Panama Bay Islands & Panama Canal
Waking up is such a joy here in Panama. The cool morning breeze and the delicious local fruits like pineapple and papaya, that greet us on the breakfast buffet, makes us feel like we are in heaven!
We started our day with Zodiac cruises around Bona, one of the smallest islands in the Gulf of Panama. This area is home to millions of seabirds that feed and nest in these nutrient-rich waters. We saw magnificent frigate birds, many with their red gullar pouches inflated. We witnessed brown and blue-footed boobies, together with brown pelicans, plunge diving for their food. Meanwhile, the frigate birds were soaring above, waiting to see whom they were going to pick on to steal their catch. This is known as cleptoparasitism.
After lunch, we weighed anchor and started to sail towards the entrance of the Panama Canal. We reached the anchorage area known as Flamenco Signal. It’s at this point where all the ships must report to the authority of the Panama Canal before they start their transit through the canal. While we waited for the authorities to give us clearance, we enjoyed a nice view of the skyline of Panama City.
We were treated to a feast of typical Panamanian food for dinner and then we began our partial transit of the canal. It was dark as we passed under the beautifully lit Bridge of the Americas. Our first set of locks was the Miraflores Locks. Four locomotives or “mules” kept National Geographic Sea Lion centered as massive gates closed behind us and the chamber filled up with water and raised us fifty-four feet above sea level.
Next, we went through the Pedro Miguel locks and then sailed thru the narrowest part of the canal, the Gaillard’s Cut. What an amazing experience we have had!
