Fear the Water, Fear the Jaguar

by Terra Greenough (Canada)

A leap into the unknown Costa Rica

Stepping off the plane, the instant heat wave just engulfs your body like a bonfire does a fresh log. The 40 degree temperature is not only a shock for a Canadian who just endured a tragic, endless winter, but also unbearable for long periods of time without being able to take a dip in the crisps of the ocean water. For me, I have a significant fear of any body of water. At the age of 5, I remember seeing my mother in the distance, tunnel visioned, swallowing what seemed like gallons of the chlorine treated pool water. My head finally went under, my eyes burned as they stared at what was left of the sun shining through the surface. Struggling to reach the sunlight in a last glimmer of hope that my mother would notice that I tried to go in the deep end alone. Then nothing, darkness. So here I am, engulfed in the flame of the Costa Rican sun dripping in sunscreen waiting for the sun to go down. Too scared to jump into the dark depths of the ocean whilst being mesmerized by the volcano across the bay sitting on the black sand beaches littered in volcano ash. What we did not know at the time was that not all of Costa Rica is skin scorching. Our next stop, an escape from the rising temperatures, a break from the endless sun, the Costa Rican rain forest. Dry season was almost over but rainfall had not blessed this part of Costa Rica in months. Surrounded by dried up branches and logs of what used to be the trees. Monkeys dying of dehydration. Lizards cooked to the side of our cottage walls. The bus stops, the door opens, the tour guide ready to save us from the unbearable heat wave on a lengthy drive to the other side of Costa Rica. Devastation from the drought became very clear during this drive. The trees, brown. The grass, gone. Everything, dead. Even the howler monkeys in the trees; lifeless as the sun beats down threatening their existence, seeing prayers for rain in their black, beady, tired eyes. Suddenly, we entered a new world. It was as if the world around us changed instantaneously. The vegetation flourishing; the sky a dark grey preparing for rainfall, the trees a dark green dripping in moisture, colourful plant life emerging through the tree line. The rainforest. Entering the rain forest on foot was unlike anything I had ever seen before. First, the rhinoceros beetle. A football sized beetle, just munching on some fresh bananas. Second, the spider monkey. A family high up in the trees, a baby hanging onto his mother. Third, the sloth. The worlds sleepiest animal hanging out, three toes wrapped around a thin tree branch. Endless man made steps bringing us deeper into this unreal world. Steep, muddy, dangerous. At one point my only thought was “I have to walk back up these”. When reaching the bottom of the hike, I realized these stairs brought us down to what could only be described as a natural wonder. A river flowing with the most beautiful waterfall I have ever laid eyes on. Cold, shallow, golden blue water lightly spread across colourful rocks and gems. Normally afraid of water, I had no fear of diving in and enjoying the natural beauty the rain forest had to offer us. But then there she was. As beautiful as the rain forest is, it is also a very dangerous place. Home to the Jaguar. A perfectly designed killer with paws the size of dinner plates and teeth like a bear trap. I did not realize that these hunters are the size of cattle until one was across the river just a few car lengths away. Fear set in. Not only am I sitting in a body of water but there is the world’s deadliest cat staring me down. Voiceless, choking, an impossible situation. A flare gun whistled across the river burning bright red sending this astonishing creature back into the trees, disappearing into the magical brush of the rainforest. Only the second Jaguar ever seen on this tour. Dangerous, beautiful and one of a kind.