Today, guests aboard National Geographic Quest had the chance to become real-life mermaids! At Coiba National Park, rangers work diligently to keep the surrounding areas as pristine as possible while also allowing local and foreign tourists the chance to experience these conservation efforts and observe how they are working. Guests experienced this up close and personal with forest walks at the ranger station and snorkeling at nearby Cocos Island. Those who chose the underwater experience were treated to a vast array of life amongst the coral reef. With the first king tides of the year bringing an extra low tide, the animals were so close it was almost like snorkelers were inside an aquarium with them. After picking up anchor and heading off to the wild open blue, all were surprised by the presence of a few Bryde’s whales and a couple of species of dolphins while cruising to our destination, the Panama Canal.