Today we explored the region of Golfo Dulce. This area was created by a tectonic fault, making a very deep gulf with a depth of more than 600 feet but with a very shallow mouth to the ocean. With this, the exchange of water and oxygen is not very efficient, so it resembles conditions that are similar to a fjord.
Its name of “Sweet Gulf” comes as well from its particular features. It is not a sweet water gulf, but during our rainy season, the input of fresh water by the rain and rivers plus the combination of the shallow mouth and the depth of the gulf, makes the water less salty than that of the ocean.
Our first stop here was Casa Orquideas. It is a botanical garden carved right in the middle of the rain forest. It has a mix of tropical native and introduced plants, making it a plant person’s dream, as well as an excellent place for birding and photography. Here we were able to look at all kind of orchids, ferns, and palms, as well as toucans, macaws, tanagers, hummingbirds, lizards, butterflies and even a colony of army ants swarming through part of the garden .
After our visit to the garden, the ship repositioned to another part of the gulf near the mouth of the Esquinas River. This is one of the main rivers that empties into the gulf and creates the perfect conditions for a mangrove ecosystem to develop. This is a very unique ecosystem, with its mixture of fresh water from the river and salt water from the gulf. So the rest of the day we explored the network of channels built by the mangrove forest. Some of us explored in Zodiacs and others in kayaks. Here we were able to see white ibis, green herons, snowy herons, ospreys and even a couple of northern tree boas.
