a series of photos of the spectacular Eta Carinae Nebula before midnight, however my tracking mount isn’t properly aligned with north, so the photos are not very useful. So this evening is rewarding for visual observing, however I have to refine my astrophotography technique.