Isla Coiba and Isla Granito de Oro, Panama
Kissed by luck, the Sea Voyager arrived earlier than planned to Isla Coiba. Since the wind was at our back and ocean currents helping us along – we passed the 200 nautical miles from the Darien in what seemed like a blink of an eye (easy to say since many of us were asleep). The extra time we gained allowed us to spend the morning enjoying various hikes at Coiba National Park.
Isla Coiba is home to a fading penal colony made famous during Manuel Noriegas’ days in Panama. Turned into a national park in 1993, Coiba is an untouched ecological jewel. Birding, reptile, and beach-combing hikes were the perfect gift for the morning.
A short jaunt from the park headquarters and we were at Isla Granito de Oro, and what awaited us was a afternoon of snorkeling, diving, kayaking, hermit crab races, and plain, old fashioned relaxing on the beach. “Oh my god… Did you see that? What was that?” were the cries heard from the water, as we were introduced (literally) to a new ocean of marine life. We were at play in the water with convict tangs, grunts, butterflyfish, damselfish, spawning wrasses, yellow snapper, king angelfish, hawkfish, and this browncheek blenny. The Expedition Leader had to call the ship claiming that, “We are literally dragging people back.”
The Browncheek Blenny is a 2½ inch wonder that is usually found in empty worm and mollusk tubes. It gets its name from the brown “patch” that covers most of the gill. This blenny feeds on small invertebrates and small fish. The male of this species guard the eggs that the female deposits on the walls of the tube.
The day came to an end with re-cap. Today we compared lists of reptiles, birds and fish seen, and then finished with an interesting display of the mating ritual of the Lance-tailed mannequin performed by our naturalists and guests. WHEW!!! Tomorrow….Costa Rica.
Kissed by luck, the Sea Voyager arrived earlier than planned to Isla Coiba. Since the wind was at our back and ocean currents helping us along – we passed the 200 nautical miles from the Darien in what seemed like a blink of an eye (easy to say since many of us were asleep). The extra time we gained allowed us to spend the morning enjoying various hikes at Coiba National Park.
Isla Coiba is home to a fading penal colony made famous during Manuel Noriegas’ days in Panama. Turned into a national park in 1993, Coiba is an untouched ecological jewel. Birding, reptile, and beach-combing hikes were the perfect gift for the morning.
A short jaunt from the park headquarters and we were at Isla Granito de Oro, and what awaited us was a afternoon of snorkeling, diving, kayaking, hermit crab races, and plain, old fashioned relaxing on the beach. “Oh my god… Did you see that? What was that?” were the cries heard from the water, as we were introduced (literally) to a new ocean of marine life. We were at play in the water with convict tangs, grunts, butterflyfish, damselfish, spawning wrasses, yellow snapper, king angelfish, hawkfish, and this browncheek blenny. The Expedition Leader had to call the ship claiming that, “We are literally dragging people back.”
The Browncheek Blenny is a 2½ inch wonder that is usually found in empty worm and mollusk tubes. It gets its name from the brown “patch” that covers most of the gill. This blenny feeds on small invertebrates and small fish. The male of this species guard the eggs that the female deposits on the walls of the tube.
The day came to an end with re-cap. Today we compared lists of reptiles, birds and fish seen, and then finished with an interesting display of the mating ritual of the Lance-tailed mannequin performed by our naturalists and guests. WHEW!!! Tomorrow….Costa Rica.
