March 27 & 28: I set out early in the morning for a two day rafting trip down the Pacuare River with dad and Pat. This was my third rafting trip down the Pacuare and my second over nighter – but I was still very excited. I have honestly fallen in love with this river. I seriously recommend rafting/kayaking the Pacuare River to one and all. Exploradores Tours is the company I recommend using. They are safe, environmentally conscious, Costa Rican owned, and serve amazingly good food. 
At the put-in
At the put-in
Our overnight was spent at a rustic yet very comfortable small lodge located high on the steep hill slopes of the river canyon with views from each cabin-upon-stilts of the Pacuare below.
Pat at her new office overlooking the Pacuare River
There I met a new valued friend known as Natural (Natu for short). He loves the Pacuare and the lands of Costa Rica. I hear in his voice the passion that I hold deep in my soul for the grand forests and rivers of the Pacific Northwest. As I listen while he shares with us so much information about the (his) land/river and its history I realize that my soul too has been inspired over the years by this river and the jungle that borders its waters. It is dynamic and alive and free running. I understand. I know that even if I don’t do my PhD research here, I will always return to this river like I do the Chetco, the Umpqua, the Rogue, McKenzie, Coquille, and others.
The river was low as it is the dry season, but splendid just the same. The low elevation of the water allowed Pat and I to better see the geomorphic features of the channel – especially the bedrock and depositional features.
And when I say depositional features I mean 3+ meter high bars made of boulders. Some of the boulders in the bars were up to 2+ meters in diameter resting on top of a bar surface of fully imbricated boulders. Yes, very cool! but also a bit of a challenge when it comes to methodologies for quantifying a sediment budget.
And its cascading tributaries with inviting swimming holes...
Day two ended in the town of Siquirres where the Pacuare River hits the alluvial plain and shifts 
to a braided system with a floodplain and islands of sands to boulders.
Pat at her new office overlooking the Pacuare River
There I met a new valued friend known as Natural (Natu for short). He loves the Pacuare and the lands of Costa Rica. I hear in his voice the passion that I hold deep in my soul for the grand forests and rivers of the Pacific Northwest. As I listen while he shares with us so much information about the (his) land/river and its history I realize that my soul too has been inspired over the years by this river and the jungle that borders its waters. It is dynamic and alive and free running. I understand. I know that even if I don’t do my PhD research here, I will always return to this river like I do the Chetco, the Umpqua, the Rogue, McKenzie, Coquille, and others.
The river was low as it is the dry season, but splendid just the same. The low elevation of the water allowed Pat and I to better see the geomorphic features of the channel – especially the bedrock and depositional features.
And when I say depositional features I mean 3+ meter high bars made of boulders. Some of the boulders in the bars were up to 2+ meters in diameter resting on top of a bar surface of fully imbricated boulders. Yes, very cool! but also a bit of a challenge when it comes to methodologies for quantifying a sediment budget.The beautiful Pacuare
And its cascading tributaries with inviting swimming holes...
Day two ended in the town of Siquirres where the Pacuare River hits the alluvial plain and shifts 
to a braided system with a floodplain and islands of sands to boulders.From the take out Pat headed into San Jose for her travels back to Oregon on Sunday morning. Dad and I hopped into the shuttle van headed back to Cahuita. Happy, tired, and wanting for nothing more from the day.
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