Gulf of Panama and the Panama Canal, 12/16/2022, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
Today we visited the islands of Bona and Otoque in the Gulf of Panama. Bona Island is currently uninhabited. Many decades ago, the island was home to a guano quarry operation. Today, it is on its way to becoming a wildlife refuge, thanks to the thousands of pelagic birds that nest on these rocky islands.
Later in the evening, we started our Panama Canal crossing through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks.
Mauricio was born and raised in Panama City. He is studying at the University of Panama to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Biology and has worked on research projects collaborating with institutions like the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute an...
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Every minute-or-so, a small, white, pawpaw-shaped fruit thuds on the forest floor before us. Each one has been picked, sampled, and pitched from the high canopy. Maybe the young spider monkey above us thinks that the next one will be sweeter than the one before, only to find proof in one bite that the identical in all other ways, is also identical in its bitterness. Or maybe the little guy likes the way they sound when they hit the ground. Or—and I am well aware of the unlikeliness of this possibility—maybe he is doing it just to entertain us. Who knows? Certainly not this photographer. Whatever the reason for the little monkey’s antics, the ground is positively littered with fruit, leaving me to wonder how long he has been up to this, and what might come later to snack on the mounting detritus. My wonder quickly fades as I recognize that nobody else in our group is ruining this moment by asking silly questions about motives, and I am not about to interrupt the joy surrounding me to answer an unasked, unimportant question. Life is too short for that.
Today, National Geographic Quest arrived at the outer part of Peninsula Osa, and we experienced what it is like to be in the rainforest as it was a rainy morning. We gathered the coastal hikers and those exploring Caletas Beach, and to our surprise, a pair of humpback whales turned up along the coast, putting on a great show for us. They are the migrants from Alaska that come down to tropical waters for breeding and to deliver their calves. For 12 weeks they nourish them with milk rich in proteins to bulk up their weight and fat. This prepares them for their migration back to the Northern Pacific feeding grounds. As we walked in the rain, we spotted mammals and birds, such as white-throated capuchins, a common black hawk, black-hooded antshrike, and others. The scenery from the coast was beautiful to see, as it is one of the most dramatic landscapes, where the rocky shorelines are splashed with the ocean waves. We repositioned our outstanding ship towards Drake Bay where we concluded with a Zodiac cruise on the Agujitas River. We saw interesting bird life and explored the rocky shores for wildlife. Photo caption and credit: Guests on the Zodiac, ready to cruise the Agujitas River. Photo by Gabriel Ortiz
Our adventure in Panama is complete and now everyone is ready for Costa Rica and all the wildlife sightings that await! We arrived today in Golfito, a small town on the border of Panama surrounded by mangroves and hills. This little community was mainly formed by workers of the banana plantations back in the day. Now its surroundings are protected, and it is an incredible place to find wildlife. Kayaking offered a great opportunity to explore life in the mangroves up close. We learned about how the mangroves work, not just as a barrier protecting the mainland for flooding, but also as a nursery for several fish species. The roots of these trees create a whole web that look like bridges for crabs and monkeys. In the afternoon we visited an impressive reserve known as Rio Seco. It was a fantastic trip with monkeys, macaws, falcons, flowers, and rain which created a unique experience. It is a place full of biodiversity and wonder to interpret.