Our Seventh Trip to Costa Rica
November 7 to 16th. 2004
This was our seventh trip to Costa Rica as a herping tour and I’m happy to say there was something different about this trip. My wife Helen was able to come along with us. On the prior trips she had to stay at home and take care of the reptiles and rodents. Now all the reptiles are sold and the rodents are in the freezer. We were packed and ready to head for Miami International by 10:30 AM, but we had a stop to make in Key Largo to pick up Tom who was going on the trip with us. Tom is not a herper in the since of keeping herps but always had an interest in snakes and wildlife in general. Tom had heard me speak 4 or 5 years ago when I ran the Fl. Keys Herpetological Society. The talk was on a Costa Rican Trip. Helen and I ran into him in a fishing store and he asked if I was still taking herpers to Costa Rica. I said I was and we had one for November with one space available. He said he would talk to his wife about going. A couple of days later I received an e-mail with his credit card number saying he wanted to go. Well, as things would have it, I sold the last seat the night before. We sold out the trip the 3 rd. week in September. As a matter of fact, we had 5 people turned down that wanted to go on this trip. Well, later we did have a cancellation and Tom was able to go.
We checked in at the airport and breezed though security and made our way to the gate. There we met Jim and Stacy from Fort Myers (their second trip with us) and soon met up with Brian and Jack from Philadelphia. We had our choice of seats the 757 was only a third filled. We moved through the Immigrations and Customs with no delays. The bus was waiting for us at the street. From there to the Hotel Irazu in time for happy hour and we all got happy, along with Eric from Ohio who met us in the hotel lobby. We had a few drinks and talked for a while, when everyone was full we headed for our rooms and a good nights sleep.
Second Day (Wednesday 11/10/04)
In the morning we all ate breakfast at Denny’s near the hotel. Then we met in the lobby at 8:00 AM to get our cars. We were ready to begin our adventure and we left the hotel by 9AM. From San Jose we headed north on the Autopista though the traffic for 30 minutes or so. Then we turned left for a trip over some real hairy mountains. Finally the ground leveled out and we could make some time. We were headed for our first stop at the Rio Tarcolas, which holds the largest population of crocodiles in Costa Rica. One of our herpers Eric, was talking to me on the phone before he sent in his deposit for the trip. The subject of crocodiles came up and he said he loved them. I said if you go you will see crocs the first day in the field. He said if I can see crocs in the wild, “I’m going”. His deposit arrived a few days later. While we all started walking out on to the bridge to see the crocs at a safe distance, Eric climbed down the embankment to get a better look. The river had been up high the week before but now had receded leaving a kinda sandbar effect. Eric kept moving out toward the Rio, soon he had to take off his shoes and was in mud up to his calves. He was about thirty feet away when a couple of big crocs moved into the water. Eric just kept moving closer. He was now up to his knees in mud. I didn’t like this because you can’t move fast in mud. Finally he lays down in a bit of grass and takes pictures maybe 10 feet away from two crocs that would go twelve to fifteen feet in length.
If those guys decided to have Eric chunks for lunch there was no way he could have stopped them. This is why I have everyone on the trips sign a Hold Harmless Agreement before accepting them on the trip. We piled back into the cars for a 10 minute ride to the Villa Lapas. Upon arrival we found Pete the final member of our trip. This was Pete’s third time with us on Costa Rica Herping Adventures. Pete is an excellent herper that has herped in many, many more counties than I have. I always welcome Pete because at night in the car cruising Pete always has great stories to tell us while we are creating new ones. We had lunch and one of the hotel guides told me he had seen an eyelash viper the day before near the first bridge of the Sky Walk. Pete had seen him the day before also. I told the group as soon as they finished lunch we would go to the Sky Walk to try and find the yellow eyelash viper. I got the key to the Sky Walk and we drove both cars up the mountain. From the entry we had a fifteen minute walk to the first bridge. We walked slow hunting both the ground and trees for herps. On the way Tom spotted a green vine snake and Pete made a try for him and came up short. Pete and I being by far the oldest members of the group kinda left the others behind and arrived at the bridge five minutes before the rest. We were two thirds of the way across the bridge when Pete said “he’s in the same spot as he was yesterday.” I was then able to spot a small yellow eyelash viper (Bothreichis schlegelii) no doubt Pete’s excitement of seeing the snake in the same spot sharpened my spotting skills. The others were just coming to the bridge. I said to Pete, let’s keep going to the end and see who spots it. Everyone knew it would be in a tree very near the Sky Walk on this bridge. They were walking by within 3 feet of the snake and even stopped right by it talking. I thought sure they had spotted it but no cameras came out. Finally, they got to us on the other end and said, “I guess it moved during the night.” Pete and I just smiled and said we saw it. “No you didn’t see it your just BS’ing us.” No, we saw it. Go back and try again. “Where is it high or low, right or left?” I said it’s between your nose and your toes, but wouldn’t telling them right or left or how far out on the bridge. Slowly they walked all the way back to the other end and back again, still not seeing it. They got back and we had to reassure them that it was really there. This time I told them it was on the left side within three feet of the bridge, a couple of minutes later Jim spotted it and out came the cameras. We didn’t touch or disturb it in any way but the next morning he was gone.
