Arrival and Settlement at STRI
September 7, 2024
Bennett Hazard
We started the second day in Panamá with an early morning wake up at 4:30 am to catch our 6:30 am flight. Departing from PAC we arrived at BOC after a quick flight on an Air Panamá Fokker F50 turboprop airliner. On the flight we were treated to beautiful views of the Panamá countryside and a look at Cobre Panamá (a controversial copper mine) which Richard made sure to point out. At the destination we were greeted by sunny weather and a friendly drug sniffing dog. With all around high spirits and a little struggle to find a taxi we left for the STRI facility.
Air Panamá - Fokker F50
Cobre Panamá - Copper Mine
An Excited Jack Taylor
The STRI facility is located on the main island, Isla Colón, and consist of one large lab building and many smaller support structures. Our dorms are located in the back corner of the complex and are surprisingly spacious with three bunking in each room and all are connected by the communal kitchen/dinning. Our first course of action was to silence our rumbling stomach with a quick breakfast from our newly introduced chef Jesuze and his assistant Omar. The salted slices of ham and fresh Papaya was perfect. We then set out to explore the grounds. 
Views from Boat Dock
First Breakfast
After breakfast Plinio, the BRS research coordinator, gave us brief safety presentation and some of us caught up on some much needed z's. 
Plinio - Safety Presentation
A Sleepy Jack Taylor
Lunch was served at 12:30 and was DELICIOUS. Pork, cod, rice, beans, along with fried plantain. Desuze instantly became a fan favorite among us thanks to his amazing cooking and exuberant personality. Fox Melo was especially pleased. 
Lunch
Fox Melo!
Our scheduled activities for the day ended with a swim test and free snorkeling time. The swim test was far from daunting and was simply swimming about 100 yards to a buoy and back. During free snorkel we saw many interesting species and coral formations all foreign to us and much more exotic than the PNW species we are familiar with. Notable sitings included skates, stingrays, pufferfish, colorful damselfish, and much more. Tired from a day of traveling, after dinner we all almost instantly passed out.
Owen is Ready for the Swim Test
We started the second day in Panamá with an early morning wake up at 4:30 am to catch our 6:30 am flight. Departing from PAC we arrived at BOC after a quick flight on an Air Panamá Fokker F50 turboprop airliner. On the flight we were treated to beautiful views of the Panamá countryside and a look at Cobre Panamá (a controversial copper mine) which Richard made sure to point out. At the destination we were greeted by sunny weather and a friendly drug sniffing dog. With all around high spirits and a little struggle to find a taxi we left for the STRI facility.
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| Air Panamá - Fokker F50 |
 |
| Cobre Panamá - Copper Mine |
 |
| An Excited Jack Taylor |
 |
| Views from Boat Dock |
 |
| First Breakfast |
After breakfast Plinio, the BRS research coordinator, gave us brief safety presentation and some of us caught up on some much needed z's.
 |
| Plinio - Safety Presentation |
 |
| A Sleepy Jack Taylor |
 |
| Lunch |
 |
| Fox Melo! |
 |
| Owen is Ready for the Swim Test |
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