Before we could check out of the port in Chiapas, Mexico to continue south, we had to fix our hydraulic leak issue. We were able to determine that it was not leaking from the same place as before, and as Paul and the mechanic started taking off panels in the engine room, they found that the leak was in a 5000psi pressure gauge. The mechanic and Paul set off on an impossible journey to find a replacement gauge. Unsuccessful in traditional stores and searching a scrapped truck cab, the mechanic’s buddy welded the gauge (safety gear is to be worn on top of your head, right?) and it was able to hold pressure! Another one of the mechanic’s buddies then called, saying he had found a gauge, so now we have a spare! Gracias to the mechanic, and his friends, for putting in a full day adventure with us!
We arranged immigration to come the next morning at 8a.m. to check out. Immigration brought a search dog, which was fun, especially since he only seemed to want to sniff Andrew! After a debate about our unreported underwater scooters (they told us in Ensanada we only needed to report a motor over 15 feet), they gave us permission to leave and we pulled out of the marina under their watchful eye to make way for Costa Rica!
Three days later we flew a Costa Rican courtesy flag and a yellow flag showing that we had not been cleared by immigration as we pulled into Marina Papagayo in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica. Our agent and immigration official cleared us, we took down the yellow flag, and we headed on shore for lunch. Unfortunately, Kathryn was day 6 of a stomach flu, unable to eat or drink, so I took her to the local clinic and was thankful when they gave her an IV. He told her to come back the next day, so we headed back and determined that since she still had stomach pain, that we should take her to the hospital in Liberia. They did bloodwork, which was fine, thankfully, and they gave her another IV. Part of the reason that I was concerned that it was bacterial was because no one else in the family had gotten it. I worried too soon about that one…
Feeling mostly good, the kids and I headed to the Guachipelin Volcano Adventure. It was an epic day! We started the day horseback riding; I love horses but my horse was rude! Next, we went river tubing; the scenery was beautiful and the white water was awesome! Next, we ziplined through the lush forest and waterfalls covering the volcano. After a delicious lunch, we ended the day with mud baths and relaxing in 9 natural hot spring pools.
Paul returned from a quick trip back to Virginia for work and we were lucky enough to share more Costa Rican adventures as a family when we swam in the cascading Llanos del Cortez falls. We then visited a sloth sanctuary, where we saw a tapir, two very poisonous eyelash vipers (dead within 40 minutes of a bite!), and several sloths. After the sloth sanctuary, we headed to a cacao and coffee farm, where we learned about the process of picking beans and making coffee and chocolate. We ended the day with a great lunch, before heading back to the boat.
Paul changed the oil and filters, a job better suited for a person the size of a 100lb female so we could leave the following day. We fueled up and headed out Monday. We originally planned to stop at Isla Tortuga to snorkel and swim the next day, but since we are not feeling 100%, we decided to continue to Golfito, where we will spend a day before checking out of Costa Rica to continue on to Panama.
As no blog entry will be complete without some kind of boating issue, Kathryn came upstairs this morning reporting that water was leaking out of her ceiling. I went downstairs and the casual drip she reported was more like a deluge! (okay, exaggerating a bit, but her bedding and floor were soaked). Paul, my super handy husband, found the source of the air conditioning leak and now we have to pump the water out of the hatch, along with continuing to hand pump out the bilge (still working on finding a replacement part for that too!). Paul has add repairman of all kinds of sorts to his resume!