Last Stop, Dique Canal

Traveling along the 70-mile Dique Canal all the way to the Cartagena Bay, one of Colombia’s most important ports
Ships in the Dique CanalShips in the Dique Canal (c) Paul Smith

The Dique Canal, a Ticking Time Bomb

The Dique Canal connects Colombia's interior with one of its most important ports: Cartagena. But today the canal is carrying too much sediment threatening both the local economy and the environment.

Watch

Today is our last day along the Magdalena River – we’ve made several stops in El Banco, well known for its cumbia music and composers, and we spent one day in Mompos, a major port in colonial times and UNESCO World Heritage Site today.

It’s Sunday morning and we are heading to the town of Calamar, where the Dique Canal begins. We will travel along the 70-mile Dique Canal all the way to the Cartagena Bay, one of Colombia’s most important ports, to explore the effects the fast-flowing canal is having on the local economy and environment. View the video above to learn more.

As our trip comes to an end, I can’t help feeling a bit nostalgic. It’s been one of my most wonderful trips in Colombia; a unique experience that most of my generation hasn’t had the opportunity to live firsthand. Thank you for following along and exploring Colombia’s Magdalena River with me.

 

 

February 27, 2013

Read More

Photo Special Features TabLion in Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. © Kenneth K. Coe

Close Encounters with Nature

Whether scary or exciting, nature has a way of sneaking up on you. See stories

Arden OConnor 215x143Arden O’Connor. © Lajla LeBlanc

Nature Matters

Hear some of nature's success stories and see how nature matters to us all. Watch videos