NO a las Granjas Atuneras! (interlude with Sean McGonagle)

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Chico

Almost every day I had the chance to talk a little with our landlord, Sean McGonagle, from Riviera Villas. Always with a smile and a nice word, soon I started to realize that besides a soul surfer he is also a electrician, a builder, a gardener and everything the place needs, always working in a deep connection with the local community, he is also part; a great host and respectable man.

Our conversations were diverse, around and about different topics, and from those exchanges I could perceive how much rooted he is into the environment down here in Pavones.
One of the topics I got really interest was the Granjas Atuneras, or Tuna Aquaculture…

Granjas Atuneras means “a nightmare at your doorstep!” (as Sean putted it), and in this case it a true outlandish scenario at his doorstep, the Golfo Dulce.

There is a huge project awaiting the final approval from the Costa Rica’s Environmental Ministry to install up to 80 aquaculture cages in the Golfo Dulce.

Rapid development and expansion of intensive aquaculture for species such as salmon and shrimp has, for example, resulted in widespread degradation of the environment and the displacement of coastal fishing and farming communities.
Unsustainable aquaculture also negatively impacts on the food supplies and food security of developing coastal countries. Aquaculture development often blocks access to common lands, used by local people for fishing and cleaning (collecting of seafood from the ground), and takes away traditional food sources, for use in fishmeal and oil production for aquaculture production.

The endeavor if carried out would not offer any substantial economic outcome for the rural communities that surround the Golfo Dulce. But the case is not confined only to economical opportunities to the local population; the project poses huge problems to the region, namely:
1) Threatens to fragment the gulf’s delicate ecosystem, affecting local fisheries and sustainable tourism opportunities;
2) This project is based on the unsustainable production of species for high-value export markets (Japan in this case) with little concern for local needs.
3) The tuna aquaculture cages would attract big predators to the area, such as sharks that would potentially start to attack surfers at Pavones, a world known wave attracting surfers from every corner of the world, and other nearly areas like Punta Banco (the closest surf beach to the aquaculture project site);
4) Cause distress to turtles and possibly make them avoid to nest in the area;
5) The current flowing from where the tuna cages will be placed to the inside of Golfo Dulce would drag with them all the waste from the tuna farming facilities posing a huge threat to the local humpback whale population breeding in the area
The government says that actually this current is not flowing into the gulf, but some markers have been place on the site where the project is supposed to be placed and after 2 days or so they were tracked and collected inside the gulf.
6) This same waste would spread towards the surrounding pristine beaches and national parks like Piedras Blancas.

Besides all these factors surveys and the general feeling of the local population show an overwhelming anti-tuna farm sentiment; however, with few expendable resources to allocate to derailing the project, more powerful political and economical intentions are driving the proposal closer to implementation.

Aquaculture itself is not sustainable having many dreadful consequences to the environment. It is a manmade response to a manmade problem, the decline of wild stocks of fish; and a way to meet the demand for some species that are becoming “harder” to catch in the wild because there aren’t much left in the wild, lead to aquaculture projects spreading around the globe to supply the market. Shrimp, salmon, tuna, tilapia and other marine finfish are now farmed!

But this is no solution to overfishing!

To get a kilo of farmed fish it is required 4 times more of wild fishes, process them into fish food (wait but those are normally already food themselves!), and then feed the fish farms, not sustainable at all, a industry with little room to grow, in a world of already depleted fish stocks.

This associated with other problems such as:
- the extraction of marine species from oceans, including wild juveniles vital for future stock growth, increasing the burden on wild fish stocks and having major food security implications;
- the extraction of marine species from oceans, including wild juveniles vital for future stock growth, increasing the burden on wild fish stocks and having as referred already major food security implications;
- fishmeal and so-called ‘trash fish’ used for feed production – often the main food for local people – taken for use in aquaculture ponds;
- the release of organic wastes (that, for instance, act as plant nutrients for harmful algal blooms) and toxic effluents into the oceans;
- the destruction of coastal ecosystems, displacement of coastal communities and depletion of fresh water sources to build aquaculture ponds.

However, there is still hope to save Golfo Dulce from this dark glimpse of the future.

PRETOMA a local NGO has several actions on their agenda to fight this project and hopefully bring it to hold next year (2010).

Check out their page for actions

The most decisive measure to stop this project would be a referendum in August, 2010. But for this to have binding effects 50% of the local population as to vote; I also learned from Sean that 60% of the population are indigenous Guaymí that live rather inland, with no high means of locomotion, so an awareness campaign needed to take place in order to inform them and take appropriate means of transport to allow them to vote, otherwise this would be a lost cause.

If you can help please do, visit PRETOMA’s website and arm yourself with knowledge!

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Also while shooting the breeze with Sean I also learned some interesting facts, some about the environmental conservation measures taken by the Tiskita Jungle Lodge, and the reintroduction of the Scarlet Macaw. A hundred years ago, Scarlet Macaws were abundant in the lowland tropical forests of Costa Rica. Poaching for the pet trade has eliminated this species from the area around Tiskita. The re-introduction of the Scarlet Macaw began in 1999 in conjunction with Amigos de las Aves. A free-flying flock of over thirty birds has successfully been established. The birds are currently in the process of dating as they are finding their life-long partner.

