Panama Gulf and Panama Canal, 1/20/2023, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
Today was our second day in Panamanian waters, and what a great day it was. In the morning, we cruised the rich waters of the Gulf of Panama with seabirds as our escorts. In the afternoon, we enjoyed the Panama Canal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
Federico Chacón, or “Fico” as he is better known by his friends, started guiding one-day nature tours on weekends and holidays at the age of 18 right at the time he started studies at the University of Costa Rica. It was just a part-time job, that wa...
Frank is a naturalist guide with a long career path involving his beloved Costa Rica. He grew up in Escazu, a small town surrounded by blue and green mountains in the Central Valley. His admiration for nature and wildlife turned him into an autodidac...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
This morning, National Geographic Quest anchored in front of Barro Colorado Island (BCI), where the sunrise provided a stunning view, perfectly aligned with one of the nearby buoys. After breakfast, some guests visited the Forest Discovery Center (FDC), near Gamboa, part of Soberanía National Park. There, they observed various species of hummingbirds and trogons and had the chance to visit the observation tower for an incredible view of the forest canopy. On the way back from the FDC, they spotted white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, and Geoffroy's tamarins. At the same time, guests had the option to explore the island by land or water. Some chose to embark on a Zodiac cruise around the island, exploring its perimeter with a guide while taking in the surrounding wildlife. Others ventured onto the island itself, walking trails frequently used by scientists. On the island, guests spotted spider monkeys, crested guans, and various species of antbirds following the army ants, offering an up-close look at the island’s diverse ecosystem. In the afternoon, we continued our transit through the Panama Canal, heading toward the Culebra Cut where we prepared to enter the Pacific set of locks, making our way toward the Pacific Ocean.
It’s amazing how the time goes! It feels like just yesterday that everybody came aboard to explore Costa Rica’s rainforest, people, and traditions. Today, on our last full day together, we visited one of the most unique biological reserves in the world: Barro Colorado. This island in the middle of the Panama Canal is the site of some of the world’s most important tropical rainforest research; biologists from all over the world have been fascinated with the country’s biodiversity since the Panama Canal opened. We had the opportunity to walk through the island with guides who explained their work and the various programs they run. At the same time, another group of guests opted for a different tour to explore the small town of Gamboa. We visited the Rainforest Discovery Center, where we really enjoyed the rainforest because we got rain. In the afternoon, we offered two panga boat tours around the island in the canal. For almost two hours we had the opportunity to see iguanas, birds, and monkeys, including the area’s most unique monkey species, Geoffroy’s tamarin.
Our first full day aboard National Geographic Quest offered close encounters with brown boobies (Sula leucogaster) riding updrafts from our ship and diving for fish. Guests took in the seascape as well as several lectures, including our National Geographic Explorer Jenny Gil’s talk on her work studying algae; afterward she led a hands-on activity of algae-inspired ink making. In the afternoon guests watched A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama ; afterwards naturalist Christian Moreno gave a talk on the history and context of the Panama Canal. The suspense of the canal made for an energetic atmosphere during our outdoor cocktail hour. Once we hauled anchor and began our transit, the bow filled with eager observers as Christian and co-naturalist Joshua Hall narrated our entry into the Miraflores locks. The experience of the canal is something many have waited their whole lives for, and their day finally arrived.
