Beach Camping at Manuel Antonio

Camping on the beach. Warm sand beneath our tents. Palms swaying in the wind. Waves rolling in, rhythmically lolling us to sleep. Sounds poetically perfect, I should think.

I thought wrong. More accurately I should describe the humidity, the rain, and the mosquitos.

We woke up and headed out to Manuel Antonio National Park early Thursday morning. After stopping at two different locations for lectures along the way, once at Herradura beach for a lecture on tourism, and then at an African Palm Plantation for a lecture on biofuels, we made it to Manuel Antonio by 11 am. Then it was time for lunch and an orientation hike. We were there to study the effects of tourism on the local environment and wildlife. And sure enough, right from the first hike, it was clear that Manuel Antonio was struggling to deal with the effects of being the smallest national park in Costa Rica, but the most visited. Monkeys were feet from us, unfazed by our presence and excessive camera snapping, or they growled at us and knocked branches down, their way of telling tourists to stop watching them eat! Hanging next to the "No alimentar a los monos" signs, a capuchin tightly clutches a cracker. Oh, the irony. We continued hiking along the trails, pushing past people far too often, and seeing way too much trash.

As soon as we reached the top of the cliff - it was no wonder this park is so crowded. Cool blue waves crashing into perfectly white beaches that were contrasted with dark rocks and green palms. My camera couldn't click fast enough. Even the pictures don't do the beauty justice. I guess I can understand the over-crowding. Who wouldn't want to see this!!

No one is allowed to stay overnight in the park, but since we are working with them to help improve their management, we are allowed to camp on these pristine beaches - but only after the last tourists have cleared out. Later on, sometime after dinner, when we were having a lecture in an outdoor classroom by the ranger station - the dreaded noises began to encroach all around us. Rain. Lots of rain.

Regretting the decision to skip the rain fly due to the extreme humidity and excessive sweating, we all had to race back to our tents to throw on the tarps. Little did they help as the rains picked up again in the middle of the night, pouring into our tents and seeping in from the sides. Not that any of us were dry beforehand (due to the non-stop sweat + bug spray + sand mix,) but still the extra wetness was in no way welcome. After a miserable night's sleep - we all woke up early (what's new?) to pack up all evidence of our camp before the first tourists arrived at 7. Already nice and sunny, the park was ready to greet those early morning tourists, as if it had never been so unforgiving on us just hours earlier.

Despite the long night, Friday was much better. After breakfast, all 36 of us roamed around the beach giving surveys in both Spanish and English. There were so many people from Canada and the Northeast, and also Europe. Then, it was beach time! No matter how much sunscreen I put on, it surely was all sweat off by the time I walked from the top of the beach to the ocean's edge. The Pacific was not warm - it was HOT. Steaming hot. Almost to the point that it was not refreshing. The only way to get just slightly cool for a second was to get in the water and then get out and stand in the shade while you are still wet, praying for a breeze.

Now, after many monkeys, agoutis, iguanas, sloths, crabs, lectures, surveys, card games, and yummy coconuts, we are back at our center in Atenas. All of us were ready for showers - but of course, as our luck should continue, a pipe is broken and we all were forced to "shower" in the pool. Perfecto.

Tomorrow we are helping run a volleyball tournament for the locals and then enjoying a nice afternoon and evening off. I need it! Sunday a group of us are going to Jaco to surf and lie on the beach - hopefully my slight burn will have faded to tan by then so I can add to it!

Adios for now!