Panama

Sailing into the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal is rather a daunting prospect for a small sailing yacht.  Giant cargo vessels move at speed in an out of the entrance and the in outer harbour we lost count of the giant ships at anchor.  Fortunately for us, the official language of the canal is English, so when we had to make the radio call to request permission to cross the shipping channel we just had to ensure we followed radio protocol.  We were safely tied up in Shelter Bay marina, just across the Canal from Colon, by early afternoon and the race to get all the jobs done and get through the Canal began.

Entering the Atlantic entrance to Panama Canal

Entrance to Shelter Bay marina, Colon

We decided to go with an agent to assist with coordinating our Canal transit.  This proved to be a good decision, as our wait to transit the Canal was only just over a week.  The date we were originally given was 30^th March, which was a 3½ week wait, though it seemed that most boats, agent or not, were being pushed through faster than this.  The delays in transit were due to a shortage of Advisors to take small boats through the Canal.  An Advisor is like a Pilot who goes through the Canal with you to, well advise!

A week in Shelter Bay gave us an opportunity to call family; get a month’s work of school work uploaded to Google Classroom; get through some of those boat jobs on RAFTKIN’s never-ending list of things to do; and get started on the Pacific provisioning.  We were also lucky to be able to attend a South Pacific Sailing seminar at the marina on the Saturday, which gave us a taste of what to expect and tips on where to go in French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji (and New Zealand).  We were all pretty excited after the seminar as suddenly the Pacific is within reach.  The kids loved the marina because there was a pool and loads of room to run around.  They made new friends and celebrated Catherine’s (La Cigale) birthday.

Bus trip to Colon for provisions

Swinging on the silks at Catherine's Party on La Cigale

Pacific Puddle Jump seminar

Farewell Dol Selene and Pelizeno - see you in the Pacific!

Shelter Bay is quite remote from Colon, but the marina runs two minibuses a day into the city, which gives cruisers the opportunity to get to the shops, the bank, the chandlery (the one at the marina had loads of potential…, if anyone is looking for a business opportunity!) etc.  We took advantage of this service a few times, enjoying the outing from the marina.  The little bus bounced its way from pothole to pothole along the road to Colon.  There was a bit of a wait to cross the Canal on the barge, especially if there was a ship passing through, and a hold up on the way back as we crossed over on the locks.  When the new bridge opens up across the Canal it will change all this quite dramatically.

Boat work and preparation for next stage

What mess?

Second bus trip to Colon for provisioning, waiting for the barge to cross Canal

First major Pacific provisioning

Last supper at Shelter Bay in the Cruiser's Palapa

After a very busy week of preparation, we got word on the Tuesday afternoon that we would be transiting the following day, Wednesday 14^th March.  We had decided to play it safe and have two paid line handlers for the transit, as well as Peter from Pelizeno, who had gone through a few days before and very kindly came back over to help us through.  I was the fourth line handler, but Peter and I had very little to do as the two professional guys knew what they were doing and almost made it look easy.  We were also very lucky and got an excellent Advisor.  His day job is as a Pilot on the Pacific side of the Canal, bringing ships into the port.  He does this advisory role in his spare time because it's enjoyable.  We were very happy to have him on board.

Our day started at 3:30am, well mine started at 3am because I forgot to make the sourdough the night before, to have a quick shower before departure.  Our line handlers arrived just before 4am and we motored straight out to 'the flats', an anchoring area just outside the main Canal entrance, where we picked up with our Advisor at 5am.  As dawn approached we motored under the new bridge being constructed over the Canal and towards the first lock.  Before we entered the lock, we had to raft up with two other boats.  The usual configuration is two monohulls on either side of a catamaran.  To our surprise we were rafting up with two other cats.  A three cat raft up is quite a wide load and rather a handful to maneuver.  We don’t think this had been tried before.