I didn’t mention this to embarrass anyone but to point out how hard it is to find snakes in the Rain Forest even if you know it’s there. There is no telling how many we all walk by within a few feet and never see. That’s why I like road cruising at night on a paved road, there I have a good chance of seeing them. Later that afternoon one of the guys caught a brown vine snake near the hotel. Later that night we caught 2 Imantodes cenchoa and 2 Leptodeira. Dead on the road we found 1 Rainbow boa, 1 tree boa (5′), 1 Imantodos gemnistratus and 1 Pseustes poecilonotus. Eleven snakes not bad for the first day in the field.
Third Day (Thursday 11/11/04)
This morning after a good breakfast we walked up the Sky Walk trail from the bottom to the top. Doing this forces us to go slow so we have a better chance of seeing herps. But like I’ve been saying all my life “You can’t see them if they are not there.” And this day they weren’t there. Pete and I make it to the last bridge and didn’t find the eyelash on his perch of the day before. We looked high and low for him and spent considerable time but to no avail. We pushed on to the top rested five minutes and started down meeting the rest of the group who had stopped after finding some bats under a hollowed out tree trunk. We told them they were about fifteen minutes from the top and we would see them back at the hotel. Pete and I made it back to the hotel in an hour, hot and hungry. When we went into the area serving lunch there was the rest of our group finishing their lunch. When they reached the top the hotel van was dropping off some tourists with their guide for the Sky Walk and they got a ride back. Hearing that only made me more tired. We all had an easy afternoon at the pool or a short walk in the woods. That night on the road we found a cateye and a blunt nose tree snake DOR. And caught a Oxyrhopus petola.
Oxyrhopus petola
Fourth Day (Friday 11/12/04)
This day was an early morning for most of the group. They were heading for Carara National Park, which is a five minute car ride from the hotel. We were leaving the hotel at 7 A.M. and I’m glad to say everyone going had had breakfast and were there to go on time. The park has two entrances. The main entrance where you pay to get in and another about a kilometer up the road. The second trail takes you near the river. I caught a crocodile up there on the first trip. I told Eric he might find one there, so they went there to hunt for crocs. The trail in was wet and muddy. Jim and Stacy headed back to the main trail. There they came across two Fer de Lances and were able to get some great photos. They also came across a few lizards, monkeys, Scarlet Macaws and an assortment of other birds. Meanwhile the other guys did find some crocodiles. There were some babies with a big mother protecting them from predators like our group. The guys were unable to catch any of the smaller ones with mom around. They did catch an ameiva and several insects, Eric knew all the bug species by scientific name, which impressed me and the others in the group. After lunch we all went into Jaco for a little shopping and sight seeing. While everyone else was buying tee shirts, etc. Pete and I met up with Marcelo to set up a boat for us to fish and hunt Sea Snakes. Marcelo knew from past experience that Sea Snakes would be primero and fishing was segundo.
He would convey that to the Captain just in case I had a problem communicating with him. That night we spent only a couple of hours on the road and caught one cateye.
