Day 52

Navigating the Panama Canal

After leaving the vibrant island of Cozumel, we sailed through the beautiful calm seas of the Caribbean until we eventually arrived in Colón, the gateway to the Panama Canal. This engineering wonder took over 31 years to complete during which over 25,000+ workers lost their lives. Today, this 86 km canal continues to be the main conduit for marine trade connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Calum and I stood in awe as our Captain navigated this amazing thoroughfare until we eventually arrived in bustling Panama City.

Jungle Adventures at Lake Gatun

While in Panama we spent the day exploring the incredible waters of Lake Gatun. This artificial lake is part of the Panama Canal system and is now home to an abundance of wildlife. Here we saw howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and several large crocodiles. The birdlife was also incredible including a large population of Snail Kites and we were blessed to see a rare Keel-Billed Toucan but perhaps the coolest thing we saw was a group of proboscis bats sleeping on a tree trunk right next to a giant spider!

Crossing the Equator

From Panama, our voyage took us south across the equator to Manta, Ecuador. This was an all too familiar destination for Calum and I as it was the city from which we were eventually repatriated from when COVID 19 shut down Ecuador overnight! Never ones to miss an opportunity to golf, we met up with Andy, one of the ship's friendliest expedition leaders, and decided to get in a round at the beautiful Montechristi Golf Resort. The course was gorgeous and proved to be quite challenging with its desert style layout. It was also one of the most dangerous cart driving rounds we'd ever experienced. Lack of signage, steep elevations and deep gutters running along side the cart paths definitely kept us on our toes! One of the best part of the days were the spectators that dotted the course.......a large healthy population of burrowing owls.

A Culinary Experience in Lima

The next two days were spent at sea but were kept entertained by huge pods spinner dolphins and humpback whales as they also venture their way south to their feeding grounds in the Antarctic. Tonight, we find ourselves in the metropolitan capital of Lima, Peru, renowned for its delectable cuisine. Earlier, we met up with our friend Marg from Melbourne and together we indulged in a remarkable three-hour tasting menu at the world-famous Central Restaurante. The menu is nothing short of extraordinary with twelve ecosystems represented and thirty-two artisanal preparations to savour. It was a magical culinary experience!

We hope that you'll continue to follow us as we continue our way southward. Next stop.....Iquique Chile