The next day found us cruising the calm sheltered waters of Golfo Dulce that provide a panoramic view of the rugged coastline of southwestern Costa Rica. Golfo Dulce translates from the Spanish as "freshwater" gulf, an appropriate name due to the abundance of rainwater and rivers flowing into the narrow inlet. Sparsely populated with small ports and villages, the area boasts only a few large towns. The largest, Golfito (population 35,000), is one of the most picturesque cities in the country.

Heavy rainfall sustaining a tropical rainforest vegetation made Golfito primarily a banana port to the Banana Company of Costa Rica from the 1930's until the 1980's. A roadway through the mountains connects Golfito to the great Pan American Highway. Costa Rica is one of the leading areas of conservation in Central America with more than 27% of the country protected in national parks and preserves.