We awoke at our anchorage in Gatun Lake, which was, at the time of its creation, the largest man-made lake in the world. The longest running tropical research center is also located here, on Barro Colorado Island (BCI).
We disembarked for hikes on this unique island and explored a trail system that has hosted researchers since the 1920’s. Many foundational studies on tropical ecology originated here, including groundbreaking work on leaf-cutter ants, spider monkey hormones, and the motivations of tent-making bats.
During panga and Zodiac cruises we observed lovely birds, including the snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), an elegant raptor with a notably curved beaked used for extracting apple snails from their shells.
Upon leaving BCI we passed through Gatun Locks (with a crocodile) and arrived in Colon in time to celebrate our trip with the world premiere of the guest slideshow. This was a trip to remember — from Costa Rica’s lush Osa Peninsula to Panama’s famous canal, we have been mesmerized every nautical mile of the way.
