At Las Catalinas the first hours of daylight are the best time for outdoor activities. For land activities like hiking and biking it is best because the sun is not yet hot, the sky is nearly always clear, the air is fresh, it is the best time for seeing wildlife, and, well, it is awesome. For water activities like snorkeling, SUP, kayaking, and boogie boarding it is best because the wind is nearly always calm or offshore so the water is glassy, and you don't need to worry about sunscreen. Awesome.
So does anyone listen to me? No. Why not? Because of clocks. They look at a clock and say "No way! It is 5:30 in the morning! I'm not gettting up now! I'm on vacation! Charles is crazy!"
But what if the clock didn't say 5:30? What if it said 7:30? Well, that would be totally different!
Therefore I would like to announce the creation of the new Las Catalinas Time Zone. This will be the same as Eastern Daylight Time, UTC minus 4 hours, and two hours ahead of normal Costa Rica time. Please set your watch accordingly.
Admittedly, this may be a bit confusing. Most time zones cover an area greater than 1,200 acres. But it is worth it. In the new Las Catalinas time you can enjoy a beautiful sunset dinner at 8:00, go to bed at 11:00, wake up at 7:00 and be outside enjoying the best part of the day at 7:30. Awesome!
Here are some camera phone shots from my early morning recreation of the last couple of days, featuring a quiet bike ride passing by seven different beaches and a stunning hike around the McHenry Peak loop. Now, it is time for me to get out there...