Our day began with a beautiful sunrise in the Gulf of Panama which highlighted the small Islands of Otoque and Bona on the horizon. After a delicious breakfast, we boarded Zodiacs to explore these nesting sites for brown pelicans, brown and blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds. We observed a number of these seabirds in full mating displays, along with their nests and chicks.

Later in the day, our ship navigated to the Panama Canal entrance, where we picked up a local pilot who would guide our transit in the early evening. We enjoyed unique views of ships leaving the Miraflore Locks as we went through the lock’s chambers with the help of mules pulling our ship to its destination in Gatun Lake. An unforgettable experience.