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Other things here are very interesting like the fact that some time ago Sean couldn’t buy any iron for construction from any supplier, and apparently all of Costa Rica had the same problem. Why? Story tells that China was building a dam so big it was buying and using up so mush iron, it was none left to reach areas like Pavones!

Well… stories from the paradise that is Pavones;
Question is: a Paradise for how long?

Visit: PRETOMA!!

Pavones (live motion picture)

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Chico

I just wanted to leave some footage from this piece of paradise, so you can see it moving and alive.

Pavones – The Myth

Young Gun from Pavones – Noe Mar McGonagle

The Facts About Dan Fowlie and Pavones

http://www.thefactsaboutdanfowlieandpavones.com

Enjoy!
Mahalo!

Surf’s UP! (day 6 and 7)

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Chico

Friday 4^th of September
Here we rise with the Sun, drink pipa (coconut water), eat sandwiches and fresh fruit, and drive off to find waves. As the forecast was showing the swell was rising and it was supposed to be some good waves today, we expected to surf Pavones for the first time today, and we were bummed because there was a championship scheduled for today right on the main peak of the famous left-hander Pavones.

We drove off to find the judges tent built on the left corner of the Cantina (the bar overseeing the beach of Pavones), and very little waves. Gero (Fatum Surfboards Shaper) had told me that the bay was very deep and it was needed pretty decent and consistent swell for the waves to break and the sections connect around the bay, and he was very right. We watched 1 or 2 heats before we drove off to Punta Banco to find better waves and surf conditions.

We spent all day surfing at Punta Banco stopping only to eat and rest a little, getting the best of both tides. The afternoon session the waves got overhead and I was still using my 5’5’’ “Joker” (the name I gave to the model, because it is so fun on small to medium waves), and it was still performing and responding very well, I was impressed, happy, and able to turn on critics section and I thought I couldn’t with this type of boards … stoked!

This day there was also a local festivity (the championship at Pavones was part of it), I had a look at it while seeping a fruit juice at Café de la Suerte and browsing the web for surf forecasts, e-mails and facebook.

Later on at the supermarket we met Henry, we told us he won the open category of the championship today, good on him!

We tried to eat at La Manta today, supposed to be a very good restaurant in the area, but it was raining so much that everything seemed to be flooded!

As usual we had an early night. Reading more of Civil Disobedience, Henry Thoreau’s book, I start to perceive how it inspired so many history changing figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Moreover I admire John Brown the anti-slavery hero condemn to death for freeing slaves and make them cross the state of Massachusetts towards freedom.

He defends something I find remarkable; “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.”

Tomorrow is our last day in Pavones before heading up towards Playa Hermosa, forecast looks good and tonight I dream and wish of long lefts for tomorrow!

Saturday 5^th of September
I woke up with Filipe running around saying “Pavones is PUMPING!!”
He is normally the first to get down to the beach for the morning check in.
Got up and had something quick to eat and headed off! I took the 5’5’’ and I wanted to try it even in more demanding conditions, if it was not working I would come back and take my 6’0’’.

When we got down to the river mouth it seemed nothing special. Pavones requires some ocean breathe to work, and after some minute some set waves rolled down and around the bay, and yes it was on! Because there was not enough swell for the wave to be running in all its glory we had to place ourselves on side of the river mouth since the set waves were not breaking out enough for all the section to connect.

When we got to the lineup I saw Sean, his wife Jamie, and both his children, Noe Mar and Leilani. Sean has one of the smoothest; most polished; and yet super powerful backside hand attack I’ve ever witnessed! And right after seeing him on a good one I saw his son and seen the generation step-up to be taken place in not too long! No wonder the Costa Rican Surfing federation is taking his to the Juniors World Championships in New Zealand this year.

The first waves I got were intermediate ones, just to have a go. This wave had no flat sections, I had to be pumping my board all the way and it would finish normally in a big mushy close-out.

Then I paddled to where Sean was and talking to him about this wave I could see he has his bearings sharp, he could describe the behavior of each waves coming up and position wise where to be. It was a bit hectic on the main peak and I could see Sean was a little more to the side, with none of the local arrogance we find in many places we surf around the globe.

I manage to score some decent size set waves shoulder to head-high and man they were long, the wall of the wave has so much power you don’t lose any speed on the turns, the only thing is that if you make the turns too tight the section is gone and you are left riding foam. Great wave, one of the bigger ones I got today was the longest thing I’ve ever ride, I reckon!

For Tourita this wave wasn’t so goo as for bodyboarders it doesn’t offer the hollow barrels, he was looking for but I reckon he also had fun.

With the tide coming in the surf conditions got poorer and I decided to take the afternoon to relax walk around a little, taking some shots, and read. Also, because we get up so early I’m taking some nice siestas in the outside hammock.

Also during the afternoon we met Alex Outerbridge, the owner of Sea Kings Surf Shop, a nice surf shop right across the road from Cantina, and I believe the only one in Pavones. Great guy, we find a connection via Thomas Lange (from Fatum Travel) and Future Fins, he talked to us about his experience in the area, we also met Fred, the owner of the restaurant La Manta, where we wanted to have dinner yesterday, and the artist Alex Lanau, from San Diego who is also living in Pavones. I loved his artwork and bought a print from a painting made by him called Tiki-Takeover, superbly nice!

