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The boat bounced over the waves of Drake Bay; we were out on the open sea—my colleague and friend Lou, who organized this expedition; our guide and survival expert, Alberto; and myself.
We continue on our way past the tourist beaches. The captain pulls his speedboat onto the scorching sand of a secluded beach, just a few steps from a magnificent and imposing green behemoth: the Corcovado jungle. Our guide pays the captain, who, without a second thought, jumps into his boat and disappears into the distance, back toward civilization… Now what?!
DAY ONE: EXPLORING THE AREA
Setting Up Camp:
Without wasting any time—since night is fast approaching—Alberto spots an open area at the edge of the reef and proudly announces that we’ll be spending the night there. The ground is covered with fruit that has been nibbled on by capuchin monkeys, whom we can barely make out, hidden in the treetops. We stretch our hammocks between two coconut palms, place banana leaves underneath to serve as a floor, and set up a tarp over our sleeping areas—our cozy nest is ready.
Fire!
We gather dry wood, strip the fibers from banana trees, and pile up our finds where they’ll be sheltered from any rain. Alberto lights a fire in no time at all—without a lighter or matches! He’ll explain how to do it tomorrow; right now, time is of the essence.
Next stop: here we are, making our way across the sharp rocks of the reef, armed with our flashlights. We scan the natural pools formed on the rocky seabed in search of our dinner. A few small crabs, sea snails, or tiny fish—nothing very satisfying. After a while, Eduardo calls out to us, proudly holding tonight’s meal in his hand! A superb lobster, slow-cooked at our campsite—and the aroma whets the appetites of Lou and me, both of us vegetarians…
We share a few stories by the campfire; Alberto happily recounts his tales. Our conversation is fascinating, but fatigue sets in, and we finally slip into our respective hammocks for our first night in the “bush.”
DAY TWO: THE HUNT!
The sun is rising; it’s early, and we’re feeling refreshed and ready for the long day ahead. Today’s schedule: harvesting fruit, coconuts, and firewood; learning how to use a machete; and crafting various items out of bamboo.
Back at camp, our arms laden with food and materials, the hardest part is yet to come. Alberto mechanically whips up a bamboo spoon and instructs us to follow his example to make our own. With equally disconcerting ease, he saws, carves, scrapes, and sands a section of bamboo to turn it into a pot. Our meal cooks over a high flame and consists of a handful of rice soaking in seawater, naturally salty; simple and delicious.
Without further ado, the adventure continues!
We hurry to break camp and gather our belongings; tonight we’re sleeping in the jungle. Step by step, we venture deeper into this green behemoth and quickly disappear into its vastness. We look for a suitable spot to set up our hammocks. After a short walk and some clearing with our machetes, here we are, settled right in the middle of nowhere, with only mosquitoes and the forest’s invisible inhabitants for company. No sky on the horizon—or even a horizon, for that matter—just trees as far as the eye can see.
With less than an hour to go before sunset and total darkness, we gather what little dry wood the tropical jungle has to offer. Alberto cuts the base of a water vine and fills our canteens with the liquid the plant had carefully stored. We settle into our hammocks after Alberto’s warning : “If you have to get up tonight, watch where you step.”
DAY THREE: THE SURPRISE OF ADVENTURE!
The sun is rising; it’s early, and the adventure is coming to an end. We break camp once more and make our way through the sea of greenery, leaving behind nothing but ashes and palm fronds as traces of our passage.
A branch snaps.
Lou turns around, her eyes widen, and she whispers to us,“Tapir! ” She freezes, pointing into the tangle of leaves and branches. There it was, as big as a bull, no doubt on the hunt for breakfast. We try to sneak closer, which seems to be the worst thing to do, since tapirs can be wary of visitors—especially when their young are around. Unlike us, this one decided on the spot to heed its survival instinct and quickly move away; it had probably heard or sensed us.
We continue on our way, more energized than ever by this unexpected encounter, and finally arrive at the beach we now know so well. We enjoy the unbelievably warm water while waiting for our boat and finally set sail for Sierpe. The adventure is coming to an end; we’re returning to comfort and ease, enriched by a fascinating experience and more humbled than ever by the nature that surrounds us.
TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!
Article by Clément, travel agent and explorer!
