While we visited the coast this past weekend, we had the opportunity to visit Parque Nacional Marino Ballena (Whale) and take a whale and dolphin tour. After seeing the boats parked on the beach the day before, I was a little hesitant to take three children on the floatable hulls covered with a small canopy. Andy, our friend who invited us to vacation with them, bartered with the owner of the largest boat - a 35 footer with a cabin! With a good price in hand and the best boat around we were excited to venture out for 4 hours the next morning. Reports from others at the 'hotel' were exciting as we learned that they had seen 2 whales that day!
The next morning we awoke for our typical tico breakfast of gallo pinto and scrambled eggs - something Andy would regret later. We hiked out to the beach to find that the 'largest boat with a cabin' was in fact the same shell of a boat but with a hard windshield and was slightly larger (maybe 25 feet instead of 20 feet!) We waded out to climb aboard and began our tour. After almost three hours, we met some dolphins while enjoying the fresh fruit and water that acompanied our great price! Andy and his daughter decided not to partake since they couldn't keep their last meal down either. Next we were off to a small island to snorkle. However, due to the inclimate weather, we were not permitted to snorkle. Lastly, we travelled along various beaches including Playa Ventanas (window beach) where we saw the Gran Ventana or Large Window - a cavern in which depending on the tides, you can drive a boat through. 
Overall, the kids had a good time. Olivia loved to hang over the side to feel the water and breeze in her face. It was a little scary for Mom to see how fearless she really is when it comes to the water. A rain storm hit just as we reached shore so we ran for cover in the palm trees
along the dirtroad to the where we had parked. The night before we visited the beach known as the Whale's Tail to walk along the sand bars at lowtide. When it is lowtide, the sand bars and some rock formations follow a line shaped like the tail fin of a whale. Abby and Olivia stayed behind with Mom to play in the sand and hunt for sand dollars.
Fearless Olivia gets a better view!
Aidan and Abby pose on a large piece of driftwood!
Aidan, Abby, and Olivia building sand castles (or atleast the moat)!
Abby and I played games drawing in the sand.
