Day 3

For the adventure of the day, the family chose snorkeling! Claire and Grandma Nat had never been, and the day couldn’t have been better for it. The morning started out lazy, with all of us taking our time getting up and getting ready. We walked the beach again, found our monkey friends, along with an enthusiastic guide to take us out later in the afternoon. We left the beach out front of our place at 11:40 and met our amazing guide, Adolfo, at noon.

We headed for Isla Montosa, an island spot that Adolfo swore by. With 25 years of experience, he obviously knew what he was doing. We suited up in snorkels and fins, and plunged into the Pacific! Right off the bat, it was AMAZING. There were SO many fish! All around us, life was present; tons of colorful corals, sea urchins, and fish. We were in the water for close to an hour, with Adolfo showing each of us individually some of the aquatic life. He would come up next to you, grab your arm, and swim with you. He wielded a short pointy stick and some gloves, and as we went along, would point out different fish and other organisms. A personal favorite of ours was when he reached out and grabbed an unsuspecting blow fish, which immediately blew up to the size of a tether ball! A great laugh for all (:

After a good hour at Isla Montosa, we headed for a nearby white sand beach for some more swimming, snorkeling, and optional sunbathing (no one did that ahaha). This is when Grandma Nat got in the water for her first ever snorkel experience ever! She had an absolute blast! Trevor and dad took her around the reef, seeing needlefish, pufferfish and many others! It was a definite success (:

After our snorkeling adventure, everyone was pooped. The sun and the swimming really took it out of us. We had a quick lunch and most of the family retreated for a mid afternoon siesta (: After our siestas and another walk on the beach, it was time for a wonderful dinner prepared by Dad! Bratwursts done on the grill, toasted buns, and grilled mango, zucchini, and plantains. DELICIOUS.