Last Updated on December 25, 2025 by Left Lane
It all started as a peaceful Central American Getaway to Costa Rica. It seemed to be like any other trip to a tropical destination. Until just four days into our trip, when we faced our first close call with Mother Nature.
My partner being an avid Turtle lover, I thought I’d surprise her with a nighttime sea turtle watching excursion. At the Camaronal Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica. Where the nesting sites for the Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Hawksbill sea turtles are protected.
We hopped on a bus from our resort to the wildlife refuge. Which took us through scarcely populated jungle regions, until the paved roads gave way to loose gravel roads with increasingly sketchy wooden bridges.
Holding our breath as we crossed each of the wooden bridges, as if hoping it would somehow help the bus make it across safely. After a nail biting bus ride, we arrived at the wildlife sanctuary just after sunset.
Formaldehyde in a Jar
We were part of a group of about 16 tourists going to visit the sea turtle nesting site. A Costa Rican Forest Ranger came out, and told us about the animals we could potentially encounter during our tour. As the first leg required a hike through the jungle to the beach nesting site.
He showed us a preserved dead baby sea turtle floating in formaldehyde inside a mason jar, that didn’t survive its trip from the sand to the water. He passed the jar around for everyone to get a good look at what they were trying to prevent from happening. Little did we know this would be the only sea turtle we would see on this night.
Our group started our hike through the jungle, heading to the sea turtle nesting area in the dark, with our red flashlights to protect the Turtles from light pollution, and distractions at the nesting area.
An Electrifying Experience
As we emerged from the jungle, we found ourselves with beautiful sweeping views of the Pacific Coastline. With just enough rays of the sun still rising above horizon to illuminate the Playa Caramonal Cove. Our group headed off into the dimly lit darkness of dusk, with hopes of spotting nesting sea turtles along the shoreline.
Instead of sea turtles, what we encountered was our first brush with death. As our group made it approximately 250 yards down the shoreline before a late summer tropical storm rumbling off in the distance came roaring to shore, shattering our expectations and hopes of viewing nesting turtles.
As if something straight out of Greek Mythology, a lightning bolt ⚡️ seemingly threw by the hand of Zeus himself shattered the tranquility of the night. Striking the beach just in front of our group, to close for comfort probably only 30 yards away from us.
Close enough we could feel the heat off the lightning bolt, close enough to trigger momentary blindness as the bolt faded away into the night leaving us seeing bright blotchy blackness. As if a flash bang grenade had just been thrown in our midst.
The whole group struck with momentary pause, as we waited in the darkness for our vision to return. When the spots we were left seeing faded away, I looked around to see that I was the tallest one in the group, and standing on this beach shoreline there was ocean to our left, and beach to our right. Making us the tallest things around.
To Close For Comfort
I heard the words of one of the greatest meteorologists of all time, James Spann running around in my head. Saying not to be in open fields during lightning storms, stay away from windows, get as low as you possibly can, stay away from trees and water. All of which we were currently doing just the opposite of, making us a lightning magnet.
Our Costa Rican Park Ranger leading the tour resumed our progress to discover a sea turtle nesting area. We made it about 50 more yards before another lightning bolt hit in almost the exact same way as the last. This time leaving no doubt that the bolts were trying to make contact with us, because we were the tallest, and only things on the shoreline.
Our group stopped yet again huddled together on the shoreline, waiting for our vision to return after being blinded by our 2nd bolt of way to close for comfort lightning striking the beach just in front of our group.
At this point I thought about all the farmers tales about losing entire herds, as cattle huddled together during lightning storms get struck. Killing the entire herd as lightning passes from one cow to the next. I knew enough to know I didn’t want to go out like cattle on a beach in Costa Rica.
A Hasty Escape
I declared an end to the tour for our entire group, and all but demanded we return to shelter. At which point the Park Ranger said we had others in the group opinions to consider. I looked around the group and asked is their anyone here who objects to returning to safety?
No one, not a single person objected, as the reality begin to set in that we had almost became a lightning strike statistic not once, but twice. Forcing the Park Ranger to quickly scuttle with urgency, trying to get us back off this beach to shelter.
By now the rain had started, and was coming down sideways, it thick sheets of water. We were soaked to the bone in water, walking in the dark after almost being struck by lightning twice. Some in the group clinging to the shirt tale of people in front of them just trying to keep from straying from the group as it had become almost impossible to see each other.
3 Strikes and Your Out!
The darkness, and the rain concealing everyone in the night. Only brief moments of clarity as the lightning flashed giving you a fraction of a second to get your bearings, before being consumed by the darkness. As we made our way back to shelter, hastily retracing our steps we approached the jungle again.
Just before we could enter, one last lightning bolt made an attempt at our group striking so close that it had to be just feet away, probably only 35’ to 40’ feet away hitting so close to us on the beach we were struck with momentary deafness, and blindness as the bolt seared through the air striking the sand just in front of us.
