Isla Coiba National Park, Panama
After crossing the border between Costa Rica and Panama, our navigation extended until dawn, when we anchored off Coiba Island. The second largest coral reef in the eastern Pacific represents one of the five landmarks of the recently established marine corridor. Coiba island in Panama Malpelo and Gongora islands in Colombia, Galápagos National Park in Ecuador and Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica enclose an international conservation effort of great vision.
The early birdwatchers went on a stroll around the ranger’s station and the stretching took place at the beach. After breakfast we all came ashore to enjoy the beach and the great snorkeling opportunities. We found Moorish idols, bicolored parrotfish, Cortez rainbow wrasses, white-tipped reef sharks, barberfish, guineafowl puffers, giant damselfish, moray eels and many others.
Some people leisurely kayaked in the calm bay in the north of the island, while others enjoyed the shelter of a roof at the station during the rain.
After a great barbeque lunch in the lounge, we resumed our navigation towards the Gulf of Panama. The afternoon on deck delivered the chance to watch dolphins, sea snakes, black terns, and brown boobies. To get acquainted with Panama, our naturalist Deibys presented a lecture on “The Most Important Landmarks of Panama's History”. Today we enjoyed the Panamanian underwater wonders and as we continue our way to the Canal, we expect another great day in Bona and Otoque, among the nutrient rich water of the gulf.
After crossing the border between Costa Rica and Panama, our navigation extended until dawn, when we anchored off Coiba Island. The second largest coral reef in the eastern Pacific represents one of the five landmarks of the recently established marine corridor. Coiba island in Panama Malpelo and Gongora islands in Colombia, Galápagos National Park in Ecuador and Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica enclose an international conservation effort of great vision.
The early birdwatchers went on a stroll around the ranger’s station and the stretching took place at the beach. After breakfast we all came ashore to enjoy the beach and the great snorkeling opportunities. We found Moorish idols, bicolored parrotfish, Cortez rainbow wrasses, white-tipped reef sharks, barberfish, guineafowl puffers, giant damselfish, moray eels and many others.
Some people leisurely kayaked in the calm bay in the north of the island, while others enjoyed the shelter of a roof at the station during the rain.
After a great barbeque lunch in the lounge, we resumed our navigation towards the Gulf of Panama. The afternoon on deck delivered the chance to watch dolphins, sea snakes, black terns, and brown boobies. To get acquainted with Panama, our naturalist Deibys presented a lecture on “The Most Important Landmarks of Panama's History”. Today we enjoyed the Panamanian underwater wonders and as we continue our way to the Canal, we expect another great day in Bona and Otoque, among the nutrient rich water of the gulf.
