Coiba Island National Park

After sailing 130 nautical miles during the night, the Sea Voyager anchored next to a nice cartoon-like islet. This islet, known as Granito de Oro, is part of one of the newest marine National Parks of Panama, Coiba Island. The park has an extension of 271,000 hectares in which 51,000 hectares are mainland and all the rest is marine area. It is in this marine area where we find the second biggest coral reef of the Eastern Pacific. Before being declared a park in 2004, Coiba Island was a penal colony and thanks to this, the forest has been kept pristine. All the prisoners were relocated in different jails around the country and now the island is patrolled by the Mar Viva Foundation. They are trying to create a marine corridor that will connect Coiba Island with other islands of the Eastern Pacific: Cocos Island, Malpelo and Galapagos.

The activities offered to the guests were many, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking or just hanging around the little islet. We were greeted by the great colony of hermit crabs that showed up to see if there was something new to be devoured. A nice sunny day allowed us to have a spectacular snorkeling. Some fishes suah as Moorish idols, Cortez angelfish, butterfly fish, green morays, white tipped sharks and many others, delighted us while they swam in front of our eyes. What a welcome to Panama!

Back on board, we weighed anchor while the guests relaxed up in the lounge. A pod of bottlenose dolphins escorted us while we left Coiba Island behind. It was very hard to say good bye to this paradise, but 190 nautical miles had to be sailed in order to reach the next destination on this wonderful trip to the wild side of Costa Rica and Panama.