Boná Island, Panama Bay, Panama
After crossing the last part of the Panama Canal, which brought us to the Pacific Ocean, we woke up just outside the Bay of Panama at Boná Island. As we approached the island, we noticed that one of them had a small village. We later found out that it is a small fishermen’s village, they survive on artisanal-line fishing of sea bass and basically anything they can catch; to later send the fish on to Panama City. To us maybe too harsh a life, too simple a life, to them the one they know and love.
After a wonderful breakfast, we ventured out on Zodiacs to cruise around two of the adjacent islands. We found magnificent frigatebird, brown pelican, brown booby, and blue-footed booby rookeries; plus the remains of old mining machinery, unbelievable amounts of epiphytic cacti, fig and kapok trees. Some of the most amazing features of the islands were their rocky ledges with several caves and gaps along the bases of the mountains eroded by the action of the waves.
We came back on board for a hearty lunch and began our cruising towards the largest and newest national park in Panama, Coiba Island. While cruising, some of us found the best place to be on the ship, the bow. The perfect place to look for marine life! One of our naturalists gave a lecture on pirates in Panama and we all got ready for the snorkeling briefing in preparation for tomorrow.
Just another tough day in paradise!
After crossing the last part of the Panama Canal, which brought us to the Pacific Ocean, we woke up just outside the Bay of Panama at Boná Island. As we approached the island, we noticed that one of them had a small village. We later found out that it is a small fishermen’s village, they survive on artisanal-line fishing of sea bass and basically anything they can catch; to later send the fish on to Panama City. To us maybe too harsh a life, too simple a life, to them the one they know and love.
After a wonderful breakfast, we ventured out on Zodiacs to cruise around two of the adjacent islands. We found magnificent frigatebird, brown pelican, brown booby, and blue-footed booby rookeries; plus the remains of old mining machinery, unbelievable amounts of epiphytic cacti, fig and kapok trees. Some of the most amazing features of the islands were their rocky ledges with several caves and gaps along the bases of the mountains eroded by the action of the waves.
We came back on board for a hearty lunch and began our cruising towards the largest and newest national park in Panama, Coiba Island. While cruising, some of us found the best place to be on the ship, the bow. The perfect place to look for marine life! One of our naturalists gave a lecture on pirates in Panama and we all got ready for the snorkeling briefing in preparation for tomorrow.
Just another tough day in paradise!
