Just after everyone was getting back to normal after this mornings earthquake, and a little aftershock another big earthquake this afternoon got those nerves jumping again. This time it is the same region but slightly inland, so I am not sure if this is an aftershock or a separate plate displaced by the this mornings event. So far they have given this one a 5.9 magnitude.

Again, this quake had the un-nerving lateral movement like you are walking on a hanging bridge. These two big quakes have been smooth in the sense of the lateral movement would slow down when it reached the edge of the wave and then return in a smooth way. The earthquake on Jan. 8th was lateral but very short and rapid lateral movements which is very damaging. Any surfer who has had a big wave close on them and put them through the “rinse cycle” knows what the fast lateral movements feel like.

Here is the current link for data This link is only good for 30 days after the event.

Here is the map location of the latest:

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Thursday March 5th I was going to surf and passed through a new park built with funds donated by the government of China. My friend(tourist from California) and I noticed that two Nicaraguans were climbing up the trees and using long bamboo poles. In the past, I have yelled at and stopped various people from capturing iguanas so they could eat them. Without getting all of you, touch feely people out there riled up about the right of these people to eat food. Please understand that most of the time their motivation is not for protein but the belief that the female iguana eggs are natural Viagra (I am sure you get the idea, this is a PG site.) These are the same people who also buy turtle eggs from people who dig them out of the sand (FYI there are no commerical farms where they cultivate turtle eggs) for the same ignorant belief. Anyhow, I saw two park security persons and asked why are they trying to capture the iguanas? He said they are removing them from the park. I was appalled and decided to come back after a few sets to take come pictures and video to show the world what was happening. more…

Initial readings say the epicenter was located in the San Carlos region, 22 miles NW of San Jose, Costa Rica. The actual coordinates for the epicenter are 10.220°N, 84.280°W, if you have a GPS or Google map service you can use these to view the location.

Here on the beach some people like me stay tuned to the NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and while I physically felt the earthquake with the usual feeling of standing on a rope span bridge, I am glad to say that NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was immediately updated and notified me in seconds. I love how technology and real life can be meshed to create a safer world. more…

The latest news out of San Jose, Costa Rica says “Central American leaders” are calling for a joint credit fund and single currency throughout the region. Who these purported leaders are has yet to revealed. These “leaders” claim this idea has been a product of the world financial crash with the aim of maintaining some kind of fiscal stability in Central America.

There are fears that the current crisis will prevent foreign investment in Costa Rican and other Central American economies which will further worsen the problem. In an effort to combat this problem, a 41 point economic blueprint has been put together and signed by leaders and representatives in all Central American countries. What is not clear is how a single currency could increase foreign investment during a global credit crunch. But these are shrewd “leaders” who know how to manipulate foreign governments for grants, donations, loans so they might have a trick up their sleeves. more…

Two earthquakes on the central Pacific coast occurred between 10:53 p.m. Monday and 16 minutes after midnight Tuesday 12/16/08. The first measured 5.0 in magnitude, according to the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica. The second was a lesser 3.0, the observatory said.

Both were said to have been caused by local faults. The first quake had its epicenter about 8 kms (5 miles) northeast of Porvenir de Parrita. The second was in the Pacific some 17 kms (about 10.5 miles) west of Jacó, said the observatory.

Ground waves of both quakes were highly variable. The impact was great in some areas and hardly felt in others, according to the observatory’s array of seismographic stations. This is the second significant earthquake felt in this area in the last month. You can read about the recent earthquake in Costa Rica here.