Surf’s up to all our blog followers out there!

Putney travelers rose early this morning for one of our busiest days yet! After a quick continental breakfast here at the Villa, we left at 6:30 for Playa Grande and a date with surf destiny. Our first group hit the beach at 8:30, and after a quick tutorial from our instructors, was in the water trying to catch their first waves. The remainder of the crew headed over to a Marine Biology field station to learn about sea turtle research taking place on the very same beach. The presentation was given by two turtle biologists who have over 18 years of experience working with sea turtles in the Playa Grande area. They spoke about how and what types of research they were doing, the threats that many turtles face at various stages of their lives, and what we can do to help ensure the survival of this majestic and important marine species. Midway through the morning we switched so that both groups could enjoy each activity before reuniting for a meal of arroz con pollo. At lunch we spoke of our morning’s conquests only to discover that all 19 of us had stood up while surfing, a huge accomplishment for any aspiring surfer! All-in-all we had a great morning out on the beach surfing and learning about some of the conservation biology taking place all around us.

In the afternoon it was on to the artisan community of San Vicente to try our hands at making some clay pots Costa Rica style. We met some of the women in the village who had been making pots for over half a century. We received an informative presentation about the pot-making process and its history before heading out to the studio to try it for ourselves! We certainly had some talented craftspeople in the group, and needless to say everyone had a blast trying to channel their inner artist. We enjoyed a locally grown and prepared corn flour snack before heading to the bus for our return trip for some R and R before our final day at the Villa.