Cruise to the natural wonders of Costa Rica

Nosy capuchin monkeys, cashews ripening on trees, crocodiles pretending to be logs and logs pretending to be crocodiles, flashes of blue morpho butterflies in the forest, tiger herons stalking iguanas, noisy howler monkeys, hibiscus and ginger flowers growing wild, frigate birds circling high above, spectacular sunsets and every night, the sea gently rocking us to sleep.

That neatly sums up a recent cruise along the west coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua on the SPV Star Flyer, a 360-foot long ship with four masts and 16 sails. The ship also has engines for when the wind chooses not to cooperate, but what a thrill it is to see the sails unfurled and rippling in the wind.

The seven-day trip got off to a great start the first night when Jozsef Nagy, the Star Flyer’s resident musician, played and sang “Blueberry Hill” in the cozy piano bar. On the last night, we had achieved a state of relaxation somewhere above comatose but below lazy.

Launched in 1991, the Star Flyer carries 170 passengers and an international staff and crew of 72. We had just 107 aboard, people from 10 countries, ranging from 15 months to 80-plus and all smiling in spite of language differences. More than 60 percent of the passengers were repeat customers, and many said they like life on the luxury vessel so much that they would not choose to cruise on a large ship again.

We booked this cruise to experience sailing on a tall ship and to see what the unspoiled coastal areas of Nicaragua and Costa Rica have to offer. (For details and fares for this itinerary and others, see starclippers.com.) On our first day at sea, a beaming Capt. Jürgen Müller-Cyran announced, “We are under sail. We are traveling at 1.6 knots. You may see jellyfish overtaking us.”

Passengers may opt for daily shore excursions, relaxing on board, spending time at a beach, or snorkeling from the ship when wind and weather permit. We spent three days ashore, soaking up knowledge shared by excellent local naturalists, and three days on board, sipping virgin piña coladas and reading on deck — an ideal mix.

SHORE EXCURSIONS

When the Star Flyer anchored off Playa del Sur in Nicaragua, we chose to go on the tour of Granada, just 90 minutes inland. Moments after boarding the air-conditioned bus, we spotted a long-haired gray beach ball high in a tree — a sloth! On the ride, we learned about local crops such as mangoes and cashews, and local delicacies such as iguana eggs, boa and armadillo and macqua, a potent rum drink.

In Granada, horse-drawn carriages line up along the town square, where vendors sell cold drinks, T-shirts and bags of cashews. During the city tour, we visited several beautiful former Colonial homes, including the former residence of Ernesto Cardenal, a revolutionary poet, priest and politician. We also learned that Nicaragua is famous for its wooden rocking chairs.

After lunch (no iguana on the menu) at Hotel Dario, we took a relaxing hourlong boat trip on Lake Nicaragua, which is home to 365 small volcanic islets formed during past eruptions of the Mombacho Volcano. (Mark Twain wrote about the lake in 1866.) Some islets are uninhabited, some hold mansions or restaurants and at least one is home to capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys.

The next day, the ship anchored off Playa del Coco in Costa Rica. We signed up for another boat trip, this one on the Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park. The river boasts the second largest population of crocodiles in Latin America. We saw well over a dozen, one 7 feet long. That said, the first croc we spied turned out to be a log, and later, we realized some logs in the muddy water actually were crocs.

We also saw egrets, a basilisk lizard, fruit bats, kingfishers, green iguanas, flycatchers, black iguanas and a tiger heron, which spears and eats crocodile eggs. And we spent some time in the company of playful capuchin monkeys. Later, we had lunch at the beautiful El Viejo Hacienda, perched high on a hill with grand views and hefty iguanas strolling in the gardens.

Another day, we set off on a 90-minute guided nature walk through the forest at Curu. Our group saw agouti (large rodents), blue morpho butterflies, hummingbirds, a coati (a raccoon-like animal) and a teal mut-mut (a bird). We heard howler monkeys, which sound a bit like roaring lions, before we found them, high in a tree deep in the woods. Then it was off to Isla Tortuga for a barbecue on the beach.

To get ashore for an excursion or a day at the beach, most often passengers take a metal gangway ladder down to a waiting tender, transfer to a smaller Zodiac and then hop out into the water close to shore. Star Flyer crew members are on hand to lend a hand or arm, but the movement of the vessels and the water always make the transfer a challenge. The secret to success? Slow and steady.

LIFE ABOARD SHIP

The Star Flyer offers plenty of places for passengers to relax. Sun-drenched spots and shaded spots alike are available on the fore and aft decks, where people doze on lounges, holding their e-readers and paperback books. The ship has a wonderful open-air bar that serves as a gathering place and the site for special events. There are two small saltwater pools, an air-conditioned library, a small gift shop and a large, comfortable dining room.

Dress is decidedly casual all day, except at dinner, when shorts, flip-flops and T-shirts are not permitted. Open seating is the rule at every meal. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, with an abundance of choices. The formal dinner menu offers numerous courses, with a variety of options for each. The fish dishes and sorbet were especially good. And no one seemed to notice that we managed to eat twice our weight in locally grown pineapple, watermelon and papaya at all three meals.

You may climb the mast, with a little help from the staff. Classes in yoga, water exercise, napkin folding and knot-tying are offered. The bridge is always open and a tour of the engine room can be arranged. A massage therapist is on board, offering Thai massage, oil massage or manicures and pedicures. A tea and coffee bar is open 24 hours, and free chilled water is always available.

Each evening, a staff member gives a natural history lecture and provides information on the next port of call. Some nights, special events are planned after dinner. One evening, a young dance troupe from Nicaragua performs folk dances. The talent show, featuring staff and crew members, is especially entertaining. Who knew a gifted hip-hop artist worked in the dining room? And Bob Marley would be proud of the homage to him. Also, Nagy, the musician, holds court in the piano bar every evening. And passengers always are treated to a midnight snack.

Twice a week, the captain presents an hourlong story time. Müller-Cyran, 77, is a veteran of the German Navy. After serving as captain on larger cruise ships, he joined Star Clippers in 1993, and now is aboard the Star Flyer four months each year. (His twin brother, a bagpiper, takes a turn part of each year, as well.) When he is not aboard, Müller-Cyran lectures on navigation and crisis management at a university in Flensburg, Germany, near his home.

“I have always been very much fascinated by the sea,” Müller-Cyran said. “There is something about sailing that is romantic. You may know steering, understand wind dynamics and track how fast the water moves over the hull, but there is something else you need — a talent, an instinct — something you can’t put into words.”

If you have that, Müller-Cyran indicated, it doesn’t matter whether the jellyfish move along faster than the ship.