Apr 21

Apr 21 Curu Wildlife Refuge

Ship: Swan Hellenic - SH Diana
Itinerary: 11-Night Puntarenas to Cartagena

Our first full day on SH Diana and we are getting to enjoy our first included excursion, a visit to the Curu Wildlife Refuge. We grab our life vests and waterproof backpacks and have about 15 minutes for a quick breakfast before heading to BaseCamp on Deck 3.

After boarding the Zodiac for the short ride over to the island, we get another safety briefing from our Zodiac pilot.

There are about 20 people in our group as we head out on the 3-hour walking tour.

Navigating through the jungle requires crossing several interesting bridges.

A wide variety of vegetation can be found here.

I was lagging behind the tour group when I spotted this strange looking fellow scurrying around behind me on the path. Do you know what this is?

I like to fall back, away from the group, so I can get better photos and video. I wish I had brought my mirrorless camera.

At the end of the tour, we re-board the Zodiacs for the ride back to SH Diana in time for lunch.

We decide to try the light lunch options at Club Lounge on Deck 7 aft. Rickee opted for the steak sandwich (below), which unfortunately, was woefully undercooked.

My cheeseburger with fries was a better choice, but the bun was a little stale. Steaming or toasting the bun would have made a big improvement.

This evening was the Captain’s Welcome Reception held in Observation Lounge (Deck 7 forward). We had the opportunity to meet Captain Kai Ukkonen and all of the senior officers.