Flippig the raft on the General Photo by Mark Adams
Our next day of paddling was promised to be the pinnacle of the trip and we were not disappointed. After Sam's friendly (and early) knock on the door and a typical breakfast (pineapple juice, cafˇ con leche, eggs, and beans and rice), we went to the put-in of the Rio Division, the main tributary to the Rio Savegre. This was the beginning of 16 miles of solid class 4 paddling which challenged everyone. It was an amazing combination run, starting with 6-8 miles of super busy, continuous creeking on the Division. This run was the most like what several of us were used to in Oregon, very technical with some steep drops but no big water pushiness. Sam and I cringed as Nate dropped over a six foot ledge upside down, but not surprisingly he came through, rolled at the bottom, and recovered to take our photos boofing the ledge. Arturo ran the raft down the narrow lines without a hitch, and an hour or so later we all arrived at the confluence at the Rio Savegre.
This was an incredible transition, as the narrow creek merged with a pushy, big water river. We quickly adjusted our paddling styles from technical moves to making through huge waves and big rapids. After the first few drops, we took a lunch break as light rain started to fall. Brian was temporarily missing, but it turns out he was kayaking ahead to shoot video along the run. After lunch was "Malibu," the major class 5 rapid on the trip. We scouted and then a few of the kayakers started down the rapid while Nate and I helped paddle the raft. It was a breeze as Artura led us through a big hole and right into the nearby eddy, avoiding the really meaty stuff in the middle of the river. Just as we relaxed, he said "Let's surf" and we headed straight into the big hole at the bottom. The surfing was great but then the raft suddenly shot upward, sending Nate and I toward the sky and into the river. Luckily, it was one of those non-traumatic swims after which we floated right into an eddy. Both Jonny Ott and Nate styled the rapid in their kayaks, although they had a little excitement as they were tossed around in that last hole-Nate's got some nice new scratches on his helmet to show for it!
"...we were greeted at the take-out eddy with a big crocodile..."
It was a long day but a great chance to see a run that apparently very few groups have kayaked before. Just as we thought it couldn't get better, we pulled into the Rafiki Safari Lodge. This is an African-style open air lodge in the middle of 750 private acres of paradise on the Rio Savegre. Our first priority was to ride the 50 foot mossy slide into the swimming pool, followed by lounging and drinking on the patio overlooking the river. Kevin and Lauren worked with the bartender to concoct the "BBC" (Baileys Banana Colada), a thick fruity drink that was quickly requested by the entire group. Some folks livened up the night with super strong Long Island Iced Teas, with our friend Cliff holding the trip record.
Our comfortable yet remote lodging consisted of African style tent cabins with comfy beds, big decks with a view, and the nicest bathrooms of the entire trip. It was an unbelievable place, set in the middle of tropical wilderness and hosted by friendly folks, several of whom were from Montana. At this point in the trip we had bonded with our new friends and guides, and I personally felt lucky to be in such a great place with such a cool group of people. After a gourmet meal of seafood and steak, we sat on rocking chairs and swings, staring into the starry sky.
Day two on the Savegre was much more straightforward, starting off with the class 3 "La Boca del Diablo" rapid but then mellowing out to mostly class 2+ rapids as the river winds its way to the Pacific ocean. This was a great chance for our newer kayakers to hop back in the kayaks and get some experience in warm, forgiving water. Just as we thought it couldn't get any better, the Rafiki Lodge truck drove up with a freshly cooked lunch for us in the middle of the run-a great treat! It was a relaxing trip after the previous day's excitement, and we were greeted at the take-out eddy with a big crocodile, although he showed little interest chomping us or even checking us out. After loading up the bus, we made our way through the dirt roads and palm oil plantations back to Quepos, where we enjoyed air-conditioned comfort for the next three nights (air conditioning is key to drying out your wet gear in tropical, humid climates).
After five days of subsequently more difficult rivers, our trip slowed down a bit as we got back into enjoying the town, including some shopping and sightseeing. On Friday we took a day off to enjoy an expertly guided tour of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio by Ronaldo where we saw monkeys, sloths, birds, and other wildlife. At 683 hectares, Manuel Antonio is by far the smallest park in the national park system, but it is also one of the most popular. This is because of its beautiful forest-backed tropical beaches, dramatic rocky headlands, prolific wildlife, and maintained trail network.
It was a long and hot, humid hike but we washed off the sweat at a great waterfall along with some new friends from Switzerland. That afternoon several of us enjoyed a marathon shopping excursion in Quepos followed by iced coffee at Cafˇ Milagro (a great spot for breakfast, espresso drinks, and coffee beans to take home), cigars next door, and body surfing past sunset with a couple of Imperials (the local beer of Costa Rica). In our rush to leave town with only a little cash, we ran up a drink and dinner tab that night and couldn't pay the bill-no ATM cards, no credit cards in-hand. Luckily, after dropping Arturo's name we got a reprieve and were able to pay the bill a couple of days later.
Cliff reunited with his Costa Rican girlfriend Rosa, and bets are on as to whether the relationship continues now that we're home. Toward the end of the trip I finally got the energy to keep up (or at least partially keep up) with the late night crowd. We went to the famous beach party on Friday night, although it paled in comparison to the huge crowd the next night, dancing as the surf waves came in until the early hours of the morning. A ride home over the curvy roads in Arturo's pick-up truck added an extra element of excitement to the trip.
It is tough to end such a great trip, but on Sunday it was back to San Jose for another round of boat packing followed by our farewell dinner. Given its relatively high elevation, San Jose was a cool break from the hot weather on the coast. Kevin and Lauren left early for a five day extension to the Osa Peninsula, which naturally made us all jealous. After dinner a few of us found a decidedly low brow club to end the night, but it shut down around fairly early and that was clearly the end of the action on a Sunday night. Thanks to the short line and friendly local agent at the airport, I got our two kayaks on the plane for no charge although I had a heck of a time dragging them through customs at LAX.
Life is short, so if you get the chance to kayak in Costa Rica or other tropical destinations my advice is to take advantage of it. Thanks again to our guides, the hospitable citizens of Costa Rica, my newly found friends, and a great roommate for an incredible trip.
