A group of Uniandes students taking the class “Field Camp” took one week to visit the Bocas del Toro Research Station in Panama. We used this STRI lab to conduct this course in “Siliciclastic vs Carbonate sedimentary environments”. This field course was led by Germán Bayona, Ph.D., Austin Hendy, Ph.D. and Camilo Montes, Ph.D. We got logistical support from Cindy Gonzalez (Master and Scientific Diver). 

This station is strategically located on both, active siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary environments. In the five days we spent there we got the opportunity to observe fluvial, coastal, paralic, shallow marine, and carbonate environments. The observations were complemented with laboratory work at night, taking advantage of the possibility to process samples collected during day trips. Additionally, we performed analogue experiments of sedimentation and  bioturbation in the Station’s water tanks.

Typically, we got up and took a fast boat ride to active sedimentation sites (no more than one hour away), where we swam to make the observations and collect samples. At night, everything was put into context, and the samples analyzed.

Check out the itinerary Bocas_Field_trip_2014.pdf

See a slideshow here

See videos of the field trip:

-Boat ride

-Reef dive

-Crossing surf

See the student’s blog here

Photos and videos cmontes