You can visit his website at http://www.myspace.com/alexlanau

Our last night was spent at La Manta, Fred’s Restaurant, the best we had so far in Pavones, great ambience, and very good food.

We watched the documentary about Pavones and the man who discovered it, Dan Fowlie (aka King of Pavones) (trailer below).

Now is bed time and tomorrow we hope to surf Pavones in the morning and then head towards Playa Hermosa…

PURA VIDA to you all!
:-)

Guaymí (day 5)

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Chico

Got up around 0600, no wind, no rain, sun rising, another day in Rio Claro de PAVONES.

Surf wasn’t good and since yesterday PP and I didn’t manage to take any photos on the Indigenous Reserve while trekking up to come down the river on the buoy we decided to drive with the car until where we could and walk the rest until we reached the river.

On the way we picked up an elder and who I think to be his grandson and gave them a ride up the reserve. The new car was way better, the brakes were working and it was doing great doing on the dirt roads since the tires were not the best for the terrain conditions around Pavones and it had rained last night.

We left the elder and boy where they asked us to be dropped and followed the road until the school we had seen yesterday, and after which we thought the car couldn’t go further. This is a school for the Guaymí Indigenous children of the reserve, they were happy to be photographed jumping around and acting as children would. Good big smile that brought to my face.

We proceeded on foot from there, with no one to be seen until we reached the river, a thrilling scenario with a thick rainforest and patches of field where cattle was being raised, no waste lands with no trees and bare ground as we have seen on the way to Pavones. We sighted a few animals on the way. This is so different from what I’ve seen so far that almost 90% of what we see daily is new to me and I cannot name correctly (some photos embedded).

After about 30 minutes walking we reached the river and were close to the heart of the Guaymí reserve. There was a hanging bridge there leading to a place that seemed not to have any paths of trails, but it was actually where many of the Guaymí had their homes, pure wilderness!

The earliest inhabitants of Costa Rica far southern corner were the Guaymí, or Ngöbe, who migrated over generations from neighboring Panama. The Guaymí inhabit indigenous reserves in the Valle de Coto Brus, on the Osa peninsula in the southern Golfo Dulce, though they retain semi-nomadic ways and are allowed to pass freely over the border into Panama. This occurs frequently during the coffee harvesting season, when many Guaymí travel to work on plantations.

The Guaymí have been able to preserve – to some degree – their customs and culture, and it is not unusual to see women wearing traditional dress. These vibrant, solid-colour pollera dresses hang to the ankles, often trimmed in contrasting colours and patterns. Unlike other indigenous groups, the Guaymí still speak their native language and teach it in local schools.

The Guaymí traditionally live in wooden hut with palm roofs and dirty floors, although most families have now upgraded to wooden houses on stilts. However, they still live off the land, cultivating corn, rice and tubers, while fruit and palmitos grow in the wild.

The Guaymí reserves are largely inaccessible, which may be one reason why culture persists. However as tourism filters into the farthest corners of the country, there is growing interest in the indigenous traditions and handicrafts, and this demand may actually encourage their preservation. But, the reserves are also at a precipitous point – without proper managemenr and community participation, an influx of tourists (and tourist dollars) can also lead to cultural dilution and ultimately leave the younger generations to be engulfed in the process of globalization and loose what makes them unique… their traditions, customs, ethnicity and ways of life.

We took some time to take photos on the hanging bridge, around the river and to some point at the house that was built right on the riverside. I wandered around the hut, looking and approaching the horse grazing on the tropical pasture; he had a big hump on his column, I guess from the friction of the saddle, it wasn’t looking good, it wasn’t even being treated and I guess animal welfare around here is a minor issue.

I then decided to go up to the house and try to reach out to the Guaymí culture. I asked for permission to enter the field closer to the house. A few days ago a Guaymí visited us at the Riviera, Teoro is name was, and I noticed he never stepped into the balcony even we was sitting there talking to PP and Tourita, until I told him not be stay sitting there, and use one of the chairs. He had walked 6 hours to reach Pavones and take provisions to his family. He was selling 2 items, sombreros (hats) and bags (traditional style ones). I bought him one bag, it was 5000 colones (around US$6) and it was a good way of in a way help him out and to have something to take a gift to my girlfriend. He also asked for some food and I readily prepared him a sandwich. When people ask me for money I don’t really like to give it away I rather buy something of theirs, or a similar way of helping them out; but when I’m asked for food I cannot refuse, never, it happened in Uruguay a couple of times, in Argentina and like on those place here I cannot say no…

But back to the house by the river; I as granted permission to enter the grounds with a “por favor, pase” (please pass). I greeted the old man and introduced myself as Francisco, he replied with “mucho gusto, Alberto” (a pleasure, Alberto). I then asked about the region, what was that he was doing and other things. This 83 year old elder was an artesano (artisan) making sombreros (like Teoro) and he also worked with wood. His lovely wife Cecilia was making bags. PP was looking for a sombrero so it was a good opportunity for him to get one. And he did; by chance Don Alberto (as I called him with respect) had one prepared and fitted the big headed PP! A sombrero takes about a week to be made, as described by Don Alberto, working a little, and then taking a walk to do other things around the house, smoking a pipe, and then continue the sombrero making. He sold the sombrero for 15,000 colones (approx. US$25).

