Animal Sanctuary and Dolphin Tour:  Changing Tide Tours invites Lapa Rios guests to experience an exciting, informative, 25-mile guided tour of the Golfo Dulce.  Our 25 foot tour boats are new, fully equipped, with contoured seats and a full canopy for your comfort and protection.  You will cross the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf) and explore the lush, rugged Eastern shore.  Whales, dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, schooling fish, sea birds, and jungle flora and fauna have been seen by our guests.  You will be able to swim and planeboard* near dolphins, listening to their language through our new hydrophones, and snorkeling the reefs.  When you return to the boat, rinse off under a fresh water shower. Tour duration, including time spent with the animals, is approx 4 hours.  Tour Prices:  $312 up to four guests; $345 for five guests; $382 for six guests; $413 for seven guests.  Cold beverages and snorkeling gear are provided.  What to bring---swim suit, towel, sunglasses, binoculars, camera, hat, sunblock, and sandals.  Departure from the town pier is generally 8:30AM but check to confirm.       

The Animal Sanctuary Boat Taxi Tour:  This is for guests who wish to see the animals and take a shorter guided boat excursion on the Golfo Dulce.  During the passage across the Golfo Dulce, your guests will receive an informative guided tour across the Golfo Dulce and along its lush Eastern shore.  Duration is three hours including time at Cana Blanca.  Tour prices:  $268 up to four guests; $295 for five guests; $322 for six guests; $350 for seven guests.  Departure from the town pier is generally 8:30AM but check to confirm.   What to bring---sunglasses, binoculars, camera, hat, sunblock, and sandals. 

*Planeboarding:  While wearing a dive mask and high-quality flotation vest, you will be pulled slowly behind the boat at the end of a tether, holding onto your planeboard.  With this custom-shaped board, you will be able to dive and surface with complete control.  In shallow water you can glide above the sea floor.  It’s easy to learn, and it’s a blast!

Changing Tide Tours 2005

July 8, 2005

To:  Phil and management staff---Bosque Del Cabo

       John and management staff---Lapa Rios

Please accept this invitation to enjoy a day on the gulf as guests of Changing Tide Tours.  We’ve dedicated one of our tour boats and set aside two days (Sunday, July 17^th and Monday, July 18^th) to take you and members of your staff on our premium TOUCH THE GULF tour.  This past season, we shared this experience 38 times with guests from different lodges.  This coming season, Lapa Rios and Bosque Del Cabo are two lodges we’d love to do business with.  We’ll call it “saving the best for last.” Invariably, any tour-provider’s service must be explained and described to your guests.  They’re curious, and want to know “What can we do that’s cool?”  At Changing Tide Tours we believe any credible representation of our services must start with hands-on familiarity.  That’s what this is all about.  To make you and your staff familiar with exactly what your guests may expect when you book one of our tours.

We will depart from the town pier at 7:00 AM both days.  Our tour boat has comfortable seating for seven.  We will provide food, drinks and water toys.  You will be visiting Cana Blanca wildlife rehab center.  You will cruise along the rugged “other” coast of the Golfo Dulce, swim with dolphins, go snorkeling, take a river journey through the mangroves of Piedra Blanca National Park and on up the Esquinas River where we’ll swim in a special fresh water swimming hole---all this and more.  We’ll be out approx six hours, and cover about 50 miles.

What to bring---the same things your guests would bring.  Bathing suit, sunblock, good river-walking type sandals, cameras, and a sense of adventure.

Kindly RSVP by Wednesday, July 13^th  and confirm yeah or nay, approx how many guests, and what day you’d prefer.  Final note---both of your lodges seem to get along pretty well, so feel free to mix the groups for different days.  Until I hear from you I will remain….

Yours Respectfully,

Charles Plummer---Changing Tide Tours     

Sunday, March 20, 2005

TO:  LODGE OWNERS, MANAGER, AND TOUR DIRECTORS

FROM:  CHARLIE PLUMMER AND BOB MERRIAM---CHANGING TIDE TOURS

RE:  GUEST COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS AND TOUR SCHEDULE THROUGH MAY 1^ST

The following comments were taken verbatim from our guest log---please note we did not cull these looking for the “good ones”.  This is unedited input from the last ten tours:

March 19^th   Richardson family.  “We had an incredible time.  Learned so much, were safe.  All was great!”

March 18^th   Bob and Barbara Wilson and sons Christopher and Andrew---Ft Collins, Colorado.  “We had a fantastic time.  Great informative trip.  Boat was perfect---loved the shade and comfy seats.  The animal sanctuary was incredible.  Extra thanks for being so nice to the boys.”  Susan Wright and kids Kathy and Robert---Toronto, Canada.  “A superb trip.  Loved the monkeys.  Charlie and Bobs’ stories great. Attention to detail super, comfortable boat, food great.  You did a terrific job!”

