Barro Colorado Island & Gatun Locks, Panama
It is true that time flies when one is having fun; it is incredible that our week aboard the Sea Voyager is almost over. Rain forest hikes and sightings of agoutis, monkeys, macaws and breaching whales among many other great memories, have passed by.
Today the Sea Voyager anchored in front of what is probably the most researched rain forest in the Neotropics, this island has been an open laboratory since 1946 when it became part of the Smithsonian Institute. Since then, an array of world scientists have walked its trails, explored the forest and wrote the most important tropical ecology books. Barro Colorado Island, better known as BCI, was created when the Chagres River was dammed to form Gatun Lake.
We have to consider ourselves very lucky, because we are the only marine vessel that is allowed to split its transit into two days and therefore, have the chance to visit the BCI. The island offers well articulated trails spanning several miles. Among those trails are Donato and Fausto, taken by our guests to observe for the last time the magic of the rain forest. But more than just magic, they had the chance to spot howler monkeys, spider monkeys and for me, the prettiest animal of the Neotropics, a Northern Tamandua (anteater). Its name comes from the Tupi Indians from Brazil, meaning ant-trap. This anteater is a great climber due to the fact the largest percent of termites and ant species in a tropical rain forest inhabits the canopy.
This splendid rain forest can be explored not just by land, so three Zodiacs loaded with curious guests took off for an hour and a half ride. Among the first animals spotted were two strong male green iguanas, followed by a baby crocodile resting on a log. Then the movement on the branches gave in, a hidden spider and howler monkey, because each of them occupies different niches in the forest neither of them are competitors for each other, so it is not odd to find them in the same tree.
Everything described above happened in the morning outing alone. After all guests came back on board, the Sea Voyager started making its way to the next set of locks and in doing so, marked the end of this speechlessly amazing trip. I am sad because it came to an end, but I am happy because amazing nature events happened. I wish to all guests a happy and satisfying life.
It is true that time flies when one is having fun; it is incredible that our week aboard the Sea Voyager is almost over. Rain forest hikes and sightings of agoutis, monkeys, macaws and breaching whales among many other great memories, have passed by.
Today the Sea Voyager anchored in front of what is probably the most researched rain forest in the Neotropics, this island has been an open laboratory since 1946 when it became part of the Smithsonian Institute. Since then, an array of world scientists have walked its trails, explored the forest and wrote the most important tropical ecology books. Barro Colorado Island, better known as BCI, was created when the Chagres River was dammed to form Gatun Lake.
We have to consider ourselves very lucky, because we are the only marine vessel that is allowed to split its transit into two days and therefore, have the chance to visit the BCI. The island offers well articulated trails spanning several miles. Among those trails are Donato and Fausto, taken by our guests to observe for the last time the magic of the rain forest. But more than just magic, they had the chance to spot howler monkeys, spider monkeys and for me, the prettiest animal of the Neotropics, a Northern Tamandua (anteater). Its name comes from the Tupi Indians from Brazil, meaning ant-trap. This anteater is a great climber due to the fact the largest percent of termites and ant species in a tropical rain forest inhabits the canopy.
This splendid rain forest can be explored not just by land, so three Zodiacs loaded with curious guests took off for an hour and a half ride. Among the first animals spotted were two strong male green iguanas, followed by a baby crocodile resting on a log. Then the movement on the branches gave in, a hidden spider and howler monkey, because each of them occupies different niches in the forest neither of them are competitors for each other, so it is not odd to find them in the same tree.
Everything described above happened in the morning outing alone. After all guests came back on board, the Sea Voyager started making its way to the next set of locks and in doing so, marked the end of this speechlessly amazing trip. I am sad because it came to an end, but I am happy because amazing nature events happened. I wish to all guests a happy and satisfying life.
