ADVENTURE CRUISING
home with their haul and a somnolent three-toed sloth lying supine on its twig bed. Through a telescope, we spied on a striking Laughing Falcon and a perfectly camouflaged Jesus Christ Lizard – so called because they can walk on water – basking on a log.
W
e didn’t need our guide to point out a boisterous posse of squirrel monkeys as they
scampered from tree to tree grabbing at anything interesting they could find, or the giant iguanas strolling along the picture- perfect sweep of beach. Manuel Antonio is a 20-minute drive from the port of Quepos, which used to sur- vive on fishing and palm oil before tourism took the lead. Now it’s a lively place to stop for a cold beer at an al fresco bar, or typical Costa Rican fare such as casado – a hearty plateful of rice, beans, salad, fried plantain, tortillas and chicken, fish or beef – and to explore the galleries and craft shops. The Nicoya Peninsula was the final stop
on our voyage, the site of some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches. I opted for a morning visit to Curu National Reserve, a privately owned farm that combines sus- tainable agriculture with the protection of wildlife and the natural environment. After a thrilling Zodiac ride to a shell- strewn beach, we walked through the trop-
64 WORLD OF CRUISING I Summer 2011
ical forest where inquisitive white-faced capuchin monkeys hung from branches by their tails, as curious about us as we were about them, and I shook hands with a long-limbed spider monkey, a former pet, through the fence at their small sanctuary. Later, I relaxed on Isla Tortuga’s sweep of golden sand, shaded by palms and edged by turquoise water. As I looked out at Star Flyer, she was raising her sails for the pho- tographic tender that was slowly circling her. She made an impressive sight, sails billowing in the gentle breeze, bright white against a brilliant blue sky. I wasn’t the only one to appreciate her, as she quickly became surrounded by an admiring bevy of small boats and jet-skis from the island. That evening, after watching the sunset with a piña colada in hand, there was a lav- ish, but still informal, Captain’s Dinner with champagne, filet mignon, grilled lobster and Baked Alaska. It was followed by a talent show by both passengers and crew that featured a hilarious mix of magic tricks, a rendition of Abba’s Dancing Queen and a belly dancer, rounded off with a group Macarena for anyone who had the energy. The following morning, as I boarded the tender to take me back to Puerto Caldera, I was told if you look back at the ship as you leave, you are sure to return. I craned my neck to catch a last glimpse of Star Flyer and didn’t turn away until I reached dry land.
STAR FLYER FACTFILE 2,298
Maiden Voyage: 1991 Tonnage: Length: Beam: Draft:
Passengers: Crew:
Passenger decks: 4 Registry:
360ft 50ft 16ft 170 72
Luxembourg
ITINERARIES: Star Flyer’s Central America season runs from November to March. A 10-day holiday to Costa Rica and Panama Flyer starts from £2,279, including flights from the UK, two nights in San Jose, Costa Rica, transfers to the ship and all meals aboard.
MORE INFO: contact Journey Latin America (020 8747 8315, or www.
journeylatinamerica.co.uk) or www.
starclippers.co.uk.
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