Barro Colorado Island, Gatun Lake Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
A few people were on deck as we lifted anchor in Gatun Lake under a star-filled sky. Entering the channel across the lake the sun slowly brightened the eastern sky. Our destination for the morning was the island of Barro Colorado. Before the Panama Canal was built and Gatun Lake filled, this island was a high mountaintop. Now surrounded by freshwater, the island has been a major research center for scientists studying the complicated tropical rainforest ecosystem. For the last 60 years or so the island has been managed by the Smithsonian Institute. We are very fortunate that the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center stationed on a small area of the island has given us permission to visit the island. Our options for the morning are to go ashore on the island or cruise along the shoreline in Zodiacs. All of us will be looking at the forest and searching for wildlife. On shore there were two different hikes on trails maintained primarily so researchers can access the forest. We were guided by guides who themselves have done research projects on the island. All of our hikers were in awe by the forest, with its huge trees and diverse variety of under story plants. Leaf cutter ants were busy in a number of locations along the trails. Hundreds of ants almost in single file marched with small pieces of leaves toward am destination hidden beneath the forest floor. Those on Zodiacs discovered the lush forest edge as they cruised slowly past densely vegetated shores.
After lunch a few people again ventured out in Zodiacs to explore more of the shoreline of the island and were treated to sightings of Snail Kites and Mantled Howler Monkeys. In the late afternoon we again got underway to complete our transit through the Isthmus of Panama. Galliard Cut was quite obvious with lights marking the shoreline and the light of a half moon creating a contrast with the surrounding hills of the continental divide. The galley had prepared a wonderful Panamanian buffet that was served in the lounge so we could eat while we watched the workings of the locks. Most people stayed up after dinner for the final set of locks at Miraflores and then passing under the Bridge of the Americas and into the Pacific Ocean.
A few people were on deck as we lifted anchor in Gatun Lake under a star-filled sky. Entering the channel across the lake the sun slowly brightened the eastern sky. Our destination for the morning was the island of Barro Colorado. Before the Panama Canal was built and Gatun Lake filled, this island was a high mountaintop. Now surrounded by freshwater, the island has been a major research center for scientists studying the complicated tropical rainforest ecosystem. For the last 60 years or so the island has been managed by the Smithsonian Institute. We are very fortunate that the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center stationed on a small area of the island has given us permission to visit the island. Our options for the morning are to go ashore on the island or cruise along the shoreline in Zodiacs. All of us will be looking at the forest and searching for wildlife. On shore there were two different hikes on trails maintained primarily so researchers can access the forest. We were guided by guides who themselves have done research projects on the island. All of our hikers were in awe by the forest, with its huge trees and diverse variety of under story plants. Leaf cutter ants were busy in a number of locations along the trails. Hundreds of ants almost in single file marched with small pieces of leaves toward am destination hidden beneath the forest floor. Those on Zodiacs discovered the lush forest edge as they cruised slowly past densely vegetated shores.
After lunch a few people again ventured out in Zodiacs to explore more of the shoreline of the island and were treated to sightings of Snail Kites and Mantled Howler Monkeys. In the late afternoon we again got underway to complete our transit through the Isthmus of Panama. Galliard Cut was quite obvious with lights marking the shoreline and the light of a half moon creating a contrast with the surrounding hills of the continental divide. The galley had prepared a wonderful Panamanian buffet that was served in the lounge so we could eat while we watched the workings of the locks. Most people stayed up after dinner for the final set of locks at Miraflores and then passing under the Bridge of the Americas and into the Pacific Ocean.
