Playa Brasilito

A woman vacationing in Playa Brasilito, one of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast beaches located in the province of Guanacaste, lost her life in the surf this weekend. According to a report published by daily tabloid Diario Extra, the woman was an Italian tourist named Patricia Taburiny, who was 64 years of age. Unlike other, recent reports of tourist drownings in Costa Rica, heavy surf conditions were not observed.

According to a local resident interviewed by Diario Extra, Signora Taburiny was enjoying a vacation in Costa Rica along with her husband, Elton Vanelli. They were guests at the Buena Fuente Hotel in Bahia de los Piratas (Pirate’s Bay). Red Cross rescuers and members of the Tourism Police who responded to the call indicated that Signora Taburiny entered the surf not long after having lunch, and thus they believe that stomach cramps brought on by oxygen deprivation may have precipitated the drowning. The body of the Italian tourist was collected by forensic agents from the Office of Judicial Investigations.

Red Cross rescuers interviewed by Diario Extra asked readers to keep in mind the risk of developing cramps by swimming too soon after a large meal, and thus they recommend waiting at least an hour before entering the water after eating. Although there is some skepticism surrounding this advice, there is always a chance of developing stomach cramps any time after a meal. To aid the process of digestion, the heart pumps blood to the stomach:

During exercise, the heart pumps blood to the muscles, and the flow of the blood to the stomach is greatly diminished. Without the blood supply, the stomach muscles suffer from lack of oxygen and, like any muscle without oxygen, develop cramps.

Needless to say, accompanying meals with alcoholic beverages, eating in excess or consuming hearty and spicy foods may require a longer period of repose before swimming, just to be on the safe side.

Our condolences to Signore Vanelli, and to his dearly departed Signora Taburiny we say: Riposa in pace eterna.