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| Volcan Turrialba from the valley. I live on it's slopes |
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| another sunrise over Turrialba from my deck |
According to the local conversation here in the high central
mountains of Costa Rica – 2013 is “the driest year” many can remember. The discharge data records I have received from
ICE confirm this …. and that includes this November. I was in such a rush to get pre-flood work
done by early November because the rainy season usually kicks-in by now,
bringing with it quickly rising rivers and road closures. But alas – the rains have not come. Not really anyway – more on that a bit later.
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| work-space in Verbena apartment |
In
this interlude where weather has been warmer and drier than last Feb-March dry
season climate I have been waiting, watching, dancing, and begging for
rain. Luckily my office space in my apartment is nothing to complain about.
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| Nov full moon from my Verbena deck |
Climate change is
acting itself out here just as it is across the globe. This has proven to be a problem when planning
for and attempting to accomplish weather-based research of flood impacts within
a closed timeframe.
Of course the other
edge of this drier-than-normal season is the probable likelihood of a very
intense storm occurring at an unexpected time.
If only it would happen this week! That would be great.
Then I would have enough time to complete my
research before having to depart on Dec 23
rd.
The obsessed scientist in me has been considering changing my airplane ticket and extending my stay here until the day
before start of winter-term at the University of Oregon in early January.
Perhaps a decision to consider in a couple of
weeks.
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| transport for next springs aerial photography |
In the meantime I have been keeping myself occupied. After all, I had weeks of data to transcribe
and organize, conference abstracts to write and submit, helicopters to visit,
meetings to make, CR agencies to bother regarding more data, and a few places
on the river to visit that were not accessible last year when I was here.
One
place that I was able to visit for the first time is located above Mollejones Canyon. The road and trail were closed last year with
a landslide. The area is located below the last raft take-out of the upper Pacuare -- before the crazy canyon
section that only pro kayakers do (way above my league) -- and above the
commercially rafted section. Simply stated, it stole
my heart and soul. So beautiful. The tributaries that come in to the river
here are filled with their own magnificence – including hordes of butterflies
that day.
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| tributary to the Pacuare |
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| Octavio at trib & Pacuare junction |
I also realized that
I needed a couple of days of “down-time” after a month straight of work.
Since I dig what I am doing a solid month of
work actually charges and excites me.
But, apparently stepping away from any obsession (even a good one) is
healthy.
Thanks to my Turri friends and activities for keeping me social (zumba class warm-up in Pavones at friend's house).
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| Playa Grande -- Cahuita |
I took two short trips to the Caribe coast. There I visit
the area near the small town of Cahuita.
On my first trip my cousin and her beau were also visiting.
That was a treat.
And then again I visited for an extraordinary
feast and festival at my aunt & uncle’s place held on Thanksgiving day.
The drive from the mountains to Cahuita for
the party occurred during the only “real” rain we have received in weeks.
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| me and cuz in Cahuita national park |
The
road through the mountains had several inches of standing water moving over
them where instantaneously-created creeks and streams quickly maxed-out the
human-created infrastructure of culverts and bridges.
FINALLY -- here we go! In the low-lands this meant large bodies of
standing water so deep the splash covered the hood of my truck and smaller
vehicles could not pass.
My truck rolled
through steady and easy. I was grateful for the rain but it lasted only a
day.
Thus I am not sure it was
sufficient to raise the low waters of the Pacuare quite enough. After a day at the
mechanics today, I will return to the Rio Pacuare this week to see what the
rains brought.
Fingers crossed.
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| Cahuita |
Both times that I visited the Caribe I was rejuvenated with
family, food, sand, sea, and the rich sights and sounds of the low-land
jungles.
Howler monkeys break the bird
and insect calls just moments before dawn with roars that appear to be
generated from a creature ten times its size.
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| family in Cahuita |
Tropical rains move toward the coast over the sea with a soft percussion
that builds to a tympani on land. The
mix of sun and rain here creates immense life and sometimes it even paints the
landscape with absolute perfection. In gratitude (rainbow over the Caribe with aunt Jo video).
