Bona Island & Iguana Island,Gulf of Panama
Winds in general are a strong influence on the weather of a given region, and trade winds are not an exception to this. Especially for Central America, they are one of the main factors responsible for the seasonality of this region.
These winds are constantly bringing humidity that they harvest on their crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean side of Central America; thus, creating the evergreen lush tropical forest that we all see in movies and documentaries. During this time of the year, they increase in strength and are capable of blowing across the entire isthmus. As a consequence, most humidity remains on the Caribbean side, they become dry winds once they cross the continental divide. Once on the Pacific side, this phenomenon will blow away all the humidity in the air, eventually bringing the dry season to this side of the isthmus.
However, in the low passes in the mountain range, like where the Panama Canal was built, these winds are capable of not only making the dry season but triggering a seasonal up welling for the waters of the Gulf of Panama. The speed and intensity of the air will blow the warm sterile waters away of the surface and lets the cold rich waters from the bottom rise to the surface where it gets sunlight and creates the perfect conditions for an explosion of life. This causes a true big bang of plankton, which attracts a lot of small fish to feed; the small fish attract bigger fish that in turn attract larger fish and so on.
Today, while sailing these rich waters we took advantage to explore the communities of seabirds that they support. Early in the morning we went out on the Zodiacs to look for brown pelicans, brown boobies and frigatebirds in full breeding display. We even got to see some blue-footed boobies that do not nest here, but come for the feast.
By mid afternoon we explored another unique island. Iguana Island is a small pearl close to the Peninsula of Azuero. Like others island on the Gulf of Panama, the nesting frigatebird community and the water, is an open invitation for birdwatching, swimming and snorkeling.
Not a bad first day in the Pacific Ocean if you ask me.
