Pearl Islands, Panama
After completing the transit of the Panama Canal last night we sailed 64 kilometers south of Panama City towards the archipelago of las Perlas (Pearl Islands) which is made up of a total of 200 islands and islets. We anchored in front of Pacheca and Pachequilla Islands where thousands of seabirds roost. The reason for this enormous bird population is the upwelling that occurs in the Bay of Panama, as the North Eastern Trade Winds blow across the Isthmus pushing the warm waters of the surface to the south and allowing for the nutritious cold waters to erupt to the surface.
After breakfast, we boarded our Zodiacs with the naturalists and went around both islands looking for bird life. Turkey and black vultures, bare-throated tiger-herons and yellow-crowned night-herons, brown and blue-footed boobies, American oystercatchers, magnificent frigatebirds, brown pelicans and Neotropical cormorants share this space in a constant competition for food.
After lunch, we repositioned the ship and visited Bartolomé Island where we were able to snorkel for the first time. The water was comfortably warm and there was good visibility. Tide pools on the rocks revealed wonderful surprises for those who simply chose to explore them. As the tide came up and the beach disappeared, we came back onboard and attended the first of a series of lectures given by our naturalists.
After completing the transit of the Panama Canal last night we sailed 64 kilometers south of Panama City towards the archipelago of las Perlas (Pearl Islands) which is made up of a total of 200 islands and islets. We anchored in front of Pacheca and Pachequilla Islands where thousands of seabirds roost. The reason for this enormous bird population is the upwelling that occurs in the Bay of Panama, as the North Eastern Trade Winds blow across the Isthmus pushing the warm waters of the surface to the south and allowing for the nutritious cold waters to erupt to the surface.
After breakfast, we boarded our Zodiacs with the naturalists and went around both islands looking for bird life. Turkey and black vultures, bare-throated tiger-herons and yellow-crowned night-herons, brown and blue-footed boobies, American oystercatchers, magnificent frigatebirds, brown pelicans and Neotropical cormorants share this space in a constant competition for food.
After lunch, we repositioned the ship and visited Bartolomé Island where we were able to snorkel for the first time. The water was comfortably warm and there was good visibility. Tide pools on the rocks revealed wonderful surprises for those who simply chose to explore them. As the tide came up and the beach disappeared, we came back onboard and attended the first of a series of lectures given by our naturalists.