Don Alberto lived in a traditional hut built by him, he was telling us that it took around 3 months to build the roof but with palm tree leaves but then it lasts for a few years, he added. Inside the hut it was fish being smoked, and it would be there for another 3 or 4 hours he told us. With permission I took a few photos, told a little about where we came from, he was pleased his sombrero was to the taken “muy, muy lejos” (very, very faraway).

After some more talking we said goodbye and leaving that magical place, with Don Alberto waving at us while we were going back uphill is something that will be in my mind forever.

The took the journey back, the kids at the school still waved, jumped and smiled at us, and the car did well on the way back into Pavones. The lunch was at Cafe de la Suerte, eating a Sabijh “an iraqui vegeratian burrito”, and we went to check the surf at Punta Banco since Pavones was still pretty small. The guys stayed out of the water but I went for a surf, the swell was rising and there were some better size waves, since we had only really small surf up to now, and it was very fun, everyday I’m more happy with my small 5’5’’ Fatum Surfboard, even on faster and hollow waves it pumps and has a great drive, also recovering from manoeuvres, great feel!

After that, I was stoked! The best day so far, and behind doubt it would be one of the best in the whole trip! I was thankful, still don’t know to who or what, maybe to nature …

After eating this now is bedtime, it is 1900 :-)

PURA VIDA!

Head stitched up! (day 4)

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Chico

The morning was spent laying low, not much happening, we knew that there would be no waves, so we stayed near the house, putting our stuff together, chatting, listening to music, reading, and drinking pipa. The only high troubled episode during the morning was when Henry told us that Friday there would be a championship at Pavones, when it is supposed to be some good waves coming in this direction. So we were a bit bumped by that, still he assured us that there would be plenty o waves to be surfed and that the championship was to be short lived.

Sean had told us about something we could do when there would be no waves that was to come down the Claro River with a buoy, 2 and a half hours trekking upland and then about an hour and a half coming down the river. That was what we decided to do today, for that we had to go about the Guaymí Indigenous of Conte Burica.

Before we headed there I had a nice chat with him, about the surroundings and the indigenous around here, these make up 60% of the population on the south of the Osa Peninsula. Still living among them and relatively into the wild they still manage to keep some of their culture and ways, that space and momentum I call the “Lost Costa Rica”, because I’m afraid we are losing our ways, and they are losing theirs, our influence if not lead and oriented in a good way will engulf them and this troubled and viscous process of globalization will turn us into clones of each one of us. So if you ask me, the connection the Guaymí manage to still keep with nature is priceless. But finding and meeting new cultures is what drives most of us to travel and I do not defend they are to be left alone and we should to keep our cultures isolated, none of that, what I mean is that we need to keep being ourselves, giving and receiving from others and not changing them… I guess I would be here forever trying to get this point across. The following might help!

(While we were chatting with Sean the new car arrived, the Pandereta II)

The coastlines and rainforest of Central America have been inhabited by humans for at least 10,000 years. On the eve of European discovery some 500 years ago, an estimated 400,000 people were living in today’s Costa Rica, though sadly our knowledge about pre-Columbian culture is scant. The remains of lost civilizations were washed away by torrential rains, and Spanish conquerors were more intent on subjugating rather than describing native lifestyles.

Unlike massive pyramid complexes found throughout much of Latin America, the ancient towns and cities of Costa Rica (with the exception of Guayabo), vanished in the jungles, never to be seen again by the eyes of the modern world. However, tales of lost cities still survive in the oral histories of Costa Rica’s indigenous community and there is hope among archaeologists that a great discovery lies in waiting. Considering that much of the country consists in inaccessible mountains and rainforests, perhaps these dreams aren’t so fanciful.

The invasion of Central America by the Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) brought about incalculable human suffering and loss; entire cultures and histories were erased by sword and disease alike.

What is known about pre-Columbian Costa Rica is that early inhabitants were part of an extensive trading zone that extended as far south as Peru and as far North as Mexico. The region hosted roughly 20 small tribes, organized into chiefdoms, indicating a permanent leader, or cacique, who sat atop a hierarchical society that included shamans, warriors, toilers and slaves.

Adept at seafaring, the Carib dominated the Atlantic coastal lowlands, and served as a conduit of trade with the South America mainland. In the northwest, several tribes were connected to the great Mesoamerican cultures. Aztec religious practices and Maya jade and craftsmanship are in evidence in the Peninsula de Nicoya, while Costa Rican quetzal feathers and golden trinkets have turned up in Mexico. In the southwest, three chiefdoms showed the influence of Andean Indian Cultures, including coca leaves, yucca and sweet popatoes.

There is also evidence that the language of Central Valley Huetar was known by all of Costa Rica indigenous groups, which may be an indication of their power and influence. The Central Valley is home to the only major archaeological site uncovered in Costa Rica, namely Guayabo.

Thought to be an ancient ceremonial center, Guayabo once featured paved streets, an aqueduct and decorative gold. Here, archaeologists uncovered exquisite gold ornaments and unusual life-size stone statues of human figures, as well as distinctive types of pottery and metates, stone platforms that were used to grinding corn. Today, the site consists of little more than ancient hewed rock and stone, though Guayabo continues to stand as a testament to a once-great civilization of the New World.

