S.E.A. Venture - Central America

Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama

June 23 - July 10, 2009
June 26 - July 16, 2008

Camp Seafarer offered these international adventure trips to Central America. This three-week co-ed trip was for campers who were rising 10th - 12th graders. This was an "explorer's trip:" approximately 12 campers were selected to travel with two adult leaders and local guides to these remote and beautiful countries.

An interactive, fun and educational experience was planned, not merely a sightseeing tour of Central America. This trip provided a wonderful opportunity to continue to emphasize the camp values of personal and character development, while seeking to move beyond the small world into a larger one with all its wonderful diversity.

Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama have become some of the hottest destination spots in recent years and the reason is simple. These countries offer incredible biological diversity, varied landscapes, and endless outdoor activities. Central America is only 3 hours south of Miami by plane. Much of land in these countries is protected as a natural resource / national treasure due to the emphasis of eco-tourism. Our itinerary was structured so that our participants would experience a broad and exciting array of activities, varied landscapes and cultural diversity while in all three countries.

We began our adventure at Camp Seafarer in Arapahoe, NC. The group spent two days at Seafarer building their adventure team, learning more about the culture and environment of Central America, and establishing expectations and guidelines for the group. We then flew from North Carolina to Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. We traveled from Managua to Granada and spent several nights in Granada. Granada was our home base as we explored and experienced the richest historical towns of Nicaragua (Leon, Old Leon and Granada) and many of its diverse natural wonders.

In Leon Viejo we had a very interesting tour where we learned about the early history of the first capital city of Nicaragua. On the hill where the fort is buried, we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the Momotombo volcano and Lake Xolotlan. We then continued to the city of Leon to see the main churches including the monumental cathedral, the largest in Central America, located at the main square. We also saw the birdhouse of Ruben Dario, the "Ortiz Guardian" art gallery and the "El Convento" hotel and its colonial architecture. During the walking tour campers viewed the historic murals of the city and understood the role played by Leon in the social, economic and political development of Nicaragua. We visited the Volcanic Field "Hervideros," where we experienced the heat coming up from the interior of the earth. We also saw the boiling mud at very high temperatures inside these craters.

Our two days in the fascinating city of Granada included volcano hikes, markets and rich cultural emersion. We drove up to the active crater of the Masaya volcano national park and witnessed the activity of the crater, which released tons of gas every day. Just a few minutes away we had the chance to purchase souvenirs at the local market of Masaya. Continuing with a historical tour of the city of Granada (c.1524) we saw the most important colonial sites, indoor patios, old architecture and restoration process in Nicaragua, not to mention enjoy the fabulous food.

From Granada we traveled by bus to Costa Rica. Here the group began the adventure in the Gunacaste Region - North West Pacific. With almost 65 inches of rainfall a year, this region of Costa Rica is abundant in ecological wonders. The group participated in numerous activities from a base hotel on the Pacific Ocean. While in the Gunacaste Region the group experienced tree cabling, snorkeling and relaxing on the beach, and hiking.

The Arenal Volcano was our next adventure. Arenal is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. We stayed in the impressive Arenal Observatory, www.arenalobservatorylodge.com. This volcano has now settled into its regular pattern of daily grumbling and nighttime fireworks. While in this area, we swam in the La Fortuna waterfall and soak in the Tabacon Hot Springs. We also experienced an all day white-water rafting trip on the Sarapiqui River. Our rafting experience was complemented with camping at the Pozo Azul campgrounds. Pozo Azul offered us an educational experience as we learned how this working farm recycles manure to energy.

Next it was on to our third country, Panama. Panama sets the stage for countless adventures amongst the ocean, forest, mountains and jungle arenas. Situated next to Costa Rica in West Panama, Bocas Del Toro is a place of unspoiled and unpolluted nature, and is emerging as the new Galapagos of the 21st century. In this ecological paradise there is an array of attractions, white sand beaches accompanied with clear warm waters fringed with lush rainforest and palm trees. We spent several nights on the island, sailing, snorkeling and visiting the marine national parks. There are many places to visit and so much to do. The waters here are excellent for diving and snorkeling year round, and the coral formations that inhabit these reefs are some of the best in the world. They are home to a diversity of marine life. Bocas town is a lively and vibrant place. The people are wonderful and always smiling. The beauty of this place is astounding and the warmth of the people amazing - Bocas truly is an unforgettable place.

The final leg of our adventure was based out of the San Jose, Costa Rica area. We traveled about for 3 days and visited the La Paz Waterfall Garden, the Doka Coffee Plantation, and the Inbio Park.

An important aspect of our trip to Central America involved our service project.

All excursions during the S.E.A. Venture - Central America trip were led by trained and contracted guides. We have a wonderful working relationship with Rolando Arburola, owner of Costa Rica Dive (www.costaricadive.com) Rolando is extremely professional, experienced in safety and meets all the expectations of Camp Seafarer and Camp Sea Gull.