Since I am banned from entering the water, when all I can do is listen to the distant crash of surf, I'm searching for avenues to enjoy my favourite of the four elements, water. In my mind, the next best thing is floating on it. I have always gravitated to open water. The family story goes that at the age of 2, my Dad unhooked me from the Jolly Jumper attached to a tree
near our cottage, I marched down the path out on to the dock and without hesitation, I jumped into the river. My whole body dipped underneath as the water is about 4' deep, then my head buoyed up and I paddled about contentedly. The sensation of cool liquid sliding over my skin with the subtlety of silk is delicious. The buoyancy, as I dip and dive beneath the surface where I try to remain heavy and motionless, allows me to hang in space. Probably, I'll never travel in outer space and this is the closest experience to zero gravity that I'll have. I've always lived near large bodies of water: Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Swan River (Perth), Hudson River (Manhattan), Pacific Ocean (Pacific Grove/Carmel) and now the Golfo Dulce. If the nearby body of water was inhospitable for swimming like the Hudson, I would swim 3 times a week in the over-chlorinated pool at the Y. Now, it's a great joy to live near the Golfo Dulce when each time that I enter the water, it is a thrilling experience.
As an alternative to being in the water, M and I borrowed our friend's ocean kayak to explore the nearby Rio Coto, a wide, slow-flowing estuarine river. On the advice of our friend, we chose a day when the high tide peaked at 11:30 am. The Rio Coto bridge, our entry point is midway up the length of the river making our paddle easier by going upriver with the incoming tide and returning on the out-going flow. The Rio Coto bridge is relatively new (approx. 10 years.) The roadside signs still say "Rio Coto Ferry." When M first came to this area, all vehicles had to cross the river by flatbed ferry. Here is a photo of the ferry from our neighbours, Crispin and Jo's website Finca Estrella. Talk to anyone who has been in the area for a long time and you'll be regaled with comical and slightly harrowing tales of crossing on the Rio Coto ferry.
We were warned of the sandal sucking mud flats at the entry point but we slipped into the water without incident. Gently dipping the tips of our paddles into the silt laden water, we slid quietly upstream. The river makes wide, lazy bends with sandbars breaching the surface at lower tides. The grassy riverbanks are about 2 meters high but almost vertical indicating that there is high water flow during the rainy season. Stretching back from the riverbanks are fields dotted with trees and in the distance, a glimpse of the Talamanca mountain range outlined against a blue sky. The quality of the air is different on the water. It felt cool and gentle as it brushed against my cheeks. The contemplative silence was occasionally broken by the low hum of an outboard motor. It was Sunday and a few locals gave us a wave as they puttered past us upriver in small boats to a favored fishing spot.
We watched Black-necked Stilts with their spindly long red legs delicately walk along the sandbar. A variety of egrets: Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Grey Egret would stand next to the tall riverside grass and usually fly to the further shore as we approached. The Northern Jacanas are a colorful bird that picks away at the mud in search of food. Other interesting inhabitants of the river are crocodiles. We kept a keen eye out but saw no sign. We were assured that the American crocodile is not aggressive and not likely to jump into a kayak unless you were carrying a fresh chicken. We left the poultry at home.
It was a pleasant couple of hours on the water. Off-loading and on-loading the kayak from the car roof rack went relatively smoothly. It was a little more work than the ease of sliding the kayak off the dock up at the cottage but well worth the effort. The outing was a fun change for me as I had not left our neighbourhood for over a month. Due to car repair issues since early December, we have been mostly vehicle-less. M made several trips to the mechanic at the border either by bus or catching rides with friends. I stayed around the property to the great joy of Pinta and Soozi. It seemed quite a revelation for me to see people again. Costa Rica is mostly "open for business." Back in September, the Minister of Tourism won out over the Minister of Health and the government ramped up to encourage tourists to return to the country. The typical protocols remain in place: masking, distancing and hand-washing. Costa Ricans take their civic engagement seriously and participate willingly with these requirements. It feels liberating to "move about the country" again.
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