Frank Simms, naturalist; Isabel Salas, naturalist; and Dave Katz, photo instructor
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Daily Expedition
Reports
09 Dec 2022
Playas del Coco, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, & Hacienda Guachipelin, 12/9/2022, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
The third day of our journey found us in front of Playas del Coco, one of the most popular beaches for Costa Ricans of the Central Valley. The name literally translates to the Coconut Beach. We noticed that the beach was decorated for Christmas as we boarded buses. In the morning, the group split into two main groups: those going on the forest/Rincon de la Vieja Volcano hike and those heading directly to Hacienda Guachipelin to choose between ziplining or visiting the hot springs.
We enjoyed an extravagant Costa Rican lunch that consisted of ceviche, all sorts of salads, refried beans, rice, sweet plantains, handmade tortillas, chorizo, chicken, beef, steak, and rice pudding, amongst other desserts.
Directly after lunch, we moved on to our afternoon activities. We planned to visit Las Chorreras Waterfall, so we split into two main groups: those going by foot and those going on horseback. What an amazing day with so many activities and another beautiful Pacific Ocean sunset in Playas del Coco. We returned to trusty National Geographic Quest for a well-deserved rest.
Isa Salas is a Costa Rica born biologist, who loves her country and teaching about it. Known for her professionalism and experience in the field of animal behavior, Isa earned her master's degree in biology from the University of Costa Rica, where sh...
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We did our first set of locks of the Panama Canal right after we got on board yesterday, and today we had our first full day of the trip. We did the Gatun Locks on the Caribbean end, where we were elevated 85 feet above sea level to reach Gatun Lake. This morning, we paused our transit of the canal to explore Barro Colorado Island. The biggest mountaintop became an island when they built the lake, and it has been a protected tropical rainforest ever since. Nowadays, the area is run by the Smithsonian Institute. It is one of the most studied tropical rainforests on the planet. After our morning activities, we were ready to continue our Panama Canal Crossing.
Anchored in Gatun Lake in the middle of the Panama Canal, we enjoyed sunrise from National Geographic Quest ! Our canal transit was completed in two days. We were able to stop during our two-day crossing to visit the Rainforest Discovery Center and Barro Colorado Island, one of the meccas of the Tropical Research Institute. Zodiac cruises around the island and hikes in protected areas allowed our guests to explore. These living laboratories are a direct source of information for published research about tropical environments and inhabitants, symbiotic relationships, and the behaviors and habitats of many species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and more. A white-nosed coati with a collar was our first sighting. It felt like he showed up as an ambassador to remind us that in the Smithsonian Institute facility, the monitoring and tracking of creatures is one of many tools used to learn about the animals’ habits. A troop of howler monkeys (Allouata palliata) demonstrated the power of their hyoid bones to amplify vocalizations from three miles away. They announced that we would find them on the trail later. We observed females, alpha males, and juveniles. Slaty-tailed trogons, rufous motmots, toucans, antshrikes, snail kites, and sloths appeared at various intervals. Then a small group of spider monkeys (Atteles geofroeyii) came along and crossed above us. Spider monkeys are a good sign of a healthy environment. They split their troops into smaller groups and spread throughout the forest in search of food, so they require a good extension of habitat to survive. Some guests saw crocodiles, an ancient creature that serves as a climate change indicator. Their nest temperature determines gender, and there is evidence of an inverse relationship among females and males. The National University in Costa Rica and National Geographic are doing research on this. During the evening, we finished crossing the Panama Canal and appreciated the great accomplishment in engineering. Despite limitations in instruments and technology, the canal dates back over a hundred years. The canal is part of infrastructure that is in full operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is something to admire, and it was the perfect closing to our journey in Costa Rica and Panama.
Today was our second day in Panamanian waters, and what a great day it was. In the morning, we cruised the rich waters of the Gulf of Panama with seabirds as our escorts. In the afternoon, we enjoyed the Panama Canal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
