Day 2: Our Walk on the Island of Barro Colorado

Day 2 of our Panama sojourn begins at the field station of Barro Colorado Island, established in 1923 as a reserve for conservation and study. The three sketchbooks I carry are an 81/2 x 11 for pencil, a hardbound one for pen and ink, and a small Moleskine for quick field notes. They are stowed in the field bag along with an assortment of pencils, erasers, sharpeners, rapidograph pens and ziplock bags in case it rains, which it probably will. A small folding umbrella, a water bottle and a map of the island trails come in handy, and although sitting cross-legged on a plastic garbage bag on the forest floor always worked well enough, lately I’m given to the comfort of a three-legged folding camp stool. Binoculars hang around our necks, and we’ll wear our pants cuffs tucked into the tops of our boots to ward off chiggers and evil spirits.

Trail map of BCI. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Remember, we’re here to get warm and escape the crummy weather at home. So you’ll notice right away how good your skin feels right now–think of the tropical rainforest as a big walk-around moisturizer. Your dry, cracked, winter-chapped skin will fluff right out and feel fabulous. If your hair’s like mine, it’ll curl up like Harpo Marx’s favorite wig.

But the rainforest isn’t all about glamour. We’re also here to get dirty, sweaty, and chigger-bit.