![]() ![]() We returned to the ship fatigued but without a doubt content. Some of us decided to take a very relaxing dip in the local hot springs, and the rest decided on another walk towards the Chorreras Waterfall. Without much time for a break, we headed out once again for our afternoon activities. We headed back to our headquarters for a well-deserved lunch of local foods and a very endearing performance of local dances. The other group chose to enjoy one of the highlights of visiting Costa Rica, a zipline or canopy tour that zips through a magnificent rocky ravine. Rugged trails covered in wonderfully dark green trees took us to a couple of viewpoints of bubbly mud pots and waterfalls. Some of us decided to hike around the area of the active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. We disembarked to catch two local, very comfortable buses that led us to the day’s adventures. A beautiful morning invited us to disembark onto the dark sandy beach of Playas del Coco. National Geographic Quest Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and Hacienda Guachipelin, Guanacaste Our visit today was a fantastic opportunity to explore a conservation success story in progress. From the glorious native kauri tree, almost wiped out in the demand for timber, to the charming and iconic kiwi bird, positive change is taking place. Through the conservation efforts of mostly private individuals, the island is on its way to becoming a haven for indigenous flora and fauna. More than a century later, the tide began to turn. Cleared of endemic trees and nearly all the native avifauna, the ecosystem of Great Barrier Island barely held on. ![]() The disturbance to the island then was nothing compared to the near extinction event that followed the arrival of Europeans. Birds were the original caretakers of the island but were overthrown when Polynesians arrived around the year 1000. It is a massive island with a long and occasionally troubled history. Great Barrier Island sits forty-five miles northeast of Aukland, New Zealand. National Geographic Orion Great Barrier Island ![]()
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