Our second day of explorations in Panama started with a slight change in direction due to the East Trade winds as the National Geographic Sea Lion entered the bay of Panama. Rather than visiting a sea birds rockery, we took advantage of a beautiful nearby island known as the “Flowers Island” by the locals.
Isla Taboga, is a small island approximately 22 miles south of Panama City, a public ferry brings locals and tourists to the island in the early morning and returns to Panama in the late afternoon. Taboga is known as a family day trip during the weekends and holidays. The island was discovered by Vasco Nunez de Balboa in the year 1513 and about 10 years later the priest Hernando de Luque was Baptiste as San Pedro de Taboga Island. It has its own electricity generator, water, schools and some health centers with an average of 2500 inhabitants.
One of the major attractions in Taboga is its church, built in the year 1524 all in hardwood from the forest and name after the Virgen del Carmen, a religious figure believed to protect sailors and fishermen. It’s known to as the second oldest church in the western hemisphere, following a church in the Dominican Republic built between 1514 to 1540. The change in the itinerary made a great addition to our nature oriented trip! We felt like there was nothing better than to walk the flower frame sidewalks, talk to the locals, sit at a beach bar and enjoy a tropical fruit drinks while kids played in the sand enjoying the refreshing waters.
After returning on board, we made our way to our anchoring spot, Flamenco Bay and National Geographic Sea Lion was authorized by the Panama Canal Authority to start our transit in the late afternoon. The canal pilot came after sunset and the anchor was lifted, signaling the beginning of our transit through a marvel of human history.
The Bridge of the Americas is the main entrance, followed by the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, which are separated by the Miraflores Lake. We shared our transit with another vessel in order to save water as we were lifted 85 feet from the sea level of the Pacific Ocean.
What a great place to celebrate New Year’s!
