A Benefit Rock Concert at Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School

One of the best things about living here and offering horseback tours is the amazing people that join us on the rides.

Last summer Trey and Carrie joined us for the day off their cruiseship. As a director in a school back in Virginia he was instrumental in co-ordinating a benefit concert to help buy school supplies and uniforms for the kids out here in Escamequita and Las Parcelas.

It’s perfect timing to receive these funds as the Christmas/Summer break is just ending and new uniforms are in order.

With many thanks to Trey Clarkson, Director Barry Robinson Theater and Fine Arts Center and the great people at Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School.

Check out these great pics of the performers. We look forward to sharing the photos of the students and their new uniforms in return. Muchisima Gracias.

Playing for Nicaragua

Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson on the beach in Nicaragua

Olive Ridley Turtle... and Pam

A major highlight for me was the morning we were on the road by 3:30 a.m. to go to Playa La Flor which is a refuge for the Olive Ridley turtles.  We arrived by 4:00 a.m. following an ‘ass jarring’ ride in their pick up truck in complete darkness and paid the $8 per person fee at the ranger station that was full of Nicaraguans soldiers sleeping.  Most people arrive in the late evening to see the turtles … I don’t think early morning visits are common … but it was well worth it and highly recommend this time of day to see this incredible site.

We followed the path to the beach with our flashlights and immediately almost walk on top of a huge turtle laying her eggs!  Over to the left are three soldiers with their guns who are there to protect the turtle eggs from locals who sell them for 70 cents a dozen.  There are 10 or more soldiers patrolling the beach with guns and flashlights along with some rangers who are monitoring the turtles’ journey.  They have a particularly special role at dawn.

A beach full of Turtle Tracks

As we are standing there trying to adjust our eyes something hard and heavy is bumping up again my lower leg!  I can’t see a thing and I jump back rather startled.  With the flashlight we realize it is one of the Ridley turtles.  Your kidding me right … the turtles attack people?! The soldiers and Jeremy are laughing at this point because I am clearly a newbie.
The turtles are coming and going en mass and on a mission to dig holes, lay eggs and get the hell out of there as fast as they can … well as fast a 100 pound turtle can move with large flippers made for the ocean!  This turtle that bumped into me is on her own journey and I just happen to be in her path.  They pretty much ignore you unless you put your flashlight right on them which we are told not to do … especially on their faces … so from that point on we try to limit the use of the flashlights … but it is pretty friggn’ dark out … cloud cover and no moonlight but we do our best.  These turtles are everywhere.

Jamie and a bucket full of babies

We spent the next three hours enjoying this incredible site of these huge turtles on this beautiful Nicaraguan beach in various stages of their amazing journey.
That night some 1,000 turtles made it to this beach to lay their 100 or so eggs. Over a five month period 180,000 make their way to this beach (where they were born) to lay eggs.  The season is from July to December and peaks in August and September.  There are five to seven huge waves (no pun intended) of these turtles coming onto the beach.  Some nights over 10,000 arrive to dig their holes, lay their eggs (it is like they are in a trance), bury the eggs and then pat down the sand with the weight of their body which gives a whole new meaning to a body slam!  Whomp, whomp. You can hear this thumping noise as you walk along in the darkness.  It is like there is a dance club in the distance with the bass beat pumping.
We walked along the beach slowly enjoying this incredible site with the soft pounding of the surf and the whomp, whomp noise as our backdrop.  Around 5 a.m. or so the morning light begins ever so slightly in the distance which illuminates the turtles coming and going along this 1 km long beach.  It actually looks like a bunch of little tanks in motion.  When you approach them they will stop for a moment or two to take a look at you and make sure you are not a threat.  They have huge black eyes and you definitely know when they are looking right at you.
We were able to spend time with one of the rangers who shared some interesting information with us.  Jeremy was able to translate which was great.  This fellow, a Nicaraguan, has been working on this beach for 13 years and just in that time the number of Ridley turtles have gone from 35,000 in one year coming to the beach to lay eggs to over 180,000 in a year.  The turtles make this journey when they are 13 years old or older so after many years of protecting the nests they are seeing the results.  With a research team, they have marked off 100 meters sections off the beach to calculate how many turtles lay eggs in each section each night. There are two sections of this beach that are particularly busy.  There are so many nests that sadly we saw eggs being dug up by other turtles as they dug their own nest holes.  If 180,000 turtles come to beach year to lay 100 eggs each, that is a heck of a lot of eggs in a small space.  He also shared that 72% of the eggs hatch and of those 7% survive to be adults turtles.