Still a puzzle, however, are the hundreds of hand-sculpted, monolithic stone spheres that dot the landscape of the Diquis valley in Palmar and the Isla del Caño. Weighing up to 16 tons and ranging in size from a baseball to a Volkswagen, the spheres have inspired many theories: an ancient calendar, extraterrestrial meddling, or a game of bocce gone terribly awry.

According to some sources; in recent years, it seems that Costa Ricans of all backgrounds have taken as increased interest in the pre-Columbian history of their country.

El Mighty Pelado (PP) and I took the buoys (tractor pneumatics) that Sean kindly provided us and took the 2 and a half hour trekking to the river, since we took off from Pavones we were in fact the only two white faces to be seen during the entire journey! The 2 or 3 people we passed by laughed at the fact of 2 white guys carrying buoys upland, sweating and tired like pigs, trying to reach the river. And we did!!

I thought the river to be much deeper that what it actually was, so we had to lift our bottoms very often not to drag them around in the gravel. There were some rapids. On the way down, one of them with the infamous name of “death rock” was passed with no harm, a couple of minutes later, El Mighty Pelado suffers a fall and almost knocks himself out, opened his head and blood started to pour out. I was a little scared at the beginning but he assured me he was ok and so we continued. I also got a nasty fall and hit my head harm, trying not to let my buoy go I injured my arm, but nothing major.

Coming down the river is an excellent way of overseeing the nature surrounding the peninsula, many species of birds and reptiles can be seen, and on the calmer parts of the river you feel really hooked up by all the nature surrounding you. The tall trees and the wildlife that doesn’t seem so affected by our presence; the water carrying you effortless and suddenly you feel you become part or her.

By the end I was getting a little cold (believe it or not) and with all the bumps and falls I was ready to get out. I recognized the place near the Villas Riviera and hooped off with PP.

Back at the house I had to shave and stitch PP’s head with some straps he brought from home, and it seemed fine.

Later on, I was reading part of the book I brought with me from Thoreau, and I read something that I can relate completely. “If a plant cannot live accord its nature it will die. The same would happen to a man.”

Les aventures de Ramón (Princepezca), Pancho, and the EL Mighty Pelado – CAR CRASH!!!! (day 3)

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Chico

Have you ever cut fresh pipa (green, watery, coconut) at 6am for breakfast? That is what I did today, just outside our house, pick them up from the palm tree and chop it open. This is one of the things Costa Rica has to offer that we cannot find back home. Soon after breakfast we explored the surrounding of the Villas Riviera and went down to the river side, to have a pick. The sound of the water passing by, the waving trees, and the jungle sounds; perfect setting for some introspection and ideas organizing.

Costa Rica, bordered by Nicaragua in the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east, was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in the Human Development Index, ranking 50^th in 2006. The country is ranked 5^th in the world, and 1^st among the Americas, in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index. In 2007 the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021. According to the New Economics Foundation, Costa Rica ranks first in the Happy Planet Index (HPI) and is the greenest country in the world (the HPI measures how much of the Earth resources nations use and how long and happy a life their citizens enjoy as a result).

The Green Revolution (from the lonely planet guide- Costa Rica)

In the 1970’s, world coffee prices rapidly dropped due to oversupply, which plunged Costa Rica into an economic crisis, [since coffee had became the number 1 product in Costa Rica economy]. However, the unpredictable nature of the global commodity markets created a rather unusual alliance between economic developers and environmental conservationists. If wealth could not be sustained through exports, then what about imports – of tourists?

Drawing on the success of the Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco, the country’s first federally protected conservation area, Costa Rica embarked on a green revolution. In 1975, the Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde recorded only 500 tourists, though it wasn’t long before the rain forest was essentially paying for itself. By 1985, tourism was annually contributing US$100 million to the Costa Rica economy.

The ecotourism boom was on. By 1995, there were more than 125 government-protected sites, including national parks, forest preserves and wildlife reserves. The very same year, annual tourist revenues exceeded US$750 million and surpassed coffee and bananas as the main source of foreign currency exchange.

Success also encouraged private landholders to build reserves and today almost one-third of the entire country is under some form of environmental protection. Since 1999, Costa Rica has attracted more than one million tourists each year and continues to serve as a testament to the fact that development and conservation need not be competing interests.

This greenness, besides the waves was what attracted us to Costa Rica instead let’s say the Maldives. Here we have much to do in case there are no waves, and today that was precisely the case. We still checked Pavones in the early morning, only to feel horror-stricken at the wave size; we still drove to Punta Banco, but nothing! So decision was made to get to Piedras Blancas National Park.

As we were coming down to Pavones we adopted new Spanish-like names. Tourita is now Ramón even though we call him princepezca, because he is always fussy about things and with many “not here, not there, won’t do that, I want this etc.”, PP after some heavily heated discussions is now the Mighty el Pelado and myself have the normal standard apodo (nickname) for Francisco, that is, Pancho!

