Playa del Coco is the first town that we have come across since we left Nicaragua and is the first port of entry to get checked into Costa Rico. All the guidebooks mention that you have to call ahead to the Capitainia de Puerto to let the office know before they close (and avoid overtime charges) that you need to check in. Apparently the Port Captain keeps irregular hours. This also allows them to call for Immigration and Customs so all paper work can be done together. We called for the Port Captain via VHF and he informed us to come into the office. We rode into shore with Arctic Vixen so we all could get checked in at the same time. Even though it was a challenge to get through the wind chop and breaking water to land the dinghy with 5 of us, we got to the beach safe but soaking wet! Oh well, we figured we would dry before we reached the Port Captain's office.
It was quite an interesting check in. It actually went fairly smooth but we all were a bit confused. We completed the paper work for the Port Captain, and then we headed down the street a bit to get our second copy of documentation stamped by Immigration. The confusing part was that the Customs gentleman (later found out it was him), repeatedly told us that each Captain of the boat needed to take the stamped documents that we took to Immigration to the airport (a $50US fare and 30 min ride each way) to Customs (Aduana) Well, it was like we were on Candid Camera or a skit on Mad TV, because after Brian and the other Captains took the trip to the airport, the same Custom guy shows up and has them hand him the paper work and stamps it and hands it back! Not sure why they had to make the trip to the airport other than maybe that Customs did not have stamp while in town. Oh well, we are finally checked into Costa Rico and we have an international zarpe and nation zarpe so we can cruise around the country with out any problems.
Playa del Coco is located in the Golfo de Papagayo and is very much affected by the papagayo winds. The wind was too strong for us to launch our dinghy. We were fortunate that Arctic Vixen was able to launch their dinghy and give us rides into the town. Because of the wind creating choppy seas and some waves along the shoreline it often was a wet landing to the beach. Just an added adventure from our adventure!
Play del Coco is a funky little town (called El Coco), with lots of cars, cruising up and down the main road of the town. Funny, one of the guidebooks describes it as being "scruffy" and another describes it as having "feral surfers." I would say it is a little of both but really has a lot to offer and is one of the biggest towns that we have seen thus far in Costa Rico. They actually have several Internet cafes where the internet works! It also has a variety of restaurants and shops with Costa Rican gifts. They have some of the street vendors that walk along the streets to sell their goods while you are sitting in a restaurant and or walking down the street. (not as much as Mexico though) We enjoyed having a nice seafood dinner our last night in El Coco at one of the nicer restaurants and bid a farewell to Patsy (crewmember of Arctic Vixen) as she was heading back to the UK to the cold weather. We have enjoyed getting to know her during our time from Nicaragua to Costa Rico. After seeing Patsy off in the taxi to Liberia airport (somehow she was able to make a deal of $30 to the airport with the driver) the next morning, we (and Arctic Vixen) decided to head down the coast to Tamarindo.