The eggs incubate for 60 days therefore at dawn the ones that hatched that night attempt to make their way to the ocean.  At one point I was walking along slowly and almost stepped on one of the little guys.  I stopped and looked around and another three were making their way to the ocean.  The ranger handed us a basket to collect as many as we can find.  The more dawn progressed, the more baby turtles we would see.  The ranger had about 50 in his basket which he will keep until nightfall where he will release them under the safety of darkness.

Vultures at Dawn

These little guys have to get going because the vultures are coming in at dawn to pick them apart … along with the eggs that are dug up by the other turtles.  It is a daily feast for these birds which are only about 18 inches in height but determined to get their meal … you know, like a vulture.  Interestingly it is a seagull type bird that eats the highest amount of baby turtles making their way to the ocean and in the shallow water.

The ranger told us the process for the turtle to come out of the ocean, walk the 75 meters from the ocean to where they lay their eggs, make their nest, lay their eggs is between 45 minutes to an hour.  He has a little bit of time to figure this out!

So, all and all, a very cool experience.  I definitely recommend going in the early morning to see the transformation of the beach from darkness to dawn.  Thank you Blue, aka Heather, for sharing yet another special day in your life.  Love you man!

Dad and the kids in Rivas, Nicaragua

Horses continue to be an important part of life for the locals living out their days in rural Nicaragua. It’s the rainy season here now. And truly our first ‘real’ one with heavy mud, rivers bursting their banks and flowing too fast to pass on foot. It reminded me of the role horses play on this muddy stage as they can still make their way.
Most of the back roads follow the ever-changing river bed or are no longer impassable by truck – so it’s no surprise that horses are the transport of choice. Horses are a tool of the trade for those wanting to get their rice or beans to the market as well. But now instead of loading up the sacks and riding all the way to town (10+ km and 2 hours) they tie up their beasts to the rails and catch the bus to town. It might take just as long to make the trip to town by bus… but we know for sure the horses prefer waiting for their masters to come back from town then to make the journey themselves.
Horses and their contribution to life here is most definitely one of the attractions we had to this community in SW Nicaragua. And still is.

So, them both still having their testicles, or “huevos” as they are locally known, we set about to castrate them old school style except that we used a crimper rather than a scalpel, mainly because it was the rainy season and we were concerned that the incision would have a tough time healing with all the rain and moisture.  Also, with the crimping method they are able to work after a month vs three months to heal an incision.  Anyway, after they were all healed up we put them in the string along with the other 8 and got them working.  The smaller one, Apache, never did come to the realization that he no longer had his manhood and continually wanted to get confrontational with the other horses while enroute to and from the beach.  This belligerent attitude was no problem for me, or any of my ranch hands, but did prove to become quite tedious for guests with little or no riding experience.  The larger one, Santana, became very mellow but developed a tendency to “crow-hop” when on trails where some stick or bush would inadvertently brush against his hind-quarters.  Perhaps this was a reaction to being a coach horse and having his backside whacked too much during his years in Masaya.  Anyway, it soon became evident that this pair wasn’t really suited to trail rides with riders that had little experience and so I decided to sell them and look for some more mellow trail horses.  I put the word out in the community that they were for sale, but had little or no interest.  Meanwhile they weren’t working but were still eating their share of hay and portions of pellets (kind of like leaving your car running while you’re not using it), and I was getting desperate to get rid of them.

