Barro Colorado Natural Monument
After an overnight transit through the Pacific locks of the Panama Canal, we started our day visiting a lush island in the middle of the Gatun Lake. This man-made island was created almost 100 years ago when the Chagres River was dammed and the valley flooded. Since its beginnings, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has been doing biological research at this location, making it one of the most studied places in all the Neotropics.
Although the 3,800 acre island was once restricted only to scientists, our expedition is allowed to visit this world-renowned research facility. Through amazing trails and zodiac rides around the island, we were able to spot new species on our list like the Central American Spider Monkey and the Geoffrey’s Tamarin, adding a total of 4 different monkeys together with the Black Howler Monkey and the Capuchin Monkey. Birds such as the Keel-Billed Toucan draw lines in the sky while American Crocodiles rested right on the shores just a few feet from our zodiacs.
After our visit we continued our journey through the Panama Canal to complete our transit from one ocean to another in less than 24 hours. The Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side were the scenario to finish this incredible week full of wildlife and unforgettable moments. As we cruised through the locks we kept our search for more species as we birdwatched from the Sun Deck admiring Fork-Tailed Flycatchers and Red-Lored Parrots.
Is definitely a privilege to admire this wonder of engineering, which remains almost unchanged since it opened almost a century ago. The future of the Canal is certain. As we start to build a new set of locks, history is repeating itself once again. Now is the perfect moment to appreciate the old and the new as the Panama Canal keeps moving forward along with world commerce and continuing the transit of ships and vessels like ours, ready to explore the wonders of Panama and Costa Rica.
After an overnight transit through the Pacific locks of the Panama Canal, we started our day visiting a lush island in the middle of the Gatun Lake. This man-made island was created almost 100 years ago when the Chagres River was dammed and the valley flooded. Since its beginnings, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has been doing biological research at this location, making it one of the most studied places in all the Neotropics.
Although the 3,800 acre island was once restricted only to scientists, our expedition is allowed to visit this world-renowned research facility. Through amazing trails and zodiac rides around the island, we were able to spot new species on our list like the Central American Spider Monkey and the Geoffrey’s Tamarin, adding a total of 4 different monkeys together with the Black Howler Monkey and the Capuchin Monkey. Birds such as the Keel-Billed Toucan draw lines in the sky while American Crocodiles rested right on the shores just a few feet from our zodiacs.
After our visit we continued our journey through the Panama Canal to complete our transit from one ocean to another in less than 24 hours. The Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side were the scenario to finish this incredible week full of wildlife and unforgettable moments. As we cruised through the locks we kept our search for more species as we birdwatched from the Sun Deck admiring Fork-Tailed Flycatchers and Red-Lored Parrots.
Is definitely a privilege to admire this wonder of engineering, which remains almost unchanged since it opened almost a century ago. The future of the Canal is certain. As we start to build a new set of locks, history is repeating itself once again. Now is the perfect moment to appreciate the old and the new as the Panama Canal keeps moving forward along with world commerce and continuing the transit of ships and vessels like ours, ready to explore the wonders of Panama and Costa Rica.