Fifth Day (Saturday 11/13/04)
After filling up on coffee, eggs, pancakes, fruit, black beans and rice to the point we couldn’t stuff in another bite, we decided to make another trek up the mountain by way of the Sky Walk Trail. Someone came up with the idea of half of us taking a car to the top and walking down, while the other half started at the bottom walking up. We would meet along the trail and pass out the car key so they could drive to the bottom. The plan worked great the only problem was neither group came across any herps. But we sure worked out that big breakfast just in time for lunch. After packing in more food, we had to find a way to work that off so everyone except Tom, Helen and I went back to the park for one last visit. Tom had to run into Jaco and Helen and I went to hunt the trails across the river. Since last year the hotel built a permanent suspension bridge across the river. Before they had a bridge that was raised and lowered on a cable. This bridge was always raised at night in case of a storm that would cause a flash flood which could wash that bridge down river. Helen and I crossed the new bridge and headed into the Rain Forest we worked our way along the trails looking high and low for herps. We had a goal in mind I want to show Helen a carnivorous plant growing on a tree I had seen a few days before. This plant looked like an orchid when I was first coming up to it but when I studied it I could see that it was in the fly catcher family. Helen loved it and of course wanted to take it home. I told her a picture would have to do. Unfortunately the picture didn’t come out and I’ll have to get it on the next trip. No herps but a did catch a big roach for Eric, but I think Helen want to keep it for herself after she got used to it but in the end she shared. Both cars were on the road for the nights hunt. Brain, Jack, Tom and I worked the road south of Jaco. Jim, Eric and Pete worked the dirt road from the hotel back up the mountain and beyond. They caught a nice Coral Snake less then a kilometer from the hotel. Later on the highway they also caught a Fer de Lance. Meanwhile our car did manage to find 2 cateye snakes, red tail boa and a beyond identifing snake all DOR.
Sixth Day (Sunday 11/14/04)
Today we will hunt for Sea Snakes (Pemanis platurus). This is the fifth time on our trips that we hunted for Sea Snakes, only once have we been successful. I told the group that we have to eat and be ready to leave the hotel by 7:00 AM for a twenty-five minute car ride to the beach where will be transported by a small boat to a 23′ fishing boat. We pulled up to the beach right on time 7:30 AM. There was a guy with a radio that ran the transports to the fishing boats. I talked to him making sure we got on the right boat with the right Captain; you see not everyone understands fishing for snakes. We all packed into a small skiff to get going and see if we would be lucky today. The boat turned out to be perfect. It had a T top that was 12′ long and as wide as the boat. This provided shade for everyone aboard. The T top was built of 2″ aluminum and high enough off the deck that I could stand on the gunwale, hold on to the top frame and still be in the shade and have a higher view on the water around us. This is very important when you are in a big ocean looking for a small snake. When hunting Sea Snakes it is important to hunt in wind slicks where debris might gather. This might be anything from trees to garbage. Where I live in Islamorada we troll the wind slicks that hold seaweed, there we have a good chance of catching dolphin. So, here in Costa Rica we do the same type of fishing we have a good chance of catching dolphin and Sea Snakes. This day on the water turned out to be picture perfect for snake hunters. There was a very slight breeze just enough to ripple the water but not enough to cause waves. We had big up and down swells the water color was the same in all directions. I said to myself on the way out, this looks the best I’ve seen for hunting. We came across several slicks and not one of them had any debris. Now I’m saying to myself we’ll never see a snake if we can’t find the debris. We had been moving at a good speed crossing the Gulf of Nicoya for about 30 minutes when we spotted a lot of splashing on the water surface ahead of us. The captain slowed the boat and we could see a pod of porpoises. We cruised around with them for a while trying to get the perfect shot with our cameras. Tom yelled from the stren of the boat “Sea Snake!” the boat turned around and a couple of us got a glimpse of him and lost him again. I hadn’t expected to see one in open water with no debris. I felt we were real lucky and may not see another all day, so I had the Captain go around and around the same area hoping to get a try for him with our small net. After a while we gave up and put the fishing lines out. We trolled 4 lines in the water 2 on out riggers and 2 directly behind the boat. Within ten minutes Tom had a hook up. We brought in the other lines and Tom fought a 20 pound dolphin for ten minutes or so before getting him into the boat. We had the lines in the water again for a few minutes when Eric riding the bow yelled “Sea Snake!!!” The boat slowed to a stop and we brought in all the lines. We were drifting away from the snake when Tom came up with the idea of marking the spot and threw a beer can near the snake. The Captain moved the boat out a bit and made a circle coming back so we could have a chance of netting him from the side of the boat. Eric spotted him so he had the net and tried and missed, then he got another quick try and missed again. The snake had enough of this and headed straight down. Lines out, Sea Snake! Again and again. Pete tried then Eric tried again. We were finding the snakes in the wind slicks but there was no debris. The big difference from the last time we caught them there was a lot of debris and they must have felt more secure and were easier to catch. We caught eight and only had one dive on us. Today has been much more challenging. We were trying to catch the fifth snake, Eric had the net, the net by the way was 12 x 6 inches. He made a try and had the snake half in the net and he got out. He tried again same thing half in and out again. Eric is really frustrated now the snake dives, I looked at Eric and I knew his next move. Eric puts the net in front of him and dives down after the snake. We all thought he had him in the net and we all clapped and yelled, but the net was empty. The next Sea Snake was boated finally. On our half day trip we found 14 Sea Snakes and caught 5 of them.