So I had an idea – as I was sure to lose a bundle by selling them anyway – I decided to donate them to two local churches (one to Las Parcelas and one to Las Delicias), so they could raffle the horses to raise money for church improvements.  I talked to the two Pastors to see if they were interested and they were thrilled with the idea.  We agreed that to keep it affordable for the congregations they would sell 200 tickets at 30 Cordobas (about $1.50), each, thereby raising 6,000 Cordobas for their respective churches, and somebody would walk away with a good horse for 30 Cordobas!

Both horses are currently living in their new homes and both churches are currently enjoying the fruits of an injection of funds for improvements…and though I miss them, I am currently enjoying no longer feeding them – and I wish them a long and healthy life.

They were in a large Saba tree near the river which from what I gather have a new leaf this time of year of particular interest to the monkeys.. and thus the territorial calls.

I love living with monkeys!
Blue

Video recorded September 14, 2011

A large Boa Constrictor was part of our 2nd intermission show for Hockey Night in el Campo.

Vancouver Canuck fever had reached Rancho Chilamate. Our hometown hockey team is kicking some serious butt and the energy made it all way here to rural Nicargua. Jamie and I call it Hockey Night in El Campo and last night was game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks.

A few days earlier our internet crapped out just as the game was starting and we missed the whole thing – only to wake up the next morning and still not know who won as the internet was still out.

But tonight we settled in again to listen… yes, listen – not watch. Our internet is not strong enough for ‘streaming’ but we thankfully found a great local Vancouver radio station, Team Radio 1040, which provides a great uninterrupted feed. And that Shorty can sure call a game. He definitely creates the picture we don’t have:)

It was a tough game with a 3-0 score after the 2nd period for the Sharks. Bummer.

We had turned up the computer speakers to add to the atmosphere of the game so it was no surprise we didn’t hear the panic calls from the chickens in the coop. Cesar, our guard  this evening, just called on the radio to say he found and killed an intruder in the barn. An intruder?? He was about 6 feet tall… I mean long. It was a Boa Constrictor.

Do we want to see it? Heck ya.. and some photos too! Cesar had found it wrapped around one of our chickens doing it’s constricting thing. A Boa? I just had the revelation of the feathered ones we throw around our necks – never put the two together until I was drawn to placing it around my neck. The snake was incredibly heavy for its size and one could easily imagine the strength it possessed. Weirdly the snake left no smell on our hands. It made me think that I should know more about these amazing creatures. What a great 2nd intermission show!

And so back to the game on the ice. Canucks rallied but lost. Hockey may be part of our Canadian culture, but down here in Nicaragua – the only thing on ice tonight is a big snake that should make the dinner menu tomorrow.

Amayo Kite Beach on the Rivas Wind Farm

Yes, you can soon add Kite Surfing and Rappelling to the list of activities to get your heart rate up in San Juan del Sur.

Three things recently got me to thinking and my heart rate up:
First – A friend recently sent us an interesting link to the British Horsesurfing Association – it’s like wake boarding off the back of a galloping horse. We have added to the list of things to try here at Rancho Chilamate.
Second – was an invite to a media launch for a new Kite Surf Resort at the wind farm in Rivas .
Third – news of the first Open Tour to Rappel down the cliffs at the foot of the Jesus Statue.

It sounded to me like our fun little town of San Juan del Sur was going to get even more fun! According to the U.S. based Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel may be any tourist activity, including two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction and engagement with nature.

Well there are all sorts of great activities for adventure seekers in San Juan del Sur and a few must-try day trips too.

Here’s my A to Z Guide of San Juan del Sur Adventures guaranteed to make your heart pump a little faster – with some helpful links to get you going.

A is for Abseiling (from German: abseilen meaning “to rope down”), rappelling in English – is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope

B is for Boarding Down an Active Volcano – yes, a Volcano.

Volcano Boarding - Credit: Barcroft Media

C is for Cock fighting – banned in most parts of the world, is still a spectator sport in Nicaragua where its roots run deep in the culture.