March 15^th   Norine Murray and Lyle Kish---Alamo, California.  “Excellent trip!  A highlight in our 3 week Costa Rica vacation.  Thanks Bob and Charlie for making it so special! 

March 13^th  Karen Lenhart and Ron Glassbury.  “This tour is the most outstanding tour I’ve encountered in Costa Rica, bar none!”  Martin, Maurice and Betsy Goldberg---Bedford, New York.  “Absolutely terrific! Each of us had a wonderful time!!!  Thank You!!”

March 10^th  Steve, Kathy, Judy, Taylor, and Nelson Bross---Houston, Texas.  “Enjoyed monkeys and snorkeling.  Geat tour!  Enjoyed monkeys on my back, mangroves and snorkeling.  Thanks Charlie.”

March 9^th  Anne and Gerry Shaeffer.  “Great Trip!”

Kathy and Kevin Dunn---Fairfield, Connecticut.  “loved the monkeys and the swim.”  Burt and Cathy Augustine.  “What a day!  Hope to see you again next year.”

March 8^th  Laura Marshak---Pittsburg, Pa. “super trip!  Pura Vida.”  Mary Cole and Terri Garlon.  No entry.

March 7^th   Sarah Bates---Grosse Isle, Mi.  “Thanks Charlie!  This was the best side trip ever.  What a great experience.  One I’ll never forget!”   Judy and Bob Smith---Oakville, Ontario.  “We had a wonderful day.  A triple “A” experience.  Lunch delicious--swim spot great---and animals ‘truly special’.  Great Crew!”  Brooklyn Brown---Grosse Isle, Mi.  “Thank you for the amazing tour.  I will always remember it!  It was the most wonderful time I’ve had in Costa Rica.”

March 4^th  Charles and Epi Bodhi---Amherst, Mass.  “Especially enjoyed Cana Blanca and Charlie’s instinctive sense of where special birds are to be seen.  Thanks!”  Lori, Scott, Brenna, and Adrian Stonum---Oregon. “Great tour!  Great Crew!  Paradise.  Gracias.”

March 3^rd   Phil LoMaggio---Rochester, NY.  “Unbelievable!”

Mike Ryan---Dandridge, In.  “Wonderful trip…loved the cool water swim and the birds”  Mark and Kimberly Smith---Holland, Mi.  “You’re an awesome captain—thanks for the excellent morning.  The highlight of our vacation.”   Jim and Pam Pennington---Lakeland, Fl.  “Thanks for sharing your piece of paradise with us.  It was an exceptional outing--even better than I had heard!  The best adventure ever!”

When you are talking to your guests about our tour, you might show them these testimonials.  You may find they make your presentation more believable and effective. 

Reminders and new information: 

• Our boats are always operated by an experienced Captain as well as a second crew member.  Your tour boat is equipped with full USCG safety gear, GPS and depth sounder, first aid kit, radio and cellular communication, spare outboard motor, full sun top, fresh water shower, life jackets for all ages, boarding ladder and boarding step.
  
• Our tours encounter Dolphins 70% of the time. 
  
• Snorkeling is part of our normal tour whenever we pass clear-visibility sites.  We carry high-quality snorkeling gear for four guests, and we always put a diver in the water with snorkelers.
  
• On every tour we offer swimming at our special places (for example: our cool mountain-stream swimming hole up the Esquinas River).
  
• Please try and give us at least one full days notice prior to booking a tour, especially if we need to fill the seats to reach our 4 person minimum.  Advanced bookings are terrific!  The booking is complete when we call you and confirm.  These numbers in this order for bookings--- 735-5306, 833-4894, 358-8966, 305-1111.

Prepered For Lapa Rios - Pricing Efective July 15, 2005

Changing Tide Tours, the areas newest tour-boat provider, has a full range of tours to choose from. Choose Cana Blanca--the wildlife rehab center, or Casa Orquidilla, if a botanical garden tour is more to your liking. Be our guests on a journey through the mangroves and on up the Esqinas River. We’ll take you swimming with the dolphins and we’ll take you snorkeling. No matter which tour you select, you’ll receive an informative, entertaining presentation of the gulf and its points of interest. Aboard one of our new seven-passenger 25-foot tour boats, you’ll sit in comfortable seats under a full shaded canopy and be able to shower off with freshwater after your dolphin swim. Changing Tide Tours designed, built and equipped each boat with your safety and comfort in mind. Finally, we manned each boat with a fully qualified English- speaking captain and second crewman. Kindly take a minute and read about our tours.