On the way in the Captain stopped the boat to filet the dolphin before getting into the beach. He was just about to throw the carcus over board when Eric stopped him saying he wanted to take it back with him to feed the crocs. Jim and Stacy were waiting for us at the beach. Jim ask if we got anything? I showed him the box and said we had five snakes in it but the beach was very crowded and I didn’t want to open up the box with people around. We jumped into our cars and headed for the hotel. Driving though a mountain we spotted a snake on the side of the road it was a small coral snake. We were on a curve going down hill so it took a while to stop and turn around. By the time we got back he was off the road and we couldn’t find him. We came across two more snakes in that area both green vine snakes and both DOR. We had lunch at the hotel,then took pictures of our snakes. I took the sea snakes to the beach to let them go but It was Sunday and there were lots of people around, so I brought them back to the hotel to release later. Eric wanted to feed the crocs and everyone thought that was a great idea. I was so sure he was too close in my opinon the last time. This time at least he had food to offer to them besides himself. I figured they would go for the fish before Eric, he looked a little tough. Eric went down the embankment with a bucket of fish parts and we all went out on the bridge. When he got to the water he broke the fish in pieces and start throwing it to the crocs in the area. Once they started eating they moved closer. Pretty soon Eric had 6 or 7 of them within 30 feet. A couple of big ones came right up to him one finally came out of the water. Eric ran out of fish but not before he had a big one almost take a fish head out of his hand.
Photo by: Jim Hopkins
When we got back to the hotel I talked to the chef about cooking our dolphin for dinner, he asked me how I wanted it done and what time to serve it. I told him grilled and at seven o’clock. At seven the chef brought out a beautiful platter with more than enough to feed us all, we dug in and filled our bellies. We all set around the table going over the great day we had already. Maybe it was time to take it easy and get an early nights sleep. We decided that we could sleep next week at home, this is Costa Rica and we didn’t want to waste i, so out we went not real late but enough time to catch a fer-de-lance and find another DOR along with 2 cateye snakes, 1 blunt headed tree snake and a Stuart’s milk snake.
Sixth Day (11/15/04)
We knew this was the last day to score in the field after yesterday we knew we wouldn’t be lucky enough to come across half as many snakes. Yesterday was outstanding, what would today hold? We walked a few trails around the hotel that produced nothing. I had us set for the zipline at 3 o’clock. Just as we were getting our equipment on it started raining. When the last one of us was suited up; out in the rain we went, after all if you are going to fly through the rain forest on the bottom of a cable you might as well do it in the rain to get the full effect. We walked through the jungle until we came to the huge tree where we would start our ride. We would go from tree to tree from a pully hanging under a cable. We had seven cables to ride for approximately a half mile. Talk about a thrill this will do it for you. The rain stopped after the first cable and it wasn’t a heavy shower. I was dry by the time I flew down the last cable back to the hotel. Here is a shot of Stacy keeping her feet dry crossing the river. After our cable ride we all rested up a bit. Then it was time for our farewell dinner.
(Standing: Eric, Jim, Jim, Stacy and Tom. Seating: Jack, Brian, Pete and Helen)
We all were tired but we gave the last night a shot on the road. One car stayed on the dirt road and got stuck and spent most of their time getting the car out of a hole and back on the road. Both cars were out for only a couple of hours but we both got skunked.
Seventh Day (11/16/04)
We all had a good long breakfast then went to our rooms to pack. We finally got everything into the car trunks. Said goodbye to Pete who was leaving later in the day for a night in San Jose. He would fly back to the States tomorrow. I went up to the office to pay the tab. Both cars pulled up outside waiting for me. When I got to the car Helen said “we can’t leave Pete here by himself, we can make room in the car for him”. That would mean five in one car for a two hour trip but that wasn’t the problem the problem was getting more bags in the car. Helen said his bags didn’t have to go in one car we could split them up. Well, that made sense to me. We went back to the cabin and I told Pete to pack up he could ride with us. We put the skinny butts in the back seat of one car and we were on our way. We made it to the Alamo car rental and twenty minutes later we were in their van heading for the airport. We had a two hour wait and then we were in the air heading back to Miami. It was a great trip with memories that will last forever. We could not have had a group that came together any better and made friendships that will go on and on.
