Fernando Estrada
Tortuguero Naturalist Guide
Fernando, best known as "Don," was born on May 30, 1954, in Bluefields, Nicaragua. He is one of 13 siblings. As a child and young man in Bluefields, he had seen the Puerto Cabezas Indians come to town to sell turtle meat but he had never seen one of the giant sea turtles alive. Elders told stories about them coming ashore to lay their eggs in Tortuguero and Don wanted to see this first hand.
Years later, Nicaragua was enduring one of the most grueling times of the Somoza dictatorship, when Miss Tomasa, Don's Aunt and midwife from Tortuguero, came to Bluefields for a visit. She invited Fernando to join her on the journey home. Don thinks that his father let him go because it would be one less mouth to feed and this was a chance for Don to travel with his Aunt rather than alone.
At the age of 16 Don arrived at the village of Tortuguero when there was a population of more or less 15 families (today, 1500 people). He worked at the lumber mill for the first year and then his dream came true. He got a job working for Dr. Archie Carr and the Carribean Conservation Corportation. He worked with them in the fight to save the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle from 1975-1987.
Don still remembers seeing his first sea turtle; the sheer size of this reptile caused a big impression, the weight of the turtle, the sound of her body dragging on the sand on her way up the beach. Don says that he sat on her back and got in front of her trying to stop her from moving he wasn't able to detour her even putting his heavyweight boxer frame fully into the task.
“I was most impressed with the way she makes the chamber hole.” He says, “ She takes those giant flippers that she uses to swim in the ocean, the same ones she uses to drag herself up the beach and turns them into scoops that dig a perfect hole with perfectly round contours.”
Although he has experienced the turtles backwards and forwards and has walked the beaches of Tortuguero National Park thousands of nights. The privilege of watching guests experience the turtle nesting process and the questions that they ask him each day keep him young and proud of the conservation effort that has been made.
Don began to work for Tortuga Lodge as a boat Captain and Naturalist Guide in 1989. Today, he leads guests to Tortuguero National Park on a daily basis.
Don and his wife, Pastora, have four children and three grandchildren. He is known for his booming laugh, which can be heard for some distance.
His message to people considering a visit to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens:
“You won't believe me if I tell you everything you will see when you visit Tortuguero National Park. You will have to come and see for yourself. Then, please go home and tell your friends.”
Norton Sinclair
Tortuguero Naturalist Guide
Norton, better known as “Putut,” was born on March 10, 1964, in Rio Maíz, Nicaragua.
When Somoza lost the Nicaraguan Revolution to the Sandinistas, Norton's father decided it was time to move to Costa Rica. They were prosperous and had farms and a business moving cargo by boat between Rio Maíz and Bluefields, his father decided to leave everything behind and look for a safer place to live.
Norton was 9 at the time, his parents and his eight brothers and sisters took a boat to the Nicaragua - Costa Rica border and then walked on the beach to the town of Barra del Colorado, 35.4 KM or 22 miles from Tortuguero.
Starting over wasn't easy, they brought their cargo boat to Barra del Colorado, but it hit bottom in the mouth of the river and was rendered useless. The family worked hard peeling coconuts, fishing commercially for lobster and fish and felling trees for the lumber company that they then floated down river to the plywood factory in Limon.
“I'm sometimes ashamed to admit that I contributed to destroying the forests and worked at a plywood factory,” says Norton, “but at least I learned and am now dedicated to conservation. There are people that still hunt and cut down forests in this region today. They have still not understood the damage that is caused.”
The Sinclair family finally set down roots in the town of Parismina 35.4 KM or 22 miles south of Tortuguero where they still gather as a family today.
Norton began working for Costa Rica Expeditions in 2005, he is a Naturalist Guide that brings a unique perspective to the table. His work in the ocean and the forests has taught him animal behavior and his sightings are legendary.
In his spare time, Norton can be found fishing, listening to music, playing dominoes with friends or watching TV.
His message to people considering a visit to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens:
“I especially enjoy helping guests spot a particular bird or animal they've never seen before or are keen to see, I look forward to introducing you to Tortuguero National Park and it's creatures.”
Angelo Benley
Tortuguero Naturalist Guide
Angelo was born on July 7, 1976. He was raised in the Town of Tortuguero by his grandparents, Don Alberto and Doña Ana Cristina. His grandfather grew plantains, cassava and coconuts. His grandmother worked at one of the lodges in Tortuguero as a cook.
Memories of his childhood growing up in Tortuguero are of freedom, he remembers running around with his group of friends with the liberty to do whatever they wanted. Their favorite activities included swimming in the river, especially jumping off the dock into the River in front of the Paraiso Tropical Souvenir Shop in Tortuguero, playing soccer on the beach and marbles on one of their front porch.
Angelo has worked as a guide in Tortuguero for the last 10 years. He strives to lead his experiences in Tortuguero National Park with dedication and works so that each of his guests will have learned something new about the environment and its creatures.
When he's not guiding in Tortuguero, Angelo likes to spend time with his wife Carmen and his daughters Selena and Naomi. He also enjoys his parents and his brothers and sisters.
His message to people considering a visit to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens:
“I invite you to visit Tortuguero National Park; you will be surprised when surrounded by Tropical Rainforest rather than by a buzzing city. You will find that at Tortuga Lodge & Gardens, we will all be warm and friendly hosts.”
Luis Torres
Tortuguero Naturalist Guide
Luis was born and raised in Tortuguero, he is a second generation guide. His father, also named Luis Torres worked for Tortuga Lodge first as a gardener, then as a local guide and finally as a Naturalist Guide leading trips all over Costa Rica.
Young Luis has been guiding for one year. Before guiding Luis worked as a boat captain for Naturalist Guides leading groups in Tortuguero, he says he made a conscious effort to learn as much as he could from them and from his guests.
Although many of the people in Tortuguero speak Jamaican English, Luis never learned as a child. He taught himself by asking other guides and his guests to help with pronunciation and by going into the forest to lead tours in English by himself. His hard work and determination has paid off, his guests are delighted when they return from and excursion into the park with him.
Luis and his wife Maria have a daughter, Delyne and a son, Evans.
His message to people considering a visit to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens:
“When you visit Tortuguero National Park you will take home unforgettable memories of nature and our wonderful people”.