D is for Deep Water Fishing – best April through September

E is for Exploring on Your Own. Don’t be shy. Rent a truck and do it yourself. It’s an adventure around every corner. Ask John at Classic Cruisers

F is for a Full Moon Volcano Hike

G is for Getting Married. Gabby will create your dream destination wedding. “I Do” is sure to stir your heart.

Galloping on the Beach with Rancho Chilamate Horseback Tours

H is for Horseback Riding – your chance to canter horseback on a deserted beach with Rancho Chilamate.

I is for Insect Hunting. Why not? How about a night tour looking to draw Tarantulas out of their holes.. or taunting scorpions but not to get stung.

J is for Jumping off a Panga to catch a wave.

K is for Kite Surfing – exciting news about the new kite surf resort opening soon on the wind farm on Lake Nicaragua. Go Jessica Go!

L is for Lava Tube Exploration at Volcan Masaya… in a dark cave with lots of bats.

M is for Mountain Bike Racing – next San Juan Howler race is December 11th!

N is for Night Fishing

O is for Open Mic Night at Pau Hana’s Beach Restaurant. You’re invited on Stage to get your heart rate up.

P is for Paint Ball – jungle style.

Paint Ball at SurfRanch Nicaragua

Q is for Quad Biking – ATVing down back roads and on the beaches.

R is for Rodeo. Ask around for dates and location of the next rodeo or Hipica.

S is for Surfing… and it’s probably the number one adrenaline rush in the San Juan del Sur with plenty of operators to help you get it!

T is for Tubing in Somoto Canyon

U is for Underwater Adventures like Snorkeling or Octopus hunting near Ostional.

Hiking Volcan Maderas on Ometepe Island

V is for Volcano Hiking – there’s two on the nearby Island of Ometepe

W is for Wildlife Viewing – up close and personal.

X is for ?

Y is for Yoga. San Juan hosts numerous retreats and yoga teacher training too.

Z is for Ziptrekking or ZipLining – also known here as Canopy Tour.

Food for thought: Humans are the only animals who seek danger and risk their lives for the thrill of it. Go out there – and embrace the human animal that we are!!

Movie Review: True Tale of Horse Whisperer Catching Buzz

by: Claudine Zap (Yahoo Movie Site)

A celebrity? You bet. How fun.
Their identity was to be kept a secret for the time being. Jamie had visions of some gorgeous actress like Columbian beauty Sofia Vergara from Modern Family galloping down the beach in all her glory whereas I pictured someone more like Vin Diesel or Jude Law. One can dream right?

There's No Looking Back for Survivor Nicaragua Winner and Millionaire Jud 'Fabio' Birza

The day before the ride we got the call that the celebrity  was the Million Dollar Winner of Survivor Nicaraga Season 21, Jud Birza. We had heard the name Fabio but without access to TV and only slow internet we didn’t follow the show. And now he was coming for a ride. A quick goggle and we discovered the youngest winner in Survivor history was a 21 year old model. At least he was cute! And we were about to find out how adorable and authentic as well.

We awaited his arrival and was surprised when he showed up with no film crew, no publicist. Just his sister Kelsey, Ana from ProNicaragua that was hosting his return visit and our friend and ‘go-to’ for San Juan del Sur things to do, Gabby.

Nothing like a sip of rum on the beach. Now that didn't happen during Survivor Nicaragua.

Jud, Blue and Jamie on the Survivor Nicaragua Beach

Fabio finds the Perfect Hat

It was an incredibly intimate day and ride full of great moments – particularly standing with the winner of the whole dam thing – right at the beach he called home for more than 30 days during the filming here last year.

Jud is truly a great guy. He loved his time here in Nicaragua and riding with us. We think he’ll be back. Jud and his new friend/trail boss talk of doing an overnight camp and ride trip on his next visit :)

Check out the FULL STORY. More Pics on our FACEBOOK PAGE too.