On the 2nd to last day of our trip, course participants had the unique opportunity to visit and immerse themselves in some beach ecology. We visited San Juanillo Beach, on the Pacific Coast, which is well-known for its amazing tide pools and shallow shoreline, allowing for great snorkeling on reefs that cover the ocean floor. Students were privileged to see a large assortment of fish, eels, sea urchins, and many other crustaceans like crabs. Our MVI Guide, Mark Wainwright, had all his color, laminated pamphlets as well as detailed books on the aquatic flora and fauna of this region, so students could try to identify the many fish and other ocean creatures that were seen in our exploration of the reefs.
We also finally and officially celebrated Ashwarya’s (Ash’s) 20th birthday with a piñata that Mark had filled with all the Costa Rica sweets we have come to enjoy, including cookies, candies, and fruits. It was an amazing morning in San Juanillo!
BIOL 398 Tropical Ecology & Culture in Costa Rica 