Coiba National Park, Panama
After a long cruise that brought us from Costa Rica to Panama, we woke up this morning in front of one of the best-kept rainforest in the Eastern Pacific. Coiba National Park is one of the five large sets of islands that are found inside the Tropical Eastern Pacific Marine Corridor along with the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador, the Malpelo and Gorgona Islands from Colombia, and the Coco’s Island that belongs to Costa Rica. For many years, this island functioned as Panama’s own “Isla del Diablo” - Devil’s Island, as many of the most dangerous criminals were sent there to practically survive on their own. Due to the strong currents and sharks that abound around the island, it was practically impossible to escape; on the other hand, this same somewhat scary fact is the precise reason why this area was kept pristine. For a while, the Panamanian Government attempted to develop this area for tourism, but in the end conservation prevailed. Recognizing its biological diversity and ecological significance, Panama declared the area a park and UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.
Our first day in Panama found us anchored just off the white sandy beaches of Isla Granito de Oro – the Little Grain of Gold Island. This is one of the many – around 350 – islets that belong to Coiba National Park, but unique in its beauty and spirituality. This islet’s treasure is not found inside a trunk, but rather underwater, where the reefs hide in their crevices and crannies an innumerable amount of species of fish and invertebrates.
Today we had the chance to take a dip in the bright blue waters of the Panamanian Pacific coast and we were all rewarded with sightings of fish such as parrot fishes, wrasses, damselfishes, cornet fish, reef sharks, rays, turtles and yet some more as they all welcomed us within their realm. On land, we were “invaded” by hermit crabs, which proved to be great subjects for many photographers.
We ended our stay in Coiba Island with a phenomenal BBQ lunch on land prepared by our galley, after which some chose to take a final bathe in the warm waters, while others chose to walk around following the vultures that came to scavenge around our meal, or stroll along the wood dock not too far from our “station.” To our surprise, a very pleasant one I must say, the widest leaf-cutter ant trail marched along the dock’s railing. These ants are amongst the most notorious features of a tropical rainforest, moving as much leaf matter as large herbivores move in the African plains.
What a fantastic way to end an already outstanding day!
