Barro Colorado Island & Panama Canal, 12/22/2017, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Baja California
Today we woke up inside the Panama Canal. After entering through
the Pacific Ocean, the National Geographic Quest was raised up to the
man-made lake of Gatun. And here in the very middle of the Panama Canal, in the
middle of Panama, we visited the Smithsonian run Barro Colorado Island research
facility and trails. When the lake was created during the construction of the
canal, it became a research facility. A lot of what is known today about the
tropical rainforest we owe to Barro Colorado Island.
We always feel honored to visit BCI and walk on the very same
trails that so many generations of scientist have walked.
Nicknamed “Indio” (Indian) because of his powers of observation and quiet nature, José has almost two decades of experience working as a naturalist and photography guide; as well as being recognized as an expert birder and nature photographer in Cost...
Today we woke up at our spectacularly calm anchorage at Mangle Solo, located on the western shores of Isla San Jose. We cruised to our nearby snorkel site off the coast of San Francisco Island. On the way, we spotted bottlenose dolphins riding on the bow of National Geographic Venture . It seemed like the dolphins were demonstrating their love for Bernoulli’s principle, which Lee Moll had just lectured about the day before…good timing! As we neared our snorkel spot, a scouting Zodiac confirmed the safety of the site. The scout also confirmed that there were sufficient California sea lions in the area, called Rocas de La Foca. This means “the seal rocks.” We informed our guests that this is actually a misnomer, as sea lions and seals inhabited the rock. This led to a discussion about the differences between the two species. The guests broke up into two groups to enjoy snorkeling with the sea lions and Zodiac cruising. I had a chance to do both, and I really got a kick out of our snorkelers’ reactions to the sea lions. The sea lions swam up close and personal to guests, did flips and turns, and generally put on an amazing underwater show of acrobatics. In addition, we were treated to schools of yellowtail surgeonfish and sergeant majors patrolling the area. On our Zodiac cruise, we passed the island of El Pardito and talked to the guests about the history of this small fishing village. We toured beaches and rocks to see birds like Brandt’s cormorants and endemic yellow-footed gulls. It was an amazing morning. When we came back to the ship, we enjoyed seared ahi with rice for lunch. Wow, this is paradise! After lunch, we weighed anchor and motored a short distance to the turquoise waters of Half Moon Bay, San Francisco Island. We all went ashore for an afternoon of kayaking, hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, and general relaxing. There was something for everyone. This anchorage is one of our most beautiful in the Sea of Cortez, and it did not disappoint on this calm and dreamy afternoon. Once back onboard, we began our slow journey north to Marina Puerto Escondido. We enjoyed the comradery of our shipmates on our last night together, realizing we had made many new friends over the last week at sea. Photographers: Tim Hatler and Shane Sander
For the past five days, we have explored the theme of contrasts in the Baja peninsula. Hiking through the sparse, arid landscape of the Sonoran Desert to snorkeling in the abundant and diverse waters of the Sea of Cortez. Today, we landed at Puerto Los Gatos for a day of activities to emphasize this theme. Our morning began onshore with guided walks through the arroyos and along the bright red sandstone of the shoreline. As we discussed the geology that makes this place so desolate and otherworldly, a display offshore interrupted us: a megapod of short-beaked common dolphins surrounded the ship. We quickly took to our Zodiacs to play within the megapod and get a closer look at the dolphins. They surfed in our wake and breached out of the water around us. Later, we returned to the beach to continue our exploration of the coastline’s tide pools. We took a look underwater with guided snorkels among the coral heads and reef fish. Such an utterly magical experience between two worlds can only happen in Baja.
Today we woke up to a breathtaking sunrise aboard National Geographic Venture . Cruising through Loreto Bay National Park on glassy calm waters was a real treat. Spirits were high as we boarded the Zodiacs to head to shore for our morning excursions. We spent the morning hiking around the island while some guests went on aerobic, moderate, photo, or beachcombing hikes. This island is incredible, and it offers stunning views from a number of lookout points. Other guests chose to kayak or stand-up paddleboard on the crystal clear waters of Honeymoon Cove. After lunch, we headed to a shallow reef to spend an afternoon of snorkeling and seeing the lush biodiversity that the Sea of Cortez has to offer. Once we were showered and changed, we headed back to the beach where the hotel team set up a beautiful beach BBQ. We enjoyed a delicious meal and cocktails while the sunset exploded across the sky in front of us. Many of us participated in a rock skipping competition while laughter and cheering were heard all around. After dark, our certified photo instructor, Eric Guth, taught a class on photography. Meanwhile, naturalists Shayne Sanders and Carlos Navarro searched for scorpions with UV lights. It was astonishing to see them glow, and it really rounded out an incredible day here in Baja California.
