We were allowed up on top the chicken bus where our bags were being packed and tied down.

As it was only supposed to be a short 1 ¼ hour trip, I chose to take the single seat at the very back and this proved to be a good move. I didn't want the seat over the wheel arch and I am glad that I didn’t choose an aisle seat as I would have normally have done. As the photos will show how crammed the bus became and those on the aisle would have been knocked around by the people standing and getting on and off. And yes, it was a real live chicken!

Got to Rivas, transfer into a waiting minivan for the short transfer to the wharf only to be told that the 12 noon ferry wasn’t sailing (motor issues) and we would have to wait for the 2 pm one. Yes, we could have taken the slow chicken boat but I am sure that sea sickness would have run wild.
 
Talk about filling a boat. Again I do not even want to think if there were enough life jackets for probably a double load of passengers and several trucks. We were standing / sitting on virtually all of the available deck space and various passage ways.

The crossing took only 1 ¼ hour and 2 vans took us to the other side of the Ometepe Island.