This morning we woke up inside the protected bay of Portobelo (“beautiful port”) in Panama. We enjoyed a beautiful sunrise with views of the old Spanish fortifications on both sides of the entrance to the bay. Founded in 1597, it was instrumental in exporting gold and silver from South America from the 16th to the 18th centuries. It was eventually abandoned for other better-protected ports after being repeatedly raided and captured by British pirates. We visited the fortifications and explored the nearby mangrove estuaries by kayak and Zodiacs. In the late afternoon we enjoyed the “Congo Carnival,” a lovely presentation and dance performed by a local group.
11/9/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Barro Colorado Island and the Panama Canal
The last full day of our expedition began with an early wake-up call performed by several troops of howler monkeys. From the bow of National Geographic Quest, several guests gathered to enjoy the majestic howl of these primates. They were announcing, up in the canopy of the trees of Barro Colorado Island, where they had decided to forage. Right after breakfast, we geared up and separated into three different groups. One group of our guests went to explore some of the trails of this island run by scientists of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Another group jumped in one of our Zodiacs and left to explore the surroundings of the island. The last group loaded onto outboard engine boats and cruised to the midpoint of the Panama Canal; from here they rode coach buses to a pristine area in the Soberania National Park. It was a very active morning, loaded with mesmerizing sightings of birds, primates, and reptiles. Afterward, we returned to the ship for lunch. Right after recharging our energy, we went out again and loaded onto local boats to explore other coves and small islets of Gatun Lake. Once back on board, we all gathered to share our thoughts of how amazing our journey has been, exploring the Caribbean coasts of Colombia and Panama.
