Barro Colorado Island & Gatun Locks
Our last day of our wonderful trip started with a lovely sunrise over Gatun Lake. The Sea Voyager had spent the night anchored in Gatun Lake. Very early, a Pilot of the Panama Canal authority boarded our ship to sail it close to Barro Colorado Island. The sunlight began to reveal a spectacular tropical rain forest all along the lake. Gatun Lake is a man-made lake, created by flooding the valley of the Chagres River. It took about six years to fill it with rainwater and the damming of three rivers. They were the Chagres, Gatun and the Ciri Grande River. This lake has an extension of 164 square miles. As a consequence of this flooding, the habit of several animals was completely damaged. The animals began to look for the highest peak to save their lives. A great number of them gathered in Palenquilla Hill, but very soon this high peak became an island as several other hills.
Today, Palenquilla Hill is known as Barro Colorado Island (BCI), which means Red Clay Island. Since the 1940s, the Smithsonian Tropical Institute is in charge of it. It is considered the biggest natural laboratory in the world, where scientists from different countries gather to do different research concerning the biodiversity and forest dynamics in the tropical forest.
We had the privilege to have breakfast with one of the head scientists of BCI, Dr. Lee. He shared his experience living in the island and his research. He emphasized the work that has being done by the Smithsonian and how it has contributed to the conservation of the tropical rainforest worldwide. Right after his talk, we went to visit the island and its surroundings.
With the assistance of the local guides of BCI, we took different trails and other explored the surroundings with our traditional Zodiac Cruises. We all were amazed with the height of the emergent layer trees, the width of some buttress roots and the density of the understory. Our local guides explained to us some of the projects and research that are currently being done, and have been underway for years on the island. As we walked through the different trails, the howler monkeys and chestnut mandible toucans began to give us the farewell. Sadly, we had to return to our ship and complete our transit through the Panama Canal.
Back on board our Canal Pilot was waiting to take us through the last set of locks, Gatun Locks. This is the largest of all three locks. Here we were lowered down from 85 feet above sea level in three steps.
As we transited it, we remembered the first day of our trip and the experiences we have lived through during the week exploring the wonders of Costa Rica and Panama. Mother Nature has been very kind in sharing with us the beauty and wildlife of this area! Now it is our turn to return this favor by doing our part to conserve this marvelous treasure!
Our last day of our wonderful trip started with a lovely sunrise over Gatun Lake. The Sea Voyager had spent the night anchored in Gatun Lake. Very early, a Pilot of the Panama Canal authority boarded our ship to sail it close to Barro Colorado Island. The sunlight began to reveal a spectacular tropical rain forest all along the lake. Gatun Lake is a man-made lake, created by flooding the valley of the Chagres River. It took about six years to fill it with rainwater and the damming of three rivers. They were the Chagres, Gatun and the Ciri Grande River. This lake has an extension of 164 square miles. As a consequence of this flooding, the habit of several animals was completely damaged. The animals began to look for the highest peak to save their lives. A great number of them gathered in Palenquilla Hill, but very soon this high peak became an island as several other hills.
Today, Palenquilla Hill is known as Barro Colorado Island (BCI), which means Red Clay Island. Since the 1940s, the Smithsonian Tropical Institute is in charge of it. It is considered the biggest natural laboratory in the world, where scientists from different countries gather to do different research concerning the biodiversity and forest dynamics in the tropical forest.
We had the privilege to have breakfast with one of the head scientists of BCI, Dr. Lee. He shared his experience living in the island and his research. He emphasized the work that has being done by the Smithsonian and how it has contributed to the conservation of the tropical rainforest worldwide. Right after his talk, we went to visit the island and its surroundings.
With the assistance of the local guides of BCI, we took different trails and other explored the surroundings with our traditional Zodiac Cruises. We all were amazed with the height of the emergent layer trees, the width of some buttress roots and the density of the understory. Our local guides explained to us some of the projects and research that are currently being done, and have been underway for years on the island. As we walked through the different trails, the howler monkeys and chestnut mandible toucans began to give us the farewell. Sadly, we had to return to our ship and complete our transit through the Panama Canal.
Back on board our Canal Pilot was waiting to take us through the last set of locks, Gatun Locks. This is the largest of all three locks. Here we were lowered down from 85 feet above sea level in three steps.
As we transited it, we remembered the first day of our trip and the experiences we have lived through during the week exploring the wonders of Costa Rica and Panama. Mother Nature has been very kind in sharing with us the beauty and wildlife of this area! Now it is our turn to return this favor by doing our part to conserve this marvelous treasure!