1 Ticket Home Please!
Forcing our group to stop and huddle in the darkness, awaiting for our senses to return before we could resume our trek to safety. I remember when I was finally able to see again the look on the Park Rangers face, I think even he had realized the seriousness of our situation after this third and final bolt made an attempt at our group. Striking so close that the air around us was warmed from the intense heat off the bolt.
After this near miss we made it back through the jungle, and safely to the wildlife refuge. Where we waited out the storm, the Park Ranger then returned to ask us if we wanted to try and make another attempt at seeing Sea Turtles, or for him to radio the bus?
Me myself being momentarily in disbelief that this was even a question, quickly spoke up for the rest of the group for the second time tonight and told him to get that bus on the way. He looked at me as if waiting to see if someone else would object, but before he could utter a word another guy in our group spoke up and said “Yeah, what he said” you could look around the group and see everyone silently in agreement.
Thus bringing our first encounter with death this trip to an end, but unfortunately it most certainly wouldn’t be our last.
Cyclone of Displacement
With 5 days left on our trip, we thought the rest of the trip would be enjoyable and uneventful. Boy were we ever wrong!
On our last and final night in Costa Rica, we called an early end to the night as we had a Red Eye flight the next morning, needing to be up and on the road at 3:30am for San José. I’ll never forget my phone going off at 11:45pm just 3 hours and 45 minutes before we were to leave.
Notification after, notification from Spirit Airlines whom we had flew here with. Stating our return flight home had been cancelled due to Category 5 Hurricane Irma wrecking havoc back home in Florida where we had flown from in Orlando.
Little did I think that a storm in Florida would find a way to affect our trip in Costa Rica. I remember making a drawing on a map, and sending it to my friends and family who had been sending us worried requests checking on our safety after seeing we were on the beach with the hurricane approaching. Letting them know that we were nowhere near Florida.
Last Minute Scramble
Hurricane Irma shutdown so much of the power grid in Florida, that they canceled flights to every airport in the state. I remember being on the phone with Spirit Airlines at midnight just hours before we were supposed to leave, with them telling me it would be no more flights into Florida for 2 weeks.
Instead of resting peacefully until time for our departure on the last night of our trip. I was left scrambling trying to find a way to return home. I found an airline Aeroméxico flying from Coasta Rica to Mexico City, Mexico. Then returning to the U.S being our closest, and fastest way home.
When the Ground Moves
I remember this being worrying to me because during our stay in Costa Rica I had been following Mexico news. About the Chiapas 8.2 Earthquake hitting on September 7th and Killing 100 people and injuring 300, triggering a tsunami just 3 days into our trip.
Now our only way home, was through a recently earthquake ravaged area, still having aftershocks and conducting rescue missions to preserve human life. Understandably I was a little apprehensive about flying into the area at such a time.
We landed in Mexico City the 6th largest city in the world with a population of 22 million. Just 5 days after the 2nd strongest earthquake in Mexico’s history hit.
The Volcano pictured from the window is Mt. Popocatépetl, a 17,694’ feet tall Stratovolcano, near the epicenter of the earthquakes. Which erupted on September 8th, and continued to spew gas, and steam on September 12-19, even as we landed as seen in my photo. The violent shaking of the volcano caused a church on it’s slopes to collapse during mass killing another 15 people
A Series of Unfortunate Events
This particular trip, was filled with natural disasters, and close calls. We were almost struck by lightning during a sea turtle excursion in Costa Rica on the beach with no shelter around. Then we landed after an earthquake, and during heavy volcanic activity. After being rerouted on our return trip home due to a Category 5 Hurricane making landfall with 180 mph winds at our home airport .
Sadly just 7 days after our flight safely took off from Mexico City. Another powerful earthquake hit the city on September 19, 2017 the Puebla 7.1 Earthquake which killed around 400 people, and injured over 6000 people.
In order to get home, we rerouted to Mexico City from San José. Where we had to purchase First Class tickets home, because they were the only seats left on the plane at the last minute. Then rerouted our final destination from Orlando Florida to Atlanta Georgia. Where we needed to purchase a Rent A Car because our vehicle was still trapped in the Airport Parking Deck in Orlando.
Through it all, we made it back home safely, and we were even reimbursed the extra money we had to spend to make it home due to the cancellations and reroutes. Big Thanks to AIG Travel Guard, Travelers Insurance!
Despite all the close calls, and near death moments we encountered during this one single trip. It still turned out to be one of our most Epic, and most talked about trips during all our world adventures.
The Roving Gypsy ®
Thanks for visiting my Travel Blog. I hope you enjoyed this narrative of our close calls, and brushes with death during our adventure filled trip through Latin America! Like what you read, and want more, or have a suggestion for me? Follow, Share, and Comment to let me know.
