5am we are woken by a tremendous repeated noise which penetrates the earplugs, like a braking juggernaut? no, definitely animal - jaguar? wolf maybe? Getting closer, but I still didn't guess. Of course I had read about the howler monkeys in the rain forest, but was still not prepared for this deep, barking, howling, a very effective wake up call but with no control over the timing. During our walks and boat rides we saw several, velvety and brown in the trees as well as spider monkeys and glimpsed some more elusive white faced capuchins.
Tortuguero is on the Caribbean coast famous for the many turtles who return each year to lay up to a 1000 eggs each on the beach on which they had hatched. Only 2% will survive preditors and perils. It wasn't the season so we didn't get to see a live version of the brilliant Attenborough turtle film, but old nests were still visible on the beach and remnants of old hatched eggs, like crumpled table tennis balls.
The sand is dark volcanic grey and sparkling and very soft to walk along, the sea warm, with breaking waves, but not too romantic as it leaves your feet looking like you had worked a week in a coal mine and forgotten to wash them.
A leisurely boat ride along the river and canals revealed much more wildlife than is usual on such trips. Our guides once again seemed to spot the invisible. Sloths, monkeys, birds and butterflies, 2-3ft long alligator-like caimans, the iguanas and lizards basking on branches, like miniature dinosaurs. My favourite the emerald green Jesus Christ lizard, with its green and black frilly crests along the back and head, so called because it walks on water. And all except the most skittish juveniles calmly posing for photos.
One minute the sky seems blue and sunny, the next we are handed large ponchos just as the heavens open to a wall of water. A few minutes huddled in intense wetness as if we have walked into the shower fully clothed and then it is gone as suddenly as it came and we dry rapidly as the sun comes back out.
A long and magical day, but an early night as we know the howler monkeys won't let us lie in the next morning.