Can’t wait to do it again!
Jim
The following is a list of snakes our herpers encountered on our trip to Costa Rica Nov 9th to 16th. 2004.
|
Species
|
Live
|
Dead on Road
|
| Boa Constrictor
Common Boa |
0
|
1
|
| Bothriechis schlegelii
Eyelash Viper |
1
|
0
|
| Bothrops asper
Fer de Lance |
4
|
1
|
| Corallus ruschenbergerii
Neotropical Tree Boa |
0
|
1 |
| Epicrates cenchria maurus
Rainbow Boa |
1
|
0
|
| Imantodes cenahoa
Blunt Head Tree Snake |
2
|
3
|
| Imantodes gemnistratus
Blunt Head Tree Snake |
0
|
1
|
| Lampropelis t. stuarti
Stuart’s Milk Snake |
0
|
1
|
| Leptodeira septentrionalis
Northern Cateye Snake |
3
|
5
|
| Micrurus alleni
Allen’s Coral Snake |
2
|
0
|
| Oxybelis fulgidus
Green Vine Snake |
1
|
2
|
| Oxybelis aeneus
Brown Vine Snake |
1
|
0
|
| Oxyrhopus petola
Calico Snake |
1
|
0
|
| Pelamis platurus
Pelegic Sea Snake |
14
|
0
|
| Pseustes poecilonotus
Bird Snake |
0
|
1
|
| Un-identified sp. |
0
|
1
|
| TOTAL 47 |
30
|
17
|
Note:
This list doesn’t include the numerous other forms of reptiles and amphibians we came across on this trip. This list was compiled by: Jim Kavney.
Herpers on our trip has a few things to say about their personal experiences.
My Herping Adventure in Costa Rica
Hi Jim,
It was a pleasure to meet you and Helen. I had such a great time in Costa Rica. I kinda wish I was still there since the weather in Pittsburgh is in the mid 40s. I was really impressed with the Hotel Villa Lapas. The staff did a superb job and expressed excellent hospitality.
I was amazed at how many different critters we caught on our trip. I liked the crew of herpers and non-herpers that participated in our adventure.
I know my father had a great time. I got him to experience different challenges (such as the zipline!). We’ll definitely have some stories for our family members around the Thanksgiving table.
I want to thank you again for having a fabulous time in Costa Rica. I hope to do another trip sometime in the near future. I am also in the process of downloading my digital pictures. I will send you them.
You and Helen have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Brian
My Herping Adventure in Costa Rica
Jim & Helen,
Thanks so much for such an enjoyable, interesting, and relaxing time in the Costa Rica rain forests. The scenery was awesome, the hikes and sky-walks were exhilarating, the fishing (for snakes) was adventure-some, the zip line was thrilling, the food was fantastic and the people were phenomenal. As with most rewarding trips, it’s the people who contribute specialized knowledge, share similar interests, add humor, and form friendships. The knowledgeable individuals discovered and correctly identified the wide variety of insects, reptiles and mammals, which were camouflaged in the jungle, and willingly shared their findings with all of us. Thanks again and I look forward to another trip with you. Best wishes to you and your family for the upcoming holidays.
Jack
My Herping Adventure in Costa Rica
My 3rd trip with Jim and first with Helen, GREAT TEAM! I have been to C.R. many times, every time I go with Jim, I add herps to my life list, this trip after several tries for sea snakes I finally caught one, also my second golden phase eye lash viper, along with several Fer de lance.
Snakes are always a treat to find. I found my longest Central American Coral Snake, 2 types of false coral snakes, including a look at the C.R. milk snake that looks like a 3 ft. scarlet king.
I am not a writer, but we also saw vine snakes, I believe a parrot snake that I missed, poison dart frogs, milk frogs, red eyed tree frogs, and many more plus toucans, hummers, hawks, owls, macaws and much, much more, I plan on making the next trip.
I like to get to C.R. a week early for herps and culture.
Pete
My Herping Adventure in Costa Rica
Jim
Here is my trip poem.
I spent a weeka in Costa Rica
Many beautiful crocs but only one thong clad chica
For one week I ate like a king luckily when the scorpions escaped my dresser drawer, Tom did not receive a sting
We came across green and spiny tail iguanas thank god my toes never encountered any piranhas
Catchin’ sea snakes was oh so cool the Hopkins didn’t go because they said they would puke like a fool
Thanks again Jim for the greatest adventure of my life
give my best to your cockroach kissing wife
Take care,
Eric Erb
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Last Updated November 30, 2004.
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