Barro Colorado Island and the Panama Canal, 3/28/2019, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
Today we visited the world famous Barro Colorado Island, located in the manmade lake of Gatun, Panama. This truly is considered a living laboratory for tropical rainforest research, and a lot of our knowledge about neotropical forest dynamics stems from this site. Our guest had the choice between two vantages of jungle, being either the coast-side cruise by Zodiac or by walking the trails along the forest grounds.
Later finding ourselves outside the Gatun Locks, we completed our transit through the Panama Canal, putting us right back at sea level and facing an open Caribbean.
Carlos is a freelance wildlife photographer and photography instructor from Costa Rica. Passionate about travel and education, he also works as a certified naturalist guide on the beaches, jungles, and mountains of that beautiful tropical paradise. W...
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This morning, National Geographic Quest arrived in Costa Rica after departing Panama, marking the start of our exploration in this biodiversity-rich nation. Our first outing took us to Golfito, where guests embarked on Zodiacs or kayaks to navigate the coastal waters and mangroves. The experience was nothing short of thrilling—howler monkeys swung through the trees, their calls echoing around us, while vibrant birds, including herons and kingfishers, dotted the skies. A highlight was spotting a mangrove boa coiled in the branches, a testament to the region’s wild heart. In the afternoon, we ventured into the Rio Seco rainforest, a lush expanse teeming with life. Guests hiked trails and strolled through meticulously tended gardens, surrounded by nature’s chorus. The sightings were spectacular: a stealthy spectacled caiman lurked near the water’s edge, scarlet macaws flashed their brilliant plumage overhead, and the iconic toucans— colorful and charismatic—captivated us with their presence. Each step revealed new wonders, from darting lizards to fluttering butterflies. Today’s journey showcased Costa Rica’s ecological splendor, leaving us eager for what tomorrow holds as we continue our voyage aboard National Geographic Quest.
Today was an ocean fiesta. We spent all day in the water, first at Isla Coco, so named for its lone coconut tree. This island supports an exceptionally resilient, old, and stunning rocky reef with a variety of colorful inhabitants such as parrotfish, guineafowl pufferfish, Moorish idols, and whitetip reef sharks. In the afternoon, we visited the Coiba Ranger Station located on the largest island in Central America. Besides black vultures, agoutis, and capuchin monkeys, this island also hosts endemics like the Coiba spinetail and a subspecies of howler monkey that is smaller than their mainland cousin. After a cocktail hour on the sundeck, guests enjoyed the evening recap, dinner, and then footage captured by Undersea Specialist Zoey Greenberg featuring animals from today’s reef.
After cruising during the night, National Geographic Quest arrived at the coast of Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge. This 53-hectare wildlife reserve has 13 hectares of dry tropical rain forest and more than 40 hectares of coral. We were eager to go ashore and spend the entire day exploring this paradise. In the morning, the tides were ideal for snorkeling. A lovely school of bicolored parrot fish together with orange-sided triggerfish were seen by our guests. The resilient reef showed evidence of health and life. We were all delighted to see the abundant marine life, the amazing result of conservation. After lunch, we walked around the premises of the park. A big colony of magnificent frigatebirds were nesting at the back of the island. The males had their red gular pouches inflated, and were clicking their beaks, waiting for a female to accept their charming advances. It was a great day enjoying what nature provided for our guests.
