Bona and Otoque Islands, Panama
Today, our first day at sea after transiting the Panama Canal, we woke to feel the warm Pacific Ocean breeze. This morning we have the luxury of time to explore the small islands of Bona and Otoque, both important nesting sites for sea birds. Some went out on an “early bird” excursion to the island before breakfast, while others stayed until the “civilized” trip that went out at 9:00 am. The early birds witnessed the awakening of the birds, and the next group came out in the middle of the action. No matter which trip you chose there was no chance of disappointment, birds were out and about… Brown pelicans gracefully cruising the skies, brown boobies were diving like needles in to the ocean, and of course the magnificent frigatebirds mastering the wind and proving to be the owners of the ocean skies. Some of the frigatebirds had their red gular pouch inflated, offering a spectacular show of courtship.
At first light we saw a group of fisherman on very little canoes riding the waves using hand lines to catch they daily quote of fresh fish. Sea bass and snappers were the most appreciated catch as we saw during our birding Zodiac ride. The fisherman are from the little fishing village of “Otoque Oriente,” located on the eastern side on the island. We boarded the zodiacs and motored to the village to pay a visit to our friends that we had made earlier. The village was picturesque and enchanting. The locals were extremely friendly and they seemed as amused with our presence as we were with the visit to this unspoiled village. The church was their pride and they didn’t hesitate on opening it for us as soon as we got to the island. And the children enjoyed having their pictures taken and seeing the instant results on our digital cameras.
Today, our first day at sea after transiting the Panama Canal, we woke to feel the warm Pacific Ocean breeze. This morning we have the luxury of time to explore the small islands of Bona and Otoque, both important nesting sites for sea birds. Some went out on an “early bird” excursion to the island before breakfast, while others stayed until the “civilized” trip that went out at 9:00 am. The early birds witnessed the awakening of the birds, and the next group came out in the middle of the action. No matter which trip you chose there was no chance of disappointment, birds were out and about… Brown pelicans gracefully cruising the skies, brown boobies were diving like needles in to the ocean, and of course the magnificent frigatebirds mastering the wind and proving to be the owners of the ocean skies. Some of the frigatebirds had their red gular pouch inflated, offering a spectacular show of courtship.
At first light we saw a group of fisherman on very little canoes riding the waves using hand lines to catch they daily quote of fresh fish. Sea bass and snappers were the most appreciated catch as we saw during our birding Zodiac ride. The fisherman are from the little fishing village of “Otoque Oriente,” located on the eastern side on the island. We boarded the zodiacs and motored to the village to pay a visit to our friends that we had made earlier. The village was picturesque and enchanting. The locals were extremely friendly and they seemed as amused with our presence as we were with the visit to this unspoiled village. The church was their pride and they didn’t hesitate on opening it for us as soon as we got to the island. And the children enjoyed having their pictures taken and seeing the instant results on our digital cameras.