We took the Pandereta (our 4×4 vehicle) and got to Golfito, on the way we had to stop and wait for the ferry, and so we started chatting to the girl on the small tent, selling beverages and other things. One of those things was Ceviche, it can be described as a cocktail of shrimps and spices, on a water mixed with lime, onion and some sauces. Pretty good if you ask me! From Golfito we got to La Gamba and from there to The Esquinas Biological Station, which serves as a scientific base to the National Park, where volunteering, internships and researchers conduct biological studies on the Park. The station was founded in 1993 as a scientific institution owned by the Austrian Association “Verein zur Förderung der Tropenstation La Gamba”. Its main objectives are science, environmental protection and socio-economic projects. The station is scientifically run by the University of Vienna and supported by several other private institutions.

Formely known as Parque Nacional Esquinas, this national park was established in 1992 as an extension of Corcovado (the big national park around here). Currently Piedras Blancas or “White Rocks” covers an area of 12,000 hectares of undisturbed tropical primary rainforest, as well as 2000 hectares of secondary forests, pasture land and coastal cliffs and beaches.

As one last remaining stretches of lowland rainforest on the Pacific, Piedras Blancas is also home to a vast array of flora and fauna. According to a study conducted at the biological station at Gamba, the biodiversity of trees in Piedras Blancas is the densest in all of Costa Rica, even surpassing Corcovado.

Because Piedras Blancas is so remote and so little visited, it is the site for several ongoing animal projects, including the re-introduction of scarlet macaws with the hopes of establishing a self-sustaining population, as well as re-integration of wild cats like ocelot and margay, which were confiscated from private homes. This was a good option since it was possible to watch all wildlife as in Corcovado: All five species of big cats and all four species of monkeys, herds of collared and white-lipped peccary, crocodiles, and various species of poison-dart frogs (including the endemic Golfo Dulce dart frog) and more than 330 species of birds.

At the station a local guard offered us shelter for the car and a map for the itineraries we could take around there. The only thing is that after the walk we had to return the map to the station, fair enough! We took the Trail (as is was called) trail, it was fairly challenging one since none of us was particularly fit for that kind of steep, up and down-mountain trekking. However we were feeling in deep jungle and only the sound of the forest enclosing us. Beautiful scenario and after the Trail we took a divert into the Tocha trail and then into the Waterfall trail, that followed the river until we reached the Esquinas Jungle Lodge, where we had some food before heading to the car under some rain. Left the map in the station and proceeded with the car back to Pavones.

Tourita was the one taking the car and he was speeding so much I was getting nervous and angry. Still I said nothing, after passing the river, the road gets worst and more dangerous, and still he was “cruising” at 80km/h on dirt roads thinking he was the only one using it. Upon going up a hill the approached the bend quite rapidly and as he was turning a car appear in the middle of the road coming toward us. He loses control trying to get out of the way on the other car and crashes into the side. Man I was pissed! Told him to take the car from that place as he just turned it off and even though he car had nothing major when we started to drive again a strange noise was coming out of the wheel and is was not looking good. Below there was some bent metal and screws.

Because we were supposed to have called the Rent-a-Car anyway since the brakes were making loads of noise and it sounded metal against metal, the brake disks were showing signs of being worn down, I called them up and a new car was sent to us and had a time of arrival the next day at 1200.

I also called Thomas Lange for the first time since we arrived (actually tried one time in San Jose but his mobile was switched off). Very friendly and caring we asked how everything was and so on. I told him that when we got the car in San Jose we were told that the service they were providing was for a total of 23 days for Costa Rica only. On the 8^th of September we have to get to Nicaragua he said that he would look at it and sort all out in the next day or so. Thomas Lange is the owner and manager of Fatum Travel.

Forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look good, only Friday it appears to have more consistent and quality waves, we will see.

Going now to read a little before sleep.

PURA VIDA, everyone!

Laurel – Pipas – Wireless – Casados (day 2)

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Chico

I think it took me less than one minute when I got in the hammock to fall asleep, around 1600, only to wake up already in darkness with loads of insects bites, coming into the house I went to the bathroom to put some repellent. While I was doing this Tourita woke up and dashed in half asleep pretty frightened saying “FUCK DUDE, I FORGOT! I FORGOT!” at the same time as he was spraying a generous amount of product onto pretty much everywhere.
I got into bed, and after feeling vaguely conscious during night I finally woke up feeling the first light of the day, it was 0530 and Tourita and PP were already up.

As I yawned and scratched my head I headed out to find that same surrounding of tropical paradise around us. PP was still trying to rescue his luggage so he went up to Sean (our landlord) to ask him is something had turned up during the night as his bag was supposed to arrive at 2300 the day before. No luck! Nothing came up and no news had reach Sean about it.

