160 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL.1 



and headland, not so conspicuous as Cabo Blanca. Off this point the heavy 

 breakers make it one of the principal danger points of the coast. 



There are no dredging stations in the Gulf of Nicoya or its vicinity. 



From Punta Judas the coast takes a long sweep, southeast and south, 

 73 miles to Llorena Point, the greatest depth of the bight being 21 miles. 

 In general, the coast is bold from the water's edge or near it; but, even 

 when it is low, it soon reaches an area of elevation to a chain of coastal 

 mountains, higher than any others so near the coast for a long distance to 

 the northwest. They are so near the shore that for some distance out at 

 sea they hide the really high mountains farther inland. Mount Walker is 

 12,413 feet high. There are no very distinct irregularities in the shore of 

 the bight. 



Llorena Point is the western extremity of a large peninsula that sepa- 

 rates the Gulf of Dulce, to the westward, from the open sea. The point 

 itself is high and steep, and from it the coast extends 14 miles southeast- 

 erly to Sal Si Puedes Point, and then eastward for 18 miles to Matapalo 

 Head at the entrance of the Gulf of Dulce. Three points are high and 

 rocky, but most of the coast between them is low and sandy. Except for 

 a ridge extending inland between the first two points, which remains low 

 for some distance inland, the hilly country is not very far from the shore. 



The Gulf of Dulce extends northward and then northwestward for 

 28 miles, with a width of 8% miles at the entrance between Matapalo 

 Point and Banco Point, and within the entrance varying from 5 to 11 

 miles. The west coast is low, with hilly country near; the head is bolder, 

 but the hills are farther from shore. These appear again in the northern 

 portion of the east shore, but soon disappear again, so that the southern 

 portion is low. There are depths of over 100 fathoms in the gulf, unusual 

 for the Central American coast. There are several small, secondary bays 

 and plenty of good anchorages. Collecting has been done on the shore 

 among the large basaltic boulders near Matapalo Head by dipping under 

 the cargo light and by dredging near by in 10 to 40 fathoms, sand and 

 mud. 



From Banco Point, or perhaps more correctly from Platanal Point, 

 3 miles to the southeast, there is another wide bight, this time a veiy 

 shallow one, extending to Punta Burica, 24 miles from Platanal Point, 

 with practically no sign of any smaller irregularities in the coast line. 



Punta Burica is the terminus of a 15-mile, narrow peninsula, extend- 

 ing almost directly southward, only 2 miles wide a short distance from 

 the point and 6 miles wide at the base. At this point Costa Rica meets 



