Panama and beyond

Greetings from a few hundred miles off the coast of Costa Rica! I am currently at sea in the Pacific Ocean for a month-long research cruise studying zooplankton with researchers from the University of Rhode Island and University of South Florida. The ship – a 204 ft research vessel known as the R/V Seward Johnson – left port from Panama on Thursday morning. We are steaming towards our first sampling station, which is still a day or two away. The seas are rough (10-12 ft swells yesterday, a bit calmer today) and it is raining continuously, which is not unusual as it is the rainy season here in the tropics. Many of the scientists, including myself, have been a bit green at one point or another, but I am feeling great today. I have seen tuna jumping from the water, dolphins leaping into the air, and a manta ray break the surface. Brown boobies and diving storm petrels are frequently spotted alongside our ship.
I flew into Panama City, Panama on Monday morning and had an opportunity to check out the canal and take a boat ride through the rainforests of Gamboa. What a great trip that was! We saw crocodile, caiman, a two-toed sloth, iguana, and monkeys! The Panama Canal was a great stop as well. The people of Panama are very kind and speak little to no English, so I had a chance to practice my weak Spanish skills. We had lunch and dinner in Panama City – all very good food, and cheap beer! Of course now, we are on a ‘dry’ ship, but the crew here keeps us well fed everyday. There is a small gym onboard, which includes weights, a bike and a treadmill. The treadmill presents a whole new set of challenges while at sea as you try to balance as the ship rocks back and forth in the rough seas. Be sure to check out the link to the cruise website @ www.etpcruise.blogspot.com.