Panama and The Canal Day 7
Panama and The Canal
Day 07 - Saturday, December 18, 2010 - Embark Discovery-City Tour of Taboga Island
We began our day with breakfast and then went back to the room to get organized for our optional boat tour. This morning we were free to explore on our own and there were many choices for us at the resort.
Gennie signed us up for a boat tour to Monkey Island at 8:45. Our tour guide Iker chatted with me as our group was gathering for departure. The family from Michigan that we met yesterday on the Tram tour joined us as well as a couple from Germany and a young couple from the USA.
The Jungle Bus took us down to the boat dock/aquatic center at 8:45 and we met Enrique our boat captain. The tour started at the mouth of the Chagres River and then we went under the original railroad bridge built by the Americans building the canal in 1904.
We passed the Culebra Cut, the most treacherous and narrowest part of the Panama Canal. We had an excellent view of the dredging operation; still a most vital part of canal maintenance.
As we motored through the canal, we saw an enormous amount of debris from the heavy rains. Enrique would steer close to the banks in search of wildlife. We saw many white faced monkeys along with a whole troop of howler monkeys, a crocodile, and a three-toed sloth.
The tour was supposed to be an hour, but we did not get back to the hotel until 10:30. We finished packing and had our luggage out at 11:30 then left the hotel at noon. On the way out of the resort we saw a bare throated tiger heron and stopped to take a few photos.
We drove back to Panama City and Gustavo stopped at the post office to mail Gennie and Brad’s post cards. Postage stamps were only 25 cents, a real bargain.
Driving on the man made causeway, we arrived at the Flamenco Marina where we had our first view of our catamaran Discovery. Lunch was on our own so we walked over to Bennigan’s for a salad and burger as we did not have to board our ship until 3:00.
The day was warm at 87º but drier at only 65% humidity. We met Gustavo’s family who had come to meet him at the marina. His wife Greta and their children Pablo, Diego, and Julia were very happy to see him and wished us well on our transit through the canal.
At 3:00 we met Ian Sanchez, our naturalist and tour director aboard the 24-passenger Discovery. He told us a bit about the boat’s history. She was built in Tasmania in 2004 and then refurbished and used in eco expeditions through the canal.
After boarding our ship, we watched a short safety video and explanation of our cabins. At 4:00 we had a practice evacuation drill.
Most of us were on deck to watch the skyline of Panama City as we motored to Taboga Island, and anchored in the bay. We had a great view of the line of ships waiting to transit the canal later tonight and tomorrow morning.
The ship’s crew took us to the island in the two dinghies and we walked through the small village. This was the birthplace of Santa Rosa de Lima, the southern hemisphere’s first saint and home of artist Paul Gauguin who painted in the village for a short time.
Strolling down the streets we saw few cars, but many very friendly people and we visited the second oldest church in the Western Hemisphere, San Pedro built in 1524. The first was also in Panama; Nata de los Caballeros which was founded in 1522.
The crew came back just as it was getting dark and the full moon was guiding us back to our ship. We enjoyed a gourmet dinner onboard our ship. And then after dinner, Ian gave a lecture about the Panama Canal and the route we would be traveling tomorrow.
After refreshing showers and a little work on our photos and the journal, we were rocked to sleep by the waves.
Accommodations: Discovery Northbound Cruise - - - Meal: B, D
Please see our Trip Evaluation -- Click Here -- A Complete Review of Overseas Adventure Travel -- Panama Canal Cruise & Panama: A Continent Divided, Oceans United.
If you wish to travel with OAT Click Here.
To receive $50 per person off your first reservation with OAT, mention the following information when reserving your Overseas Adventure Travel Trip: Mr. Victor Garcia Customer #673062
Comments
End of School Year Party (1:10)
White Faced Monkey
Gustavo and Family
Discovery
Ships and Panama City Skyline
Taboga Island
Featured Journal
Day 13: Azores & Madeira: Portugal's Unspoiled Archipelagos
Day 13 - Saturday, April 22, 2022 - Depart for U.S.
The hotel prepared a box breakfast for us as we had to be in the lobby way before the breakfast room was open.
Last night we found out that our departure flight back to...
