Otoque and Bona Islands, Panama Bay, Panama
We cruised last night towards the southwestern part of the Panama Bay and reached the tiny islands of Bona and Otoque. From the wonders of man, the Panama Canal, to the wonders of nature, the bird islands, the contrast was amazing and it was hard to decide which one put us more at awe. Finally, we decided to give each one its own credit, and even though many of us considered the Canal a highlight in the trip, we could not have asked for a better performance from these birds.
Blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, magnificent frigate birds, and brown pelicans greeted us into their realm: the rocky ledges of cliffs covered in epiphytic cacti, fig trees, pink poui trees, guano, and sunshine. The frigate birds were in full courting display. Males were showing their bright red, balloon-like gular sacks, mostly while sitting on their nests but even when in flight, that can’t be too easy to do. One interesting sighting of today, and we have been seeing it for the last two seasons, was an allegedly albino frigatebird! Is it a male, is it a female, we all want to know? What we do know is that it’s always interesting to see a very different animal surviving in the wild.
Just before lunch, we lifted anchor and headed toward the longest cruising of the trip, about 190 nautical miles towards Coiba Island. While cruising we distributed snorkeling gear for our water activities tomorrow, we were rewarded with bow-riding spotted dolphins. As the sun set on the horizon, we were all ready, and anxious, to reach our new destination, a brand new day.
We cruised last night towards the southwestern part of the Panama Bay and reached the tiny islands of Bona and Otoque. From the wonders of man, the Panama Canal, to the wonders of nature, the bird islands, the contrast was amazing and it was hard to decide which one put us more at awe. Finally, we decided to give each one its own credit, and even though many of us considered the Canal a highlight in the trip, we could not have asked for a better performance from these birds.
Blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, magnificent frigate birds, and brown pelicans greeted us into their realm: the rocky ledges of cliffs covered in epiphytic cacti, fig trees, pink poui trees, guano, and sunshine. The frigate birds were in full courting display. Males were showing their bright red, balloon-like gular sacks, mostly while sitting on their nests but even when in flight, that can’t be too easy to do. One interesting sighting of today, and we have been seeing it for the last two seasons, was an allegedly albino frigatebird! Is it a male, is it a female, we all want to know? What we do know is that it’s always interesting to see a very different animal surviving in the wild.
Just before lunch, we lifted anchor and headed toward the longest cruising of the trip, about 190 nautical miles towards Coiba Island. While cruising we distributed snorkeling gear for our water activities tomorrow, we were rewarded with bow-riding spotted dolphins. As the sun set on the horizon, we were all ready, and anxious, to reach our new destination, a brand new day.
