The first dives of the journey & Tamarindo pure (04.02.2022)

05:45 and the alarm clock rings, and that in the first week of the trip. Slowly, we have overcome the jet lag, and then this happens. For the hobby, it is easier to get up, and at 06:10 our dive guides Franko&Remo are already standing at the door with the Jeep, off to the dive spot. On the around 40 minute drive to the basecamp, we pick up 3 more fellow divers, all from the USA. To our surprise, the basecamp for picking up the equipment is located in the hilly countryside in front of the coast, but with the best view of the Pacific.

Remo takes both of us under his care, and we start talking in the car. Remo is a Swiss emigrant and globetrotter (New Zealand, all of Central and South America, etc.) and is with Franko, a Spaniard and owner of the diving school (https://www.tamadive.com). We quickly switch to German (English somehow feels weird) and go through our new dive computers (great Christmas gift). The 5mm wetsuit already shows that it will be a bit cooler than our last diving adventure in the Maldives in May 2021. Everything is ready, and we head to the beach, which is about 10 minutes away by car.

Loading together, lifting oxygen cylinders (looks funny when written) and equipment, and off we go into the sea with an oversized inflatable boat. The mood is good, the waves are moderate, and the sun is already shining down at 08:00, it's going to be a very hot day with around 34 degrees Celsius in the shade. Dive #1 is on, positively nervous but well prepared, we roll backwards into the Pacific. Everything goes smoothly, a bit of trouble at the start for Johannes when balancing, but overall a good 50-minute dive that unfortunately shows less fish due to poor visibility. Strengthened by pineapple (yes, also on the boat ;-)) and about 20 minutes later, we head to Dive #2.

By the second dive, you are back in the ideal feeling, the flow, and everything becomes easier. We see some schools of fish, starfish, and stingrays, but unfortunately, the manta rays remain hidden. The strong current against which we sometimes struggle is noticeable. The second aspect that was new is the temperature difference, more on that later in the day. But tired but happy about the first two out of planned 16 dives, we cruise back to our little paradise, Boho. See you at the beach at eight in the morning.

2:00 PM, the day is still young even though it already feels long. In the midday heat, after a cool shower and stowing away the equipment, we walk on the beach into town. There are many massage benches at the shady parts of the beach towards the road, interspersed with fruit stands and of course chicken skewers everywhere (small Thailand flashback). In La Kitchen, close to the beach, we enjoy our late lunch and as the crowning glory, a top espresso. The people are deeply relaxed, pura vida is definitely not an empty phrase here but very authentically lived. The rest of the afternoon is spent relaxing by the pool and reflecting on the impressions of the past few days. An important part of the reports from Costa Rica, as a (choice) Freistadt resident, is also the selection of hop and malt beverages, a separate report on that coming soon ;-)

In the evening, we go out again into the vibrant life. If it weren't for the (corona) mask mandate (which is widely accepted), we would completely forget about the topic, and the old normality would be fully present. The bar and restaurant scene in town is very colorful, creative, and diverse. Food trucks, markets, sports bars, surfer huts, or eco cabins, you can find everything here. We visit one of the food markets for dinner and are impressed by the appealing design of the area and the offerings, including a DJ lineup. We are slowly falling in love with the town of Tamarindo...

The daily two:

Insight: The temperature changes during our dives today were exciting and refreshing at the same time. We had everything from around 25 degrees Celsius down to 18 degrees Celsius. Even for our dive guide Remo, it was sometimes almost too cold, despite the 5mm wetsuit. The differences underwater often change rapidly due to various currents.

Moment of happiness: Relaxing in bean bags after diving and enjoying good food on the yoga terrace of our accommodation with a view of greenery