Un Cocodrillo en Playa Negra

We left home around 7pm Friday,got into the airport in Aluajela before noon Sat. Rolfe had business in San Jose, so he picked us up and drove us the four hours to Puerto Viejo. We went for our first swim at Playa Negra yesterday morning. After about ten minutes in the water a Tica woman called to us from the beach, "'Scoose me but there eese a crocodile in the next pool. She pointed beyond the wrecked barge landmark on the east end of the beach. We got out and walked to the other side of the wreck, anxious to check it out. I really didn't believe her. I thought, here's a Tico family from San Jose here for the weekend, and they saw a log or some exposed reef between waves. Her husband met us. He showed me the photo he had taken, I made out a black object on his camera screen. It could have been anything. I asked how big it was he pointed a length between us, "Tres metros?" I asked. He nodded. We looked for a few minutes and seeing nothing, went back to our swimming spot and back in the water. After another five minutes another woman called to us,"There is a crocodile over there." I decided to become a believer. I walked with the woman to the other side of the wreck again. On a the way I found out she was from Turkey and owned the Mango Bar which is just east of the beach. We kept talking after reaching the other side of the wreck.She suddenly stopped and pointed, "There!" I looked and less than fifty meters out was a huge crocodile cruising along the surface before disappearing below again. He was at least 3 meters! His head alone looked to be at least 18inches. I said, "My god, he's a beautiful animal!"

We decided to ride our bikes along the beach a few K east to Playa Cocles for our afternoon swim. We went looking for the croc this morning, but did not see him. Shar wants to check again this afternoon and see if she can get a photo.