Taking A Flyer At Costa Rica

It was dark when I first caught sight of Star Flyer. She was anchored out in Puerto Caldera harbour under a star-studded sky, her rig bedecked in hundreds of twinkling lights. 

A replica of the four-masted clippers that dominated the oceans in the 19th century, she was about to embark on a new route along Costa Rica’s dramatic Pacific coastline, where the diverse ecosystems range from steamy rainforest in the south to misty cloud forest in the north. What better way to explore its remote bays and islands than by tall ship? 

The Flyer has a state-of-the-art engine but is under sail whenever the wind blows. When I boarded, I didn’t know my spanker from my mizzen or jib but it was thrilling to watch the sails unfurl as the rig came alive with creaks and groans and we eased smoothly out of harbour to the dramatic strains of Vangelis’ ‘Conquest of Paradise’. 

Star Clippers attracts a loyal following and many of the 140 (out of a possible 170) international passengers – American, English, German and French among them – had sailed with them before.

‘The cruise focuses on NATURE AND WATERSPORTS rather than swanky shops and dressy dinners’

There was a German gentleman who was completing his 50th sailing with them during the voyage. The hands-on crew hail from equally diverse countries, such as Poland, the Philippines, Mexico and Sweden, and, from the purser’s office to the dining room, engine room to the bar, every crew member went out of their way to make sure all our needs were met. 

What you get on the usual cruise ship is non-stop entertainment, from cabaret to casinos, and innumerable daytime diversions. This is another type of sea voyage; one where the main interest lies in the scenery, the ports of call and the ship itself. The cruise focuses on nature and watersports rather than swanky shops and dressy dinners. 

You can also join the amiable captain on the bridge or lend a hand hoisting the sails. I spent part of one afternoon climbing up the rope ladder – with safety harness attached – to the Crow’s Nest for spectacular views. Plus there are informative lectures and morning aerobics or afternoon ‘Aquasize’ classes to offset the gastronomic delights on offer. Our first day was spent at sea, heading south from Puerto Caldera, which gave me the opportunity to explore. Artfully combining naval tradition with modern technology, there are 85 air-conditioned cabins decked out with mahogany and brass fittings, en suite bathrooms, TVs and double beds, where sailors of yesteryear once slept in hammocks. 

The fore and aft decks each have small plunge pools; the dignified wood-panelled Library boasts a fascinating array of books; and the relaxing lounge area is an ideal place to find respite from the heat. 

However, my favourite perch quickly became the cat’s cradle of netting underneath the Bow Sprit – once known as the widow-maker thanks to the number of sailors who fell off – watching for the pods of dolphins that often swam alongside us. 

The dining room is intimate and informal with free seating, which leads to a convivial atmosphere and – usually – drinks in the open-sided Tropical Bar. The evening entertainment was homespun and fun: no lavish shows but music every night from the resident singer, as well as performances of folk music and dancing by local artists. We even had comical – and competitive – frog races, using large, flat wooden frogs.

On my second night at sea, the gentle motion of the ship was like being rocked in a cradle. I slept like a baby and woke to find we’d anchored in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriquí and a landscape dotted with dozens of islets. 

For the first of our daily excursions, we landed on a castaway’s spit of sand known as Isla Gomez. It’s the perfect island paradise, populated only by palm trees and white sand beaches. 

The translucent water was bath-warm as I snorkelled off the beach, with shoals of tiny iridescent fish flitting around me. Others chose to kayak around the bay but we all returned to a BBQ of fresh fish and other goodies, made even more delicious by the idyllic setting.  Heading north back to Costa Rica, our next port of call was one of remotest areas in the country. We anchored at Golfito, a town that the United Fruit Company built from scratch in 1938, where it became the south’s major port until the company abandoned it in 1985. Now tourism has overtaken bananas. 

While some passengers opted to visit peaceful Playa Zancudo, with its gentle surf, and others an equally tranquil orchid farm, I jumped into a four-wheel drive vehicle and bumped up the mountainside until we were almost in the clouds. 

Costa Rica is the birthplace of zip-lining and there’s no more thrilling way to get a monkey’s eye-view of the rainforest and its inhabitants. As I tentatively stepped off the first platform cradled in my harness, a toucan flew past to check out the strange bird in its territory and my speedy descent over the treetops was accompanied by the low roar of howler monkeys as well as a huge rush of adrenaline.  That night we set sail for the Oso Peninsula, one of the country’s wildest and most isolated areas. The pristine rainforests and rugged natural beauty make this region among the most beautiful in Costa Rica and it was declared “one of the most biologically intense places on earth” by National Geographic magazine.

Coming at the end of the rainy season, our voyage was subject to the vagaries of the weather, and those who wanted to snorkel and dive at the superb site of Isla El Caño Biological Reserve – formerly a burial ground dating back to pre-Columbian times – were disappointed to find the late rain had created high waves and murky water conditions. 

Normally, the island’s virgin waters are some of the bluest in the country, and it’s home to a spectacular variety of coral reefs and marine life, including whales and sharks. 

We dropped anchor early in Drake Bay, named after Sir Frances Drake who had visited in 1579 on his circumnavigation of the globe. It’s the gateway to Corcovado National Park, made up of lagoons, mangrove swamps, rivers and rainforest, all ringed by pristine coastline where you can walk along muddy jungle trails in search of wildlife.
 
We hopped from Star Flyer into a motorboat and, after an exhilarating 40-minute ride to a rocky outcrop dripping in emerald vegetation – home to nesting frigates, terns, egrets and rare brown boobies – we glided slowly along narrow mangrove channels, past a giant motionless caiman sunbathing on the bank, as a white ibis stalked through the shallows and a green heron scanned the water for lunch. 

Later, we watched entranced as a three-toed sloth, a baby clinging to its furry back, clambered lazily up a tree.
Throughout the sailing, Randall, the ship’s resident naturalist guide, gave entertaining talks on local history and the staggering diversity of Costa Rica’s wildlife – the reason the Spanish conquerors christened it the Rich Coast. With a land mass around two-thirds the size of Scotland, the country boasts an estimated six percent of the world’s plant and animal species, with around 160 national parks and protected areas. Diminutive Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the country’s most popular, with stunning beaches backed by lush rainforest, a network of trails and wildlife galore. 

As we walked along, our sharp-eyed guide spotted leaf-cutter ants marching 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. 

We 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 survive 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 sustainable agriculture with the protection of wildlife and the natural environment. 

After a thrilling Zodiac ride to a shell-strewn beach, we walked through the tropical 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 photographic 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 lavish, 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

Maiden Voyage: 1991
Tonnage: 2,298
Length: 360ft 
Beam: 50ft
Draft: 16ft
Passengers: 170
Crew: 72
Passenger decks: 4
Registry: 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.