Day twenty-five, once again we find ourselves hiking the Tres Bosques. Neither of us was particularly jazzed to be back, due to the hours spent previously lost and frustrated. But it had to be done.
The hike continued smoothly as we approached Destiny. When we got there, however, something was off. Looking up at the mount, we noticed strapping hanging oddly. With binoculars, Becca discovered something that filled me with a sense of horror: the camera was gone. Immediately, I was positive we would not find it. This area of the trail received foot traffic so I figured someone probably saw the camera and grabbed it, but I still put in the effort to look for it. Digging through some bamboo, I did spot it! Waves of relief crashed over me.
Even though the camera had seen better days, it was still working perfectly. The only part that was damaged was the mount. I figured I could make it work given the materials we had in our 'repair kit'. I climbed up with the materials I needed and the determination to make it work. Once up in the tree, it became apparent what had happened. A heavy storm took out a branch above the station and took the camera out. The AudioMoth did not escape unscathed. The case was barely clinging to the strapping, covered in scratches, and missing the vent. Because the vent was missing, a few critters had made a home inside the case. Surprisingly, the recorder was still in working order!
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| Attempt to secure the camera with extra string |
We ended with a plan to return and replace the damaged gear.
Miles hiked: 6.69
PB&J's eaten: 97
Day twenty-six, we started an hour earlier than usual because we had a lot to accomplish. A ride was arranged to grab us from Lalo Loor at 5 pm and before that, we needed to replace the gear at one tree and maintenance another.
Knowing why we needed to get up at such an early hour did not make it any easier. Both of us wandered around the kitchen like zombies making breakfast. What brought life to the morning was Becca loudly whispering, "Jackie, get over here right now, there's a tamandua!" Clear as day, one was climbing around in front of the house. I was awestruck! I have wanted to see one of these majestic animals for years! Now I could easily watch one foraging in the canopy. (Side note: tamanduas are anteaters in the same order as sloths) That sighting inspired us to push through the tough day we had ahead of us.
The hike out was very reflective. It would be my last time hiking in Jama-Coaque for several months. I took the hike to soak in the surroundings. Truth be told, this project is by far the most difficult work I have ever done. It has been so physically taxing, but whenever I felt that I was pushed to my limit, I paused to look around. Everywhere you look out here, there is lush, green life. If you stand in silence, you'll hear several species of birds calling, you may even see an animal wander past you. Each day, there's a chance you'll encounter a species you've never seen before.
We made it back to Destiny without any hiccups. While Becca was replacing the gear in the tree, the same man from the time we placed the gear was back. He had a lot of questions about what we were doing and I explained the project to him (as best as I could, my Spanish leaves much to be desired).
The path to the next tree was not as smooth. Portions of the trail were still thick with bamboo. In some cases, the bamboo was so thick that it took 30 minutes of hacking to be passable. By the time we arrived at the tree, we were exhausted. But we still pushed and finished the tree.
Looking down at the clock, we noted there were only an hour and a half until our scheduled ride. We still had more than a kilometer to hike our gear, and another two to meet our ride. My mind was immediately going to the worst-case scenario. This was not a ride that would wait long for us. This was a ride that would leave if we were too late. I was mentally preparing myself to have to hike through Camarones to get back to the reserve. Once we had stashed our bags, we ran down the trails at Lalo Loor. Thankfully we made it before our ride left and we were only 20 minutes late. The two of us sat in the bed of the truck and laughed hysterically.
Miles hiked: 8.4
PB&J's eaten: 99
Day twenty-seven, the final day of the field season. The goal: to maintenance three trees in one day.
It seemed an ambitious goal, but that is who Becca and I are. The day was a bit of a mad dash. I planned to climb the first tree and let Becca climb the last two. And the day went uneventfully. There were no worries about hitting walls of bamboo, and all the gear was working as it should. On top of that, we finished with a half-hour to spare!
We left Lalo Loor with our heads held high! The two of us completed the first field season on such a high note!
The rest of the cameras we were unable to make it to will be checked by Shawn and Ryan over the next few days. Although Becca and I could not complete the process entirely ourselves, I am still immensely proud of what we accomplished.
Miles hiked: 6.72
Total mileage: 154.3
Height climbed: ~606 m or 1988 ft
PB & J's eaten: 101
CAIPs checked: 12
Miles hiked: 6.69
PB&J's eaten: 97
Day twenty-six, we started an hour earlier than usual because we had a lot to accomplish. A ride was arranged to grab us from Lalo Loor at 5 pm and before that, we needed to replace the gear at one tree and maintenance another.
Knowing why we needed to get up at such an early hour did not make it any easier. Both of us wandered around the kitchen like zombies making breakfast. What brought life to the morning was Becca loudly whispering, "Jackie, get over here right now, there's a tamandua!" Clear as day, one was climbing around in front of the house. I was awestruck! I have wanted to see one of these majestic animals for years! Now I could easily watch one foraging in the canopy. (Side note: tamanduas are anteaters in the same order as sloths) That sighting inspired us to push through the tough day we had ahead of us.
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| Blurry picture of a tamandua |
We made it back to Destiny without any hiccups. While Becca was replacing the gear in the tree, the same man from the time we placed the gear was back. He had a lot of questions about what we were doing and I explained the project to him (as best as I could, my Spanish leaves much to be desired).
The path to the next tree was not as smooth. Portions of the trail were still thick with bamboo. In some cases, the bamboo was so thick that it took 30 minutes of hacking to be passable. By the time we arrived at the tree, we were exhausted. But we still pushed and finished the tree.
Looking down at the clock, we noted there were only an hour and a half until our scheduled ride. We still had more than a kilometer to hike our gear, and another two to meet our ride. My mind was immediately going to the worst-case scenario. This was not a ride that would wait long for us. This was a ride that would leave if we were too late. I was mentally preparing myself to have to hike through Camarones to get back to the reserve. Once we had stashed our bags, we ran down the trails at Lalo Loor. Thankfully we made it before our ride left and we were only 20 minutes late. The two of us sat in the bed of the truck and laughed hysterically.
Miles hiked: 8.4
PB&J's eaten: 99
Day twenty-seven, the final day of the field season. The goal: to maintenance three trees in one day.
It seemed an ambitious goal, but that is who Becca and I are. The day was a bit of a mad dash. I planned to climb the first tree and let Becca climb the last two. And the day went uneventfully. There were no worries about hitting walls of bamboo, and all the gear was working as it should. On top of that, we finished with a half-hour to spare!
We left Lalo Loor with our heads held high! The two of us completed the first field season on such a high note!
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| Becca declared this her favorite picture of the day, so I had to include it |
The rest of the cameras we were unable to make it to will be checked by Shawn and Ryan over the next few days. Although Becca and I could not complete the process entirely ourselves, I am still immensely proud of what we accomplished.
Miles hiked: 6.72
Total mileage: 154.3
Height climbed: ~606 m or 1988 ft
PB & J's eaten: 101
CAIPs checked: 12
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