Barro Colorado Island, Gatun Locks
If there ever was a place that could be called a tropical mecca for ecologists it would be Barro Colorado Island. For over 50 years this island in the middle of Gatun Lake has been a research facility managed by the Smithsonian Institute. Originally a mountaintop, once the Panama Canal was built, the huge dam on the Chagres River made the higher points of land a rugged island. As a natural laboratory, Barrao Colorado has allowed scientists to learn about the biodiversity of the neotropics. Literally hundreds of graduates students and professors have lived on and studied this island. This morning we were fortunate to get a glimpse of the natural life on the island and learn about some of the more recent scientific studies being conducted on the island.
Some of us chose to go ashore for walks on the same trails used by scientists conducting research on various aspects of the tropical forest. Along the way, the local guides and our own ship’s naturalists pointed out various species of flora and fauna and talked about the interrelationships of the organisms. Others chose to view the forest via Zodiac. Since the island was a mountain top, the forest comes right down to the water. Since the water in the lake was high, we were able to see plants and in some cases animals of the tropical forest. Mantled Howler Monkeys, which have been studied extensively on the island, were seen by all the groups.
In the afternoon, we made the final “passage between the seas”. Our third canal pilot arrived during lunch and we were quickly underway. Through Gatun Lake the Panama Canal is marked by red and green buoys. To the side there are additional small islets, as well as bays and channels between. Our transit was rapid as we went directly into the top lock. Three steps down and we were level with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. This side of the Canal was equally as busy, with ships of all shapes and sizes anchored waiting for their transit time. We had to anchor for a couple of hours before going to the dock in Colon. A huge cruise ship occupied much of the dock space but we felt quite lucky having completed a marvelous journey of discovery and exploration on our small vessel. It was a very special expedition in the neotropics and for some it would not be the last visit to this biologically diverse part of the world.
