Day 3: Data Collection and Starting our Projects

We started off our morning with breakfast prepared by Desuze, and then headed off to the docks for another boat trip. The first site we went to was Point Cocos Reef 3, where we started by practicing some data collection at the coral reef. In groups, we went around to 5 different locations flagged for us by Maya and Richard, laying down a quadrat at each. From there, we identified percent cover of each species present. It was definitely difficult to count everything and coordinate with our group without hitting any of the coral. After we finished collecting the data, we had some time to explore the reef. It was amazing to see all of the coral present, it was a lot more than we had seen at other sites so far! I was especially excited to see lots of parrotfish, and a ray right as we were getting back into the boat.

Our two boats out at sea

(Photo by Adriana Diaz)

Me, Jenna, and Alyssa discussing what we found

(Photo by Maya Watts)

Several brittle stars among some sponges

A parrotfish swimming around the coral reef

(Photo by Jenna Travers)

Quick snack break in between trips

(Photo by Maya Watts)

After a short boat ride to our second snorkel site near Mangrove Point, Maya and Richard laid out more flags for us and we did a similar data collection, looking at the seagrass shoots close to and further from the mangroves. Without the coral to worry about and in shallower water, this location proved to be easier than the last. After collecting the data, we again got to snorkel around. We found several sea stars, and I really liked the tulip snail that Richard found!

Tessa, Ryan, and Katie collecting data near the mangroves

(Photo by Maya Watts)

Tulip snail (Fasciolaria sp.) found by Richard

(Photo by Jenna Travers)

Nadia with two sea stars (Oreaster reticulatus)

(Photo by Maya Watts)

Reef squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) swimming through staghorn coral

(Photo by Maya Watts)

Adriana and Alex setting down a quadrat

(Photo by Maya Watts)

A shrimp hanging out on an anemone

(Photo by Adriana Diaz)

Upon arriving back at STRI, we were ready to eat, and luckily were greeted by another wonderful lunch along with Desuze's delicious iced tea. After a quick break, we got to work on our research projects! My partner Jenna and I prepared some materials and headed out to the mangroves by House Reef. There, we measured mangrove root lengths as well as information about the species that we found on them - yesterday's lab was great practice.

Writing down some data about the mangrove roots

(Photo by Jenna Travers)

Tessa and Katie took kayaks out to the mangroves for their project

(Photo by Tessa Marquez)

Following another great dinner and delicious chocolate cake, we headed back to the lab. On our way there, we were greeted by a turtle just down the stairs! In the lab we looked at some of the quadrat pictures we had taken and tried to collect similar data to that which we had collected in the field. We found that it was much harder to identify smaller things from pictures - it was easy to miss them! 

Quadrat laid out and ready for data collection

(Photo by Alyssa Rueda)

Now that it was dark, it was time to head out for a night snorkel! Several of us headed back into the water for a third time, enthusiastic to see what the darkness and late hours may bring that we couldn't see during the day. It was amazing to hear the fish in the quiet, and we were able to see some barracudas and burrfish! Getting out of the water, we had to avoid lots of box jellies around the docks. Luckily everyone made it back on land without getting stung! It was a great end to a long and busy, but very exciting day, and I am excited to see what tomorrow will bring!

-Sof

Day 2: Exploring the Reefs

Today we woke to a beautiful day in Bocas del Toro, the birds singing in the trees and a troop of howler monkeys traveling along, some carrying little babies. Our fantastic chef Desuze provided us with three beautiful meals today, starting with eggs and toast. After we all ate, we got ready and headed to the docks to go on our first boat trip. 

We slip into two boats named the Scarus (captained by Sabastian) and the Pavona (captained by Caito). We made three stops at three different reefs, the first being STRI Point. It's incredible how warm and clear the water is here the sea floor is beaming with life. There were mostly soft bottom plants such as turtle sea grass with the occasional coral at this location. Along with sponges of every color imaginable, from deep blue/purple to bright red fire sponges. The bottom was also dotted with huge black urchins the size of soccer balls. Small fish swam among the grass and corals, and a plethora of invertebrates, such as brittle stars, worms, and snails, decorated the floor and sponge. We also found a massive decomposed turtle shell and a whiptail stingray. After exploring, we all shimmied back to the boat and headed to our next destination. 

        

        

Next, we went to Hospital Point, which was even more incredible than the last. This spot had many more corals of all kinds, anemones, and tons of fish. There were damsels, parrot fish, wrasses, butterfly fish, tangs, and much more swimming effortlessly past us as we explored the reef. We were also lucky enough to find a few Christmas tree tube worms ( my personal favorite :) ). 

Our last stop was at Mangrove Point, where we got to get a little closer to the mangrove habitat that covers a large portion of the island's coast. Several rows of old pilings were located right on the edge of the mangroves and were covered in life much like all the other sights; sponges, corals, crabs, fish, etc. We only spent a short amount of time here, and some of us helped Richard collect mangrove tree roots to look at during lab later in the day. 

After a delicious lunch, we all headed back to the lab. Richard gave a lecture about mangroves, teaching us more about what they are, how they survive in such a salty environment, and how they can form complex communities of organisms within them. We then took the roots we collected and tried to ID and count the number of species present on the roots. We found an abundance of oysters, sponges, and other invertebrates, giving us a sense of the diversity of life that use these roots. Before dinner, we had a chance to show one another the pictures we had taken out in the field today and share our individual discoveries with the class. 

Finally, after dinner, we all returned to the lab for one last lecture about corals and coral reefs. Richard told us all about how different reefs have arisen over different time periods and the different corals we use to determine how coral reefs may have looked thousands of years ago and see how they have changed as a result of environmental changes such as sea level fluctuation. 

