Coiba Island National Park, Panama
The National Geographic Sea Lion had sailed 120 nautical miles from Golfito, in Costa Rica. At the crack of dawn, it made its way through the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean towards Panama’s jewel, Coiba Island National Park. This park was kept from being visited by tourist. The reason? Before it became a national park it was a penal colony known as Panama’s Devil Island. In the year 2000, all the prisoners were relocated to other jails around Panama. They left behind a pristine forest and unspoiled islets. In 2005, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site. This park has an average extension of 430,000 acres, which includes an archipelago of around 38 islands and islets.
While having breakfast, we heard the anchor drop. Through the dining room windows we could see a lovely little islet surrounded with white sand and a couple of palm trees. It looked like a comic picture of Gary Larson’s Comic Gallery. It was just a lovely paradise. Eager to get ashore, we grabbed our gear and took the Zodiacs. Clear waters, a large amount of corals and different species of fish were the center of attention for all of us. Some took the kayaks to explore around the islet. Several Hawk billed turtles poke their heads out of the water, like taking a peak to what was going around them. It was a wonderful morning!
Hard to leave this paradise, we went back on board for lunch. As we shared our experiences, the National Geographic Sea Lion weighed anchor and started sailing towards our next destination. 190 nautical miles had to be covered. We went on deck to say good bye to this paradise. Several pods of Pantropical spotted dolphins follow us, bow riding while some Green sea turtles made way for our ship.
We were delighted with a lecture given by one our guest, Carlos Schwantes. He explained the important role played by the Isthmus of Panama in American History. At the end of the lecture, we gathered out on deck to enjoy a lovely sunset. We could see in the distance Cerro Hoya National Park. Located in the Azuero Peninsula, this park stands as a heritage left by the first inhabitants of Panama. We realized that we have had a lovely welcome to Panama!
