As newbies to owning and crewing a boat of this size, we are still very much in the middle of our first year “learning curve”. To be honest, some days it feels like a comedy of errors, and we just stumble through the best we can. There is so much to learn that at times it can be a bit overwhelming. Other days, we feel like we are almost getting the hang of it! But no matter what challenges the day brings to us as new(ish) boat owners, we know that we never want to take this amazing lifestyle for granted.
We have been on a mission to find a spot to anchor out for a night or two. We have anchored for the night at Puerto Jimenez (a very popular anchorage for cruisers to rest and provision on their way to Panama or Mexico) and we have enjoyed that, but we were hoping to find something a little quieter, and a little more remote.
The Golfo Dulce offers many beautiful coves that would be excellent overnight anchor spots, but we have had little success getting our anchor to bite and hold due to the steep drop offs on the ocean floor of the bay. (We have a 150-pound plough style anchor with 200 feet of 3/8 inch chain). After experimenting with some of the Garmin recommended anchorages, with no success, we chose to keep at it (If at first you don’t succeed, try try again, right?) and we found it, our perfect anchorage, at the far north end of the Golfo Dulce bay and to say it exceeded our expectations would be an understatement.
I spy, with my little eye...The cutest little boat dog ever!
We took a slow cruise to the north end of the bay and found ourselves in 25 feet of water at low tide. With me and Bentley at the controls up on the bridge, and John down at the windlass, we dropped our anchor and hoped that we would have success. Our recent experiences with anchoring were not the best, as we dealt with significant drag, so when John gave me the green light to start to reverse, and then the thumbs up that we were holding, it was a happy surprise indeed. We set the perimeter for the anchor alarm and after 30 minutes with no drag, we deemed it a success and shifted into sunset sip mode.
An abandoned boat near our anchorage spot
We both slept like babies that night, the water was as calm as a lake and the sounds of the water lapping against the side of the boat acted as nature’s lullaby.
The next morning we launched the tender and took Bentley to shore (we are still learning to love the “fake grass” potty on the boat), and after he took care of business, we explored the area. There were a couple of local fishermen that we passed, but aside from that, we had the place completely to ourselves. We went deep into the mangroves, until we couldn’t go any further. What a different perspective Costa Rica offers when you explore by water. With the jungle sounds as our backdrop it was like time stood still and just held space for us to enjoy and soak in our surroundings.
John & Bentley relaxing and taking in the sights...Note my fierce concentration!
After tooling around for a bit, we found Kunken Lodge. We had no idea that it even existed up until this point. As the rule follower that I am, I kept Bentley with me in the dinghy while John tied us off and went up to the lodge to see what it was like. Minutes later, with a huge grin on his face, he waved for us to come up. He made a friend…Shocking, I know.
Let me tell you, I had no idea what we were going to find, but I was certainly not expecting this paradise that awaited us! We were greeted by Andres, one of the friendliest people we have ever met, and he guided us to the lounge, introduced us to the servers, offered us menus and even brought some water for Bentley.
We enjoyed coffee, fresh juices and a delicious breakfast on the terrace while overlooking the ocean and the beautiful landscaped grounds. For you foodies, I ordered eggs benedict, and it was the best I have had in Costa Rica! 10/10 Recommend.
My eggs benedict and maracuya (passion fruit) juice. Absolutely delish!
While we visited with Andres, he shared information about the villas and the spa. I decided to treat myself to a facial and it was truly a magical experience. To get to the spa gazebo you walk through an opening in the jungle and follow the gravel path through gorgeous flora and you will delight in the tinkling sounds of little waterfalls that surround you. It truly feels like you have been transported to another world. Then you step into the gazebo that overlooks the ocean but still offers privacy thanks to the tropical foliage. The scent of the all-natural products, the sounds of the jungle, the cool breeze, and the aesthetician’s magical hands lulled me to sleep in minutes. It was so perfect that I insisted that John have a treatment too. If you ever find yourself in the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, I cannot recommend Kunken Lodge highly enough.
The spa at Kunken, tucked away in a private jungle oasis. It's magical!
We were so relaxed after our impromptu pampering sessions that we decided to stay another night at anchor. The following morning, we took our time with breakfast, went through the pre-cruise system checks, and then with me and Bentley at the upper helm and John on the bow controlling the windlass, we pulled up anchor with no issues and within 10 minutes the anchor was stowed, and we were headed back to the marina.
At 8 knots it’s about a two-hour cruise time. We watched dolphins play alongside our boat and even spotted several false killer whale mamas and babies. We came back relaxed, rejuvenated and so happy we found this piece of paradise, right here in our own backyard.
Till next time, happy cruising!
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