On to Monteverde

Dr. Terdal discussing Boyle's Gas low and the very tactile ability to
experience it with your senses.

Ok today we have crossed Lake Aernal with a fun water "Party Barge" cookouts, dancing, swimming and of course I brought to the front the history behind this area.  Today we are in Monteverde, Monteverde is a spot where you can hike up to a point on the very tip of the Continental Divide.  The Continental Divide is also called the Great Divide. "It is a natural boundary line separating the waters that flow into the Atlantic Ocean or gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean"(USGS 2014) The line runs North to South along mountain ranges.  The above description discusses the Continental Divide in the US, and I have been to that point in the State of Colorado as a young man with my father, the zoologist, I never forgot him explaining this as I had never considered it before.  Today we hiked to the Continental Divide in Costa Rica, again the line runs North to South with a little meandering with the naturally formed mountains.  So, I have been to the Continental Divide two times on the same hemisphere of the earth. Pretty amazing for a guy who is 44 yrs. young!!

clouds dissipating and moving downward

Clouds moving upward

To the left and above you can almost see the clouds rising to the point where the platform is.  These clouds have taken a long journey from the Caribbean Ocean across lands, gathering dust and nutrient, pushing their way to this place.  From here the winds and clouds visably go

Here is the platform built right on top of the apex of this point of the continental divide

Video of clouds moving up from the Caribbean Side of Costa Rica
 

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Clouds and moisture moving over the top of the mountains and down the Pacific side along with river water runoff.

Some of the forest we hiked through on the way up to the Continental Divide

An epiphyte fallen from the canopy.  This plant does not root in soil, rather roots off the tree,
If it can get the moisture it and sunlight it will live right where it is.

!0 People max on the canopy bridge we walked across. 

A "Monkeys eye" view from the forest canopy.  A lot of these are designed so
foot traffic from tourists will not disturb the forest floor.

Another epiphyte, beautiful colors.

A spider spinning the perfect web all night, then sit back and enjoy your catch.

Thumb in photo to show size of this millipede.

This is what the rain forest looks like.  It is thick, dangerous and you had better have an experienced guide with you.

Stats I like to collect on elevation, distance and names of places I have been.

Hiking back down the pacific side.

Photo op, it was a cloudy day that day.

Just as Dr Terdal is giving his lecture on Boyles gas law and the meaning of the Great Divide, as if by

Devine nature, the clouds cleared and we could see to the Pacific Ocean about 45 KM (We measured on my map later)away from where we were.  Soon as we saw it, this mysterious place covered in clouds again.

More of the lush forest below

 

Another view from the trail on a cloudy day.

More pics from down from the Great Divide

Lush valleys often cloud covered at this elevation.

 All the vines and epiphytes growing on one downed tree trunk.

Look at the size of the trunks and buttress roots on this tree!!

Local flora for my flower readers.

And again, the concept of "help us keep our land clean" a recycyling bin to clean your pack after the hike.

These were the founders of the Natural Reserve Santa Elena Cloud Forest.

Opportunistic Cuoti  a member of the raccoon family.