We take advantage of the winds produced by a small offshore storm system to sail south from Isla Cedros to Puerto Jimenez, on the eastern coast of the Osa Peninsula.
A Wet and Bumpy Sail
We decided to sail down to Golfo Dulce before Nic’s departure for California to visit his family. Originally our plan was to stop along the coast in Playa Herradura, Quepos, and Uvita but we quickly changed our minds.
We left Isla Cedros for a day sail across the Gulf of Nicoya to Playa Herradura. The weather window we chose had a forecast of 8 to 10 knots of wind but also lots of rain and countering currents. By the time we entered the bay of Playa Herradura we were disappointed to find no shelter from the 1.5 meter swell that was rolling into the bay and that which was reflected back by the eastern hillsides. Nonetheless we anchored and Nic prepared to take Kiwi to shore. For a while we debated where to safely land on the beach with the stand-up-paddleboard (SUP). Fortunately Nic managed to get Kiwi to shore and back but not without tumbling through the surf.
After a mostly sleepless night of pitching and rolling, we raised the anchor early the next morning to continue down the coast. Because the swell still hadn’t reduced significantly, we decided to skip Quepos and Uvita which both, judging by the charts and other sailor’s reviews, were fairly exposed anchorages as well. And after about 48 hours of sailing we finally reached Puerto Jimenez.
Aside from constant rain and no wind at the beginning, we discovered that our autopilot was not adjusting the tiller anymore. Nic determined that the controller was not functioning as it should, meaning, if we were not sailing using the wind vane for steering, we had to hand steer while motoring. The rain added to our already humid environment on board and made the mold bloom. Despite regular cleaning with vinegar, most surfaces show a greyish coating after only a few days.
Puerto Jimenez and the Osa Peninsula
Puerto Jimenez is located on the easter side of the Osa Peninsula, well inside Golfo Dulce. This makes for a beautiful and calm anchorage. Unlike our previous anchorages, the water here is sometimes clear enough to swim in comfortably. During the rainy season the water throughout Costa Rica gets very murky and unfortunately the crocodiles are more active as well. Most encounters between crocodiles and humans happen along rivers. Two small rivers lead into Golfo Dulce from behind the town and when it rains a lot, the water turns almost a cappuccino color.
We chose to anchor the boat at Puerto Jimenez while Nic travels to California because the town is quiet, very walkable, well stocked with groceries and easily accessed by dinghy. Despite it’s small size, Puerto Jimenez has an airstrip and even a small pedestrian ferry that takes locals and tourists to Golfito and back.
The beaches here allow for long walks that Kiwi appreciates. The beautiful colors of the many scarlet macaws, green parrots, and parakeets can be seen at dawn and dusk and their squawking can be heard far and wide. Taking early morning walks through town you can also spot spider monkeys filling their bellies with fruits from high in the tree canopy. Kiwi, who loves to chase squirrels, has now spotted the monkeys here as well and loves to stare at them intently.
Upon Nic’s return we need to prepare for our departure from Costa Rica as we only have until the end of December to explore this beautiful country.