Sean together with his wife Jamie are the owners of the Villas Riviera, a stunning place staying 200m from the Pavones peak. Sean, a British born, grew up in the USA, now at 45 years old started coming to Pavones in 1981, and moved permanently here in 1992. Back then Pavones had no electricity, so he work in construction and after Pavones got light energy he worked as an electrician for some years until he bought Villas Riviera in 2001. Initially the place was owned by the son of some rich guy who had the fancy idea of starting up this condo, management was poor and he having some personal issues aggregated to it decided to sell. Sean then sold the property he had in Punta Banco and established himself here. Great guy! The place is magnificent; beautiful housing with great hard-wood ceilings, and surroundings embedded in a tropical rainforest scenario, the house it very well equipped, with kitchen, bathroom, air conditioner, fan, safe, outside shower, hanger, etc. (see photos below). And well, this is where we are staying for now! Visit Sean and Jamie’s website at www.pavonesriviera.com

We went to check Punta Banco for some waves but it was still very small so we decided to go to Laurel instead of Golfito – as it is much closer – to take care of our lives; get money from bank and buy things in the supermarket, to garner our kitchen and fridge.
We arrived there precisely when the bank was opening its doors, 0800 sharp, got onto the queue and waited for our turn; inside they have this wiggling chair game where you sit and change chairs, until it is your turn to be given a hand. As all other banks I’ve seen in Latin America, they have heavy security with big shotguns at the door and also inside, just to be safe I guess. Steven the guy who assisted me, counted the cambio (exchange) of my money I think around 6 or 7 times, also to be safe, otherwise I suppose the lack of money on the counter will come out from his pockets.

After the bank stuff we got to the abastecedor (supplier) and then the supermarket and got all we needed for cooking, including the beers Tourita was talking about since we got out of Portugal, only to say that it wasn’t that good some hours later.

Also in Laurel I got to see some indigenous with typical dressing that I’ve only seen one time when we got lost trying to get out of Pavones. I wanted to have a closer touch and speak with some of them and find out more how they will. I hope this may happen while we are still here.

Back to Pavones, and after putting down our things we came out to find , our gardener (I keep forgeting his name!), collecting pipas from the coconut tree. Pipas are the coconuts still green, the ones good to drink water, when they dry up they are called coco. We drunk the water and ate the inside with a spoon, very good! That time we also met Andy, a local surfer that works with Sean and we exchanged stories about surfing spots and how we have to use wetsuits in Portugal and he told us where and when to surf in Costa Rica. Pavones is best according to him during March and July, historical data says April and June, but local knowledge is normally the best.

Also at this time PP’s bag arrived brought by what we would call a cowboy on a pick-up. He was happy!

The day before, while trying to get network on my mobile (none was found) I noticed that a bar nearby has wireless and so after some pipas I went down with PP to find out how it works and to check e-mails and so on. The place is called Café de la Suerte (Luck’s Coffee) and is run by Hadas and Ran, a couple originally from Israel. Upon the question how much the internet cost, the reply was that it is based on a donation and all donations revert in benefit of the local school. Superb! The rates are virtually set at 500 colones (or US$1) per hour, and you can always back up your internet navigation with some excellent fresh fruit juices. All meals are vegetarian, so all healthy and conscious food.

With all computer tasks done we tried to check for waves, again at Punta Banco since Pavones was still very small, we passed, and with the little surf is showed we passed by and kept driving, I think we were almost in Panama, the only thing that detained us was the poor state of the road and our car (Pandereta) even being a 4×4 wouldn’t cope with it. Coming back the surf was a little better and we went for a dip, nothing special but at least we surfed, paddled a little, nice to be in warm water on trunks :-)

This was pretty much what we did today, dinner was served at La Plaza Bar, a Costa Rican version of a Portuguese Bitoque, if you don’t know what a Bitoque is don’t worry too much, if you are REALLY keen on finding it out then google it!

PURA VIDA! From Pavones, Costa Rica.

The Long Road(s) to PAVONES (day 0 +1)

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Chico

Friday 28^th of August 2009 around 1900 I was wandering what happened to PP (Paulo Marques) a friend who was supposed to pick Filipe Tourita (another friend) and myself in Lourinha and from there we needed to drive to Madrid (700 km distance) where we would take the Plane to Newark (USA) and then San José (Costa Rica).
Instead of leaving at 1900 as planned we left at 2200, the drive was going alright until we entered Spain and the car’s turbo failed, the speed started to drop and I was getting the feeling the car would get to a complete halt! After stopping for petrol the turbo returned to failed a couple of kilometers away again, it would come and go, we were going faster than slow, than faster, but eventually reached Madrid where Ericka, a friend of PP was meeting as she was meant to look after PP’s car while we were gone.
Check-in was super nice; we manage to convince the lady attending us that we had 2 boards on each bag instead of the actual 3 that each bag contained and pay only US$100 to take the imaginary 2 boards instead of the US$400 required by Continental Airlines to take 3 boards, what a nonsense (lets us hope we can manage to achieve the same trick on the way back!)!
Taking off was a problem because apparently we had a flat tire and to replace the bloody thing took more than 1 hour, so we got darn late into New York metropolitan area to make the transit into the flight to San Jose (all also thanks to the bureaucracy of the friendly US government policies…).

