Granito del Oro and Coiba, Panama
Today we started off our New Year with rain! It didn’t last very long and soon we were ashore on the little picturesque island of Granito del Oro which translates into “Little Grain of Gold” and that it is. This incredibly beautiful little sandy island juts out of the Pacific in the Gulf of Chiriqui and is one of the smaller islands that is tucked into the shadow of the larger Isla de Coiba. In 1991, because of its spectacular beauty and diversity, Coiba became the site of a national park that includes 270,000 hectares, 80% of that being water. Isla de Coiba is Panama’s largest island.
The island has a single coconut tree and other tropical foliage with a stretch of white sand covered in hermit crabs. The water was deliciously warm and crystal clear and soon the snorkelers were checking out the myriad species of colorful eastern Pacific fish. The eastern Pacific tends to have poorly developed reefs because of the presence of cooler turbid waters all detrimental to the growth of healthy reef systems. Even though there are but a few species of reef found here, it is enough for other organisms and fish to call it home.
We had close-up sightings of white tip reef sharks, butterflyfish, goatfish, grunts, jacks, eels and a turtle. Some explorers swam the circumference of the island while others were content to lay on the beach or flip a Frisbee. Our Zodiacs carried other passengers to explore the larger island of Coiba and were rewarded with sightings of red-capped manakins and slaty-tailed trogons. Off in the distance could be heard the guttural but mighty howl of the howler monkey.
After a delicious lunch we came back to our increasingly small beach and continued to take advantage of the perfect weather. The tide was coming in and soon we would be forced to desert our tiny paradise. With sad faces, our younger passengers and their families climbed aboard the Zodiacs and we all headed back to the ship.
Back on board, we nosed the ship towards Costa Rica and as dusk approached, prepared to see the green flash. Armed with binos and sunset cocktails we were granted our new years day first for many- the green flash! Pura vida!
Today we started off our New Year with rain! It didn’t last very long and soon we were ashore on the little picturesque island of Granito del Oro which translates into “Little Grain of Gold” and that it is. This incredibly beautiful little sandy island juts out of the Pacific in the Gulf of Chiriqui and is one of the smaller islands that is tucked into the shadow of the larger Isla de Coiba. In 1991, because of its spectacular beauty and diversity, Coiba became the site of a national park that includes 270,000 hectares, 80% of that being water. Isla de Coiba is Panama’s largest island.
The island has a single coconut tree and other tropical foliage with a stretch of white sand covered in hermit crabs. The water was deliciously warm and crystal clear and soon the snorkelers were checking out the myriad species of colorful eastern Pacific fish. The eastern Pacific tends to have poorly developed reefs because of the presence of cooler turbid waters all detrimental to the growth of healthy reef systems. Even though there are but a few species of reef found here, it is enough for other organisms and fish to call it home.
We had close-up sightings of white tip reef sharks, butterflyfish, goatfish, grunts, jacks, eels and a turtle. Some explorers swam the circumference of the island while others were content to lay on the beach or flip a Frisbee. Our Zodiacs carried other passengers to explore the larger island of Coiba and were rewarded with sightings of red-capped manakins and slaty-tailed trogons. Off in the distance could be heard the guttural but mighty howl of the howler monkey.
After a delicious lunch we came back to our increasingly small beach and continued to take advantage of the perfect weather. The tide was coming in and soon we would be forced to desert our tiny paradise. With sad faces, our younger passengers and their families climbed aboard the Zodiacs and we all headed back to the ship.
Back on board, we nosed the ship towards Costa Rica and as dusk approached, prepared to see the green flash. Armed with binos and sunset cocktails we were granted our new years day first for many- the green flash! Pura vida!