Overall it has been an absolutely amazing day full of learning and exploring. It has only made me fall in love with the ocean even more. Can't wait to see what other discoveries we make in the coming days.

Day 1- Arrival in Bocas Del Toro

       Today began with packing all of our belongings and saying goodbye (for now) to the lovely Hostal Amador Familiar to begin our transit to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas Del Toro. We couldn't leave without first making our mark on the massive chalk wall amongst the many travelers that have had the pleasure of passing through Hostal Amador Familiar (see if you can spot Adriana's whale). Lastly, we utilized the opportunity for a last-minute selfie with the buff soccer player warning sign. 

Me: glad my project partner Alex made it to Panama and I got to show her this sign!!

    

After another round of boarding passes, security checks, and exchanges of luggage we were again miles above the ocean looking down into an endless blue. Upon reaching Bocas Del Toro, we were serenaded with beautiful, acoustic renditions of "Don't Worry Be Happy" and "Three Little Birds" that settled our post-flight jitters and welcomed us to paradise.   

   our plane

  the squid plane we wanted

the ocean from above

                                           

    When we arrived to the station, we were served the first of many incredible meals created by Desuze (and his assistant Cholla), the wonderful chef and human who will try to feed you canned apricots with much concern if you don't eat the pineapple upside down cake. After we were well-fed and trained up on the dos and do-nots of STRI, we could not wait to get into the water. 

    Two hours of snorkeling followed, during which we were able to get our first in-person glimpses of the incredible diversity of life that can be found just beneath the surface in Bocas Del Toro. Suddenly, all the travel and preparation was more than worth it. We encountered many species of fish (including territorial damselfish that defended their gardens like proud farmers), coral, urchins, sea cucumbers, worms, sponges, and an abundance of other organisms that we might not have been able to identify just yet. Maya and Richard were alongside us collecting various species of algae that we then took back to the lab to identify and study more closely. 

Maya gave the first lecture on the marine algae found in Panama that revealed to us the identities of many of the algae that we had encountered during our first snorkeling excursion. We learned background information on the form and function of different kingdoms of algae, which allowed us to sort through the samples of algae brought back to lab into their genera. Despite the exhaustion that was palpable in the lab, we rallied around bins of algae including many tiny, invertebrate stowaways that revealed themselves as we picked through algae. Overall, the day was a success as we all made it safely to our home for the rest of our trip, became acquainted with our new setting, and got a taste of the incredible experience it is to observe organisms in their natural habitat. Personally, I fulfilled many childhood dreams today just being in the water and watching a damselfish watch me back. I cannot wait to experience the rest that this trip and the ocean have in store. 

-Nadia 

Cassiopea xamachana 

Upside-down jellyfish 

A tiny urchin stowaway that we found in an algae sample. If you look closely you can see the even tinier Aristotle's lantern.

A tiny chiton stowaway found on a bivalve shell that was covered in encrusting coralline algae.

Happy and exhausted snorkelers returning to air for discussions of what we encountered below. 

photo by Ryan McCarthy

Urchin nestled in the seagrass

photo by Ryan McCarthy

 

The ocean from below 

photo by Ryan McCarthy

Pictured here is a sea cucumber not unlike the specimen Richard hurled at me, missing my face by a meter. 

photo by Ryan McCarthy

Life on the docks at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

photo by Ryan McCarthy

Algae sample for sorting, which also contained tiny brittle stars, crabs, gastropods, urchins, and shrimp.

Feather-duster worm

photo by Ryan McCarthy

Exhausted yet determined biologists identifying different genera of algae and picking invertebrates out while we're at it.

Microscope view of Acetabalaria sp.

                                                              

 

 

Day 0 - Panama 2022

Day 0 Panama 2022

This morning, we left Hostal Amador Familiar after a very good, fresh breakfast of fruit and eggs that was prepared by our professors. Our driver Rigo picked us up to go to the canal and played some fun music for us as he drove us to other sites.

some students waiting for the van 

we all had a laugh at this sign as we waited for the driver

We headed to the Panama Canal where we learned about the history of the canal and how it works. The museum explained the U.S. role with the canal being built and when Panama received full control over the structure. We got to see two boats going through the canals! We also saw some frigate birds and heard some biology facts about them from our professor, Richard. 

frigate bird

students and our professor, Maya, at the canal 

a boat going through the canal

After the canal, we went to a fish market where we saw how seafood is prepared by the different vendors. Once we had seen the vendors inside, we got to see how some of them prepared the fish through the processing areas in the back.We got lunch at Delicias Del Mar Sur and saw lots of birds circling around the shop outside. 

After the fish market, Rigo picked us up and we headed to Casco Viejo where we walked around the city, and everyone enjoyed talking to the vendors and buying souvenirs. The city had brick streets and ruins throughout, which was a contrast to the newer buildings and city skyscrapers in the background. 

A vendor selling traditional Panamanian art

After the walk around the city we went to Biomuseo which had a lot of information and friendly tour guides to give us all the facts they knew about Panamanian history and evolution. We got to learn a lot about Panama's evolution including the formation of the isthmus, which made us think back to the primary literature we reviewed before Panama. We ended the museum tour and got some coffee from the cafe then headed back to the hostal. After a busy day we ended it with dinner at Richard's favorite restaurant, Napoli, which everyone agreed was very good! One student in particular really enjoyed the restaurant, heard saying, "My lasagna was fire!" Today was so much fun, we all can't wait for what tomorrow brings!

the sign outside of Biomuseo

Some fish and coral in a tank at the museum

- Tessa