Just as the fall chill (and rain) fell over Portland, we embarked on a Costa Rican kayak adventure with Northwest River Guides, led by Sam Drevo and his team. We initially got acquainted over tacos at a pre-trip dinner, followed by a pool session for some members of the group and finally a kayaking packing party shortly prior to departure. The kayakers-Jonny, Nate, Kevin, Lauren, Cliff, and me-were a diverse group in terms of age, profession, and kayak abilities-with a few beginners to the sport and some more experienced boaters. Our expert guides included Sam, Jonny, and Jeremy from Portland as well as Brian from Maine (who was already in the country arranging logistics) and Arturo, a native of Mexico who now lives in Costa Rica and works with the local Rios Tropicales affiliate in Quepos. Throughout the trip they demonstrated enthusiasm, humor, and patience during the hectic times on and off the rivers.
Our adventures began right away. Aided by a few drinks the night before at Portland's Paddlers' Pint Night, Nate checked our kayaks on his flight to Costa Rica and successfully convinced the skeptical gate agents that the two boats were "one unit" connected by a flange-as is often the case on prototype surf skis. Excellent engineering talk that convinced even the supervisor that he was right! Being the last to arrive on a red-eye from LAX, I made it to San Jose on Saturday morning and was happy to see our bus, driver, and friends waiting right outside the terminal. We quickly learned that the original plan of boating Costa Rica classics such as the Pacuare, Reventazon, Pejibaye, and Sarapiqui was off because of flooding in that drainage. In fact, the water was so high part of the Pecuare lodge was destroyed.
Brian and his team worked hard to arrange our "Plan B" itinerary, which led us (slowly, given a landslide on the road) down the scenic drive from San Jose to Jaco on the Pacific coast and then south to Quepos which would be our home base for much of the trip. This town gets its name from the Quepoa Indian tribe, a subgroup of the Borucas who inhabited the area at the time of the conquest. Quepos has since become important as a sportfishing center and as the nearest town to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, one of the most visited national parks in Costa Rica.
"...we did not encounter another kayak or raft party the entire trip-something that can't usually be said for the rivers of California or Oregon..."
After a long drive, we body surfed at sunset and then dined together in town, getting our first taste for the delicious local cuisine. The social crowd started the "Cuba Libre" (rum and Coke) tradition and visited a festive beach party until the wee hours. Our first day of paddling led us to the Rio Naranjo, a great class 2-3 introductory run that is named for its rather orange (muddy) color. On the way to the put-in we received an expert tour from Ronaldo, a local farmer and entrepreneur who grows herbs and teas. This was just the beginning of his hospitality, as he later guided a tour through the park and graciously provided surfboards for our coastal session toward the end of the trip.
The river action started right away, given the medium-high water level, with plenty of boulder garden rapids and play waves. The "mini-me" (small raft) took a swim in "Hurricane Caesar," which along with "Robin Hood" are two solid class 3 drops on the run. After an hour or so we stopped for what would become our traditional watermelon and pineapple fruit break, followed by the more mellow second half of the run.
While the Rio Naranjo was a busy mid-sized river, our next destination-Rio General-originates from its source on Mt. Chirripo and is one of the larger drainages in the country. We embarked on a two-day big water run with exciting whitewater in a rich tropical environment. The river has a gradient of 50 feet per mile and flows up to 10,000 cubic meters per second, creating plenty of rapids and play waves along the way-not to mention great scenery and a lack of crowds. In fact, we did not encounter another kayak or raft party the entire trip-something that can't usually be said for the rivers of California or Oregon.
Apparently these "Plan B" rivers on the Pacific drainage are less well known than those on the original itinerary, so it was a great opportunity for new adventure. We took our time enjoying innumerable waterfalls in the wide, tropical canyon as well as beautiful weather. Tropical birds, iguanas, and other wildlife can be seen along the way. After a full day of kayaking, our reliable bus and driver were waiting at the take-out.
Our next day led to bigger water and four class 4 rapids on the General, so I outfitted a CFS for the run and Nate took over my red EZ, which was a little more comfortable than his battered boat. At "Screaming Right Turn," one of the big rapids that take a huge bend to the right, we shot video (and laughed) as the raft went for the hero line and promptly shot three of the four boaters out into the water. Jeremy took the most exciting line, weaving through huge holes, while Sam aced the far left hero line without difficulty. This is an amazing run for its isolation, beauty, big water rapids, and play spots. Toward the end of the day we spent time at a killer play spot where we had lunch, soaked in the sun, and shot photos. This gave a couple of our newer boaters an opportunity to practice their rolls and paddle strokes. Later we had a long hike up a dirt road at the take-out, but were rewarded with fresh pineapple (picked from the local fields by our driver) and a clear view of the night stars.
During this part of the trip we stayed in San Isidro de el General, the most important town on the Southern Interamericana, some 136km from San Jose. Located on the southern slope of the Chirripo National Park, the town and its surrounding district are home to a population of about 40,000. San Isidro is a bustling, pleasant, and fairly modern town although it appears to be more of a gateway to other places (such as the General) than a destination itself. The inland town is somewhat low on charm, but we kept ourselves busy with good food and nightlife in the downtown area.
