Living in Dominicalito on the beach with fishermen has been so much different from living in Dominical or Uvita. Not speaking Spanish was no longer an option–my Tico neighbors insisted, “You are now one of us.” Not knowing how to cook delicious Gallo Pinto was no longer an option–Costa Rica wasn’t only a stamp on my passport; it was going deep into my stomach and becoming my new home. 

Sometimes living here could be difficult–the loud noises of cars towing boats on the dirty road before sunrise can make you tired sometimes. But the incredible fishermen’s connection with the ocean earned my admiration each time the sun rose.  

My dream was always to see whales. In our Whale Coast (Costa Ballena), everything leads to them, so there was a big chance for my dream to finally come true, mainly because it was the end of July–the exact moment when whales arrived. Word of mouth led me to “Don Isidro,” as they respectfully call him in our little town. His parents came to Dominicalito from Guanacaste years before any road or shop was built. The ocean marked the new beginning for his family and everything they needed for living. Fishing, snorkeling, surfing, saving people’s lives in water–his father and older brothers taught him how to navigate his life in the ocean and later showed others how to survive and love the sea as the most significant gift from God. And so I found my best local guide. 

The whales weren’t only my dream; they fascinated many. My friends and I couldn’t wait to meet Don Isidro in his boat for the first time. We started in Dominicalito Bay and ventured into the ocean to experience one of the most beautiful mornings. The giant mother whale traveled thousands of miles from Antarctica to the South Pacific to mate, and now she was joyfully playing with her cute calf right in front of our teary eyes.

Miracles. Real miracles. So many. Don Isidro shared with me other wonders of the ocean that he encounters when fishing: albino whale (one in 40.000) treasured all over the world, poisonous ocean sunfish without tail that swims on the side on the surface to recharge in the sun, and iguana traveling on the turtle’s back–to name just a few. Sometimes, we need only one moment to fall in love with the world, our home, nature, and life. 

Curious about the ocean? Contact Don Isidro Obando (+506 8591 5952) to experience it (fishing & whale tours) through his local eyes. Special thanks to the incredibly talented @flyingthewaves for capturing those moments from the sky