Thursday 10th November - Lazing in the Tropics *

The rest of the people who enjoyed the interrupted boat trip to get here are moving on today but we have one more night at Tortuguero. There are no more organised tours for us here so we can take things at a more leisurely pace. Looking further ahead most of our days will be either very early starts or medium early so we may as well get into a routine. Sunset is just after 5 p.m. so early makes the most of the daylight.

We rouse ourselves around 5.30 and look out to see sunshine and blue skies. Breakfast starts at 7 so we have time for a walk on the beach, this time heading north, away from the village. The beach is a dark brown sand, quite fine and reasonably firm to walk on. There isn't much litter but a lot of driftwood and quite a few cocos de mer, coconuts washed up from somewhere else exotic. R is keen to spot birds and we soon see a Black Hawk perched in a tree at the edge of the beach. We saw a juvenile of this species yesterday but this one is much more impressive.

Further along the beach there are waders on the waterline, a whimbrel and a couple of smaller species that we will have look up. As we progress north a girl is walking south accompanied by a dog which comes to sniff us as we cross. A few minutes later we decide that we have walked far enough and turn around to see that the girl has also reversed direction. We walk past her again and realise that the dog has now decided to accompany us. It doesn't look to be under fed or neglected but it is not wearing a collar. We pause to watch and photograph an adult Turkey Buzzard accompanied by three younger ones. The dog waits with us and once again it follows when we resume walking. We are almost at the hotel when a young man appears and the dog trots off to join him.

Back at base we confirm arrangements for onward travel tomorrow, take a leisurely breakfast and get a swim. Nearly everybody else on site is rushing around with luggage and settling bills so we have the rather nice pool to ourselves. The plan today is to walk into the village, stopping off at the Sea Turtle Research Centre where there is a small exhibition. As we leave the hotel grounds, the dog from earlier reappears and rejoins us. Half an hour or so is spent at the Turtle Centre, learning a bit more about Green Backed turtles, which are born on land and head straight for the sea when they hatch, returning to land only to lay eggs every two or three years. The dog does not come in with us.

We walk the remaining 600 yards or so into the village, seeing some amazing butterflies that will not pose, and find another column of leaf cutter ants that are delivering to a hole in the ground that must be their nest. It seems to be even hotter than the last two days. We find a shady spot overlooking the lagoon and linger, watching  Magnificent Frigate Birds soaring and wheeling over the water. Our chosen shady spot also delivers cold beers to the table and has a resident Emerald Basilisk. What more could we ask for.

It is hot enough to persuade us to take a water taxi back up the lagoon to the lodge where we turn things upside down and opt for the full three course lunch. R chooses the local speciality, ceviche. Fish cooked in citrus juice. It was delicious and D's steak was pretty good too. The downside of a big lunch on a hot day can be the requirement for an afternoon nap. Luckily our cabin has a hammock available.

As dusk falls, we take  another beach stroll to see if we can spot more turtle hatchlings but no luck.

* Holgazaneando en los tropicos