The Only Way to See the Panama Canal

Why we’re so glad we found the Discovery—and her talented captain and crew

The Panama Canal has long been transited by large ocean liners—but that couldn’t be further from our style. So when we decided to offer a Small Ship Adventure here, we set out to find a ship that was not only smaller—much smaller—but that also guaranteed us a complete daylight transit of the canal. Because most international small cruise ships can only make the crossing at night, this was no small feat. But then we learned about the 24-passenger Discovery.

The design specifications of this catamaran allow her to transit the Panama Canal by daylight. Her small size allows her to moor overnight in the Canal Zone, and with Zodiacs and kayaks aboard, we can go exploring in true OAT style.

The Discovery was exactly the ship we were looking for—and while we selected her based on the unique canal experience she offered, we were also thrilled to discover that her top-notch captain and crew made every sailing even more of a pleasure. Read on to meet them—and to hear what your fellow travelers are saying about their Panama Canal experience.

Meet the Discovery crew

Captain Orlando Rojas

Captain Rojas graduated from Nautical Engineering and Maritime Transportation in Panama in 1994. As a cadet, he completed his first long journey onboard a bulk carrier cargo ship sailing from Santa Marta, Colombia to Belfast, Ireland. In 1998, he obtained his captain’s license and carried out his first job in 2000 aboard a cargo ship in Panama. Captain Rojas has worked onboard cargo and passenger ships all over the world, but he decided to reside in Panama a few years ago. He has been working with Panama Marine Adventures, Inc. for the past four years and has completed over 1,000 Panama Canal transits as captain of the different vessels owned by the company.

 

Octavio Ríos, Cruise Director

Growing up in the highlands of Chiriqui in Panama, an area surrounded by wildlife and national parks, must have influenced Octavio’s fascination of ecology and bird watching. He spent his elementary school in Panama, and during high school he divided his time between California and Panama. While studying tourism in college, Octavio worked for Scuba Panama and earned his first job at the Panama Canal Museum in 1999. He has worked as a history and ecology tour guide for different tour operators, hotels, and cruise liners ever since. He is also a member of the Panama Audubon Society and the founder of the Tourism Guide Association of Panama. After 10 years of experience, he is now performing as Cruise Director for the Discovery.

Iann Sánchez, Cruise Director

Born and raised in Panama, Iann Sanchez has been a naturalist and adventure guide for 18 years. He has a degree in Geology from the University of South Florida. He worked in the U.S. for eight years as a naturalist park ranger in Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, and Big Bend national parks. He also worked as a rafting guide in the Rio Grande leading day and multi-day trips through the canyons of the Big Bend region. He now leads trips covering Panamanian history, rain forest ecology, flora and fauna, Panama Canal construction and engineering, and Spanish colonial defense sites. He also takes groups on adventure tours such as mountain biking, sea-kayaking, caving, rafting, and whitewater kayaking. Since 2008, he’s been working on the Discovery leading tours of the Panamanian coastline and islands. Iann is also a part-time naturalist guide at the Smithsonian’s Barro Colorado Scientific Research Station.

The Discovery crew is a group of 10 young Panamanians who live onboard the Discovery for all of her trips. They are a collection of bright, cheerful, upbeat, and competent young people who are willing to go out of their way for their passengers. They work efficiently and seamlessly to represent the youth of Panama.

 

Meet the Discovery’s talented crew in person during OAT’s Panama Canal Cruise & Panama: A Continent Divided, Oceans United Small Ship Adventure.