Boards were all OK except my 6’5’’ that had her nose scratched off; in the end it was my fault really since I didn’t pad the noses and tails properly. I then took my jacket and placed it covering the noses in hopes it would protect and no more damages were caused.
PP forgot his luggage somewhere in the airport while carrying his stuff to re-check. We were already onto the inspection and scan site to the flight to San José when PP decided to have a go and look for it. We were very late and I was starting to get nervous! The search was hopeless and we had to board the plane. I was pretty sad about PP’s having to wander around Costa Rica on his jeans and shirt but I couldn’t stop but to grim at the thought of having all this policemen looking at the abandoned bag thinking it was another “terrorist” attack, in fact, in the end of my vision they were blowing it up just to be sure it wasn’t a bomb! (Not good for PP this part of my imaginary)

When we got into San José, 5 hours later, his name was being called to tell him his suitcase was left in Newark, unattended, but they would deliver it to a destination of his choice in Costa Rica, so he said Pavones (me thinking it would NEVER get there!).
After getting all our stuff together (except PP’s suitcase) and inspecting the boards, they were the same as we seen at Newark. Outside the airport we met the people from Thrifty, the Rent-a-Car service that Fatum Travel booked us. We got to the office and Edgar, the assistant, was very kind into guiding us through all the process, and by the end we got our Daihatsu BeGo (that Tourita called Pandereta) ready to roll. After a bite in Denny’s we spent 2 hours trying to get out from San Jose in direction to Cartago getting everywhere but where we really wanted to go. Eventually we figured out that the way signed Cartago into the highway is actually the opposite direction! Tourita was thinking San Jose was the worst place on earth and we COULD NOT stop at any red traffic lights and could not approach anyone to ask directions of any kind. At first I was quite piss off we were passing so many red traffic lights, but true enough many people were doing the same, but asking people about where to go when I was desperately trying to get away from San Jose… after a while I just asked, “hey can you stop here?”, got out and went to ask people how to get to Cartago. Anyway, this proved to be useless since all directions we got were wrong, virtually ALL, some even worst then road sign point Cartago in the opposite way where we should go! We then took the way into San Pedro by the ‘CA 2’ (it is like a normal road with some parts resembling a highway) and found our way in direction to Cartago, we thought of sleeping there but as our circadian rhythm were still the ones from Portugal we decided to drive, and we did, all night long. After Cartago in direction to San Isidro de El General and then direction of Paso Canoas all following the ‘CA 2’, then we took a shortcut using the 237 road into the 16, down to Ciudad Neily from there to Rio Claro where we stopped for breakfast at the local Panaderia and from there straight into Pavones.

Because we were driving mostly at night we could not perceive what was really around us, but coming down into Ciudad Neily we started to see as first lights came in… a luxuriant tropical rainforest surrounding us, winding roads from mountains into valleys and a greenness I’ve only experienced in Sao Tome and Principe so far. But this is remarkable, no wonder Costa Rica is considered to be the greenest country in the world, but more about Costa Rica as a country later.

Road into Pavones ranks 5 on the worst roads top 10 described on the lonely planet guide – Costa Rica. You need a 4×4 or you won’t get anywhere! The road passes from the lowlands where cattle wanders around to crops of palm trees until you start t get into proper tropical rainforest with all it has to offer, all this of course passing wooden bridges and taking a “ferry” to cross the Coto Colorado River.

We finally arrived to Pavones around 0830 and headed straight to where the famous second longest left-hander in the world lies at the river mouth, and it was tinny, in fact it was told to us that it was the smallest they have seen it all year!!

After that dreadful, shocking, horrific scenario (wave-wise) we asked where La Riviera was, our place to stay, and as we were going up Kelly (the owner) and the kids were going for a surf at Punta Banco where it was supposed to be the only place possible to surf today. We also met her husband, James before me and Tourita headed down with the board to see if we could even have a little surf at the main break of Pavones, but nothing. As we were coming up to the hotel still dry, a Local told us that the only place to surf was Punta Banco (same spot Kelly and the kids were surfing) so we headed that way. PP was too tired and got into bed straight away. True enough there were waves but nothing special. I took my brand new “bulldog” model that Gero shaped for me (Fatum Surfboards) just before I travel and it was not cured still, but I just got it is for a dip. Still with those dire conditions I still managed to catch some waves and was thrilled with my board. It is a very small thing, measuring 5’5’’x 19’’x2’1/4’’, very stable and versatile, now I’m hoping to try it on a bigger day, we still don’t know when!

Well, have another piece of advice and bring DOLARS here and not EURO! Me and PP manage to get some money from the cash machine at San Jose but wasn’t enough, so we reached Pavones with almost no money, even though we have some euro with us. And we only had money to get back to Golfito about 60kms away and get to a bank and re-charge. Tourita and I had a burger at La Plaza Bar and shared a beer since money was scarce. Tourita still insisted we should ask for another beer and he wanted the other course that was substantially more expensive. I had to play daddy and say no, otherwise we would be in trouble to get to golfito. For him all would be ok we just have to ask someone for cash or we could leave more money in euro with the owners of the restaurants and then pay them in colones (the currency of costa rica) when he have them and they would return the euro to us. Many schemes and ways, that the owners of the hotel should help us, etc. in the end we shared the beer, eated the cheapest thing on the menu (burgers) and headed off. I still wanted to get to Golfito and get cash out and sort out some other things, but as we were almost dead beat we decided to sleep and do that in the morning.

We haven’t seen much today and now I’m drained and exhausted. I still managed to send an e-mail to my girlfriend saying it was all alright and now I’m off to lie in the hammock outside since my head is almost detonating!

Tomorrow more on Costa Rica…
Pura Vida!

Gossypium in Umbilico

[exteriorized introspections] by Francisco Gonçalves

Tag Archives: Pavones