1. Cana Blanca Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Tour. Cana Blanca operates a non-profit foundation which receives injured and orphaned animals as well as those on the endangered species list. These animals are rehabilitated and released back into the wild, usually at Piedra Blanca National Park which borders the facility. This is a “Must see to appreciate” tour! You’ll depart the town pier in the morning and travel across the Golfo Dulce to the Center. Keep your eyes open because the gulf itself is incredibly interesting. “Dolphins are where you find them and where they find us.” That’s true! On the way to and from Cana Blanca, those adventurous souls interested in one of life’s rare experiences may swim with the dolphins using one of our tow-behind control boards. It’s easy and we’ll demonstrate. Finally, after Cana Blanca, we travel around the point to quiet beach where you can swim, snorkel and explore. Tour duration is between 3 and 4 hours. Costs (including $15 per guest donation to the sanctuary) are $200 for four guests; $235 for five; $270 for six; $300 for seven. Snorkeling gear, cold drinks and lite snacks provided. WHAT TO BRING—Sun block, river-walking type sandals or footwear, bathing suit, towel, camera, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

2. Casa Orqidilla Botanical Garden Tour. A wonderful experience for those looking for an informative, interesting presentation of Costa Rica’s flora. You’ll depart the town pier at 7:45 AM and travel across the Golfo Dulce to the garden. Keep your eyes open because the gulf itself is incredibly interesting. “Dolphins are where you find them and where they find us.” That’s true! On the way to and from Casa Orquidilla, those adventurous souls wishing to swim with the dolphins may do so, using our tow-behind control boards. Those that want a rare lifetime’s experience will be able to swim with the dolphins using our tow-behind control-boards. It’s easy and we’ll demonstrate. After the botanical gardens, we will explore the tropical coast and drop anchor for swimming and snorkeling. Tour duration is between 4 and 5 hours. Costs are $160 for four guests; $185 for five; $220 for six; $230 for seven. Please note that this tour is not available on Fridays and your tour price includes the fee for a two and one half hour guided tour. Cold drinks and lite snacks provided. WHAT TO BRING—Sun block, repellent, comfortable footwear, bathing suit, towel, long cotton pants and shirt, camera, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

3. SWIMMING WITH THE DOLPHINS AND COASTAL SNORKELING. This tour is purely what its name implies. The WET tour. You’ll depart the town pier in the morning and for 3 to 4 hours you’ll travel the Gulf looking for dolphins and snorkeling along the coast. We see dolphins about 80% of the time. This tour finds you wearing a mask and low-profile personal flotation vest, being towed slowly behind our tour boat. You’ll be using a special diving board to control your movements. Before you go overboard, you’ll receive simple instructions in the control-board’s use and (trust us) ---it’s easy! A crewman will always be watching so while we’ll help you make this unique experience fun, we will keep it safe for you and your family. For swimming and snorkeling, the conditions are usually excellent. We’ll be looking for the bests spots. After swimming, rinse off the salt under a fresh water shower. Costs are $170 for four guests; $200 for five; $228 for six; $252 for seven. Snorkeling gear, cold drinks and lite snacks provided. WHAT TO BRING—Sun block, bathing suit, towel, personal snorkeling gear, camera, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

4. TOUCH THE GULF ECO TOUR. This is our “Big Magilla”! You’ll depart the town pier in the morning and for the following six hours and 50 miles, do EVERYTHING (except the botanical gardens). Swim with the dolphins, cruise the coast and take in its tropical beauty as well as points of interest and history. You’ll stop for a full tour at Cana Blanca Wildlife Rehab Center. We’ll swim and snorkel at a quiet tropical beach before heading into Piedra Blanca National Park, through the lush mangrove estuaries and on up the Esquinas River. We will anchor in a cool fresh water swimming hole for lunch (food provided by Changing Tide Tours). Birds, animals, fish, whales, dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, sea snakes, turtles, reptiles have all been experienced on this tour. Last year Changing Tide Tours carried over 250 persons on 38 Touch the Gulf Eco Tours----100% overwhelmingly positive response from our guests. This tour requires high tide in order to travel the river; for this reason, we are only able to offer this tour 15 days per month. Please ask your lodge manager for times and dates. Costs (including $15 per guest Wildlife Center donation) are $320 for four persons; $375 for five; $420 for six; $450 for seven. Snorkeling gear, cold drinks and snack provided. WHAT TO BRING—Sun block, river-walking type footwear, bathing suit, towel, camera, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

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