Canal approach at 5:45am - motoring under the new bridge

RAFTKIN crew enters the Gatun Locks, Panama Canal

Three cat raft up - not such a great idea

Motoring the giant raft in behind Pegasus

As we entered the lock our wide load became troublesome as it caught the wind.  The Canal linesmen threw their lines down to us so that we could get our ropes up to them to tie in to the lock.  A light breeze from the west put a lot of pressure on the giant raft and the cat on the port side kept getting pushed towards the wall of the canal. Fortunately, we were on the starboard side of the raft, but the wall of the Canal was ever looming beside us.  After about 20 minutes of messing around and lots of shouting, our advisor suggested we break away from the raft and tie up against the wall on our own.  We were lucky that the ship we went through with was not a big one, so there was room in the lock for us to fit in front of the other two rafted up cats.

We quickly moved in front and the Canal line handlers threw their lines down to us, something to be mindful of as a large monkey grip knot weights the end of the line and could do some damage if it landed in the wrong place.  Our line handlers sent our lines back up to the Canal handlers, who tied us off to the wall.  Then the gates closed behind us and the lock began to fill quickly.  As the lock filled the line handlers adjusted their lines to keep us close to the wall.  Dave listened to the advisor, who let him know how to move the engines to keep us snug against the wall as the water surged around the boat. Very quickly we emerged into the bright sunshine at the top of the lock – it took less than 20 minutes.  We took our lines back from the Canal and moved forward to the next lock.

RAFTKIN breaks away and ties up to the wall

Rest of giant raft follows into first lock

Hayley watches as the water starts to rise

Dave listens to the Advisor

Top of the lock (see ship in waiting below)

Line handlers keep lines firm as Pegasus starts engine

Pegasus moves into next lock

 Gates closing

The rest of the transit up to Gatun Lake went very smoothly.  Three locks up, then 4 hours motoring across Lake Gatun, then three locks down.  It was quite a relief to reach the lake so that we could enjoy some breakfast.  It was well after 9am and we were all pretty hungry, especially the line handlers who had been working hard!  We motored through the lake at good speed, more or less keeping up with Pegasus (the ship we had transited up Gatun locks with).  We passed by one super freighter, which at a distance didn’t look that big until it was right next to us.  We were incredibly lucky that there were no ships coming the opposite way through the Gaillard Cut, so we were able to go straight through with no delay.

Last of the Gatun Locks

Motoring through Gatun Lake

Approaching Puento del Centenario bridge in the Gaillard Cut

Coming down was very straight forward.  We had got away from one of the three catamarans, so we came down rafted up to No Rehearsal (a 52’ Catana), who was rafted up to a big tourist motor cat that had tied onto the wall of the canal.  There is less current as the lock empties compared to when it fills, so the stresses on the boat are less.  Dave just had to keep the starboard engine in reverse to makes sure we stayed in close to the big cat.  The last gates of Mirra Flores opened and we were in the Pacific.  As if to tease us we even had to go under the Bridge to the Americas, which looks just like the Sydney Harbour Bridge! 

Pedro Miguel locks - going down

The mules that pull the big ships through the Canal

Miraflores Locks - going down

Gates to the Pacific

Approach to the Bridge to the Americas

There were cheers and cold beers when we tied in safely to our berth at La Playita marina in Panama City.  It had been a big day, but we had been lucky with no real delays, so we were in the marina berth by 4pm.  We even had time to freshen up with a cold shower before heading out for a meal with our friends from Pelizeno and Dol’ Selene at a nearby restaurant.  We slept well that night!

RAFTKIN Crew+ in Panama City

We had 4 days in Panama City and it was hectic!  The first day Megan was sick, but we ended up doing a full day of school that day because the kids had not done any during the Canal transit.  By 5pm I was sick too, so we had an early night.  Friday we were all well, so after school we took a couple of taxis to the supermarket with Lisa from Pelizeno and Brian and Gayle from Dol’ Selene.  The supermarket was AWESOME (yes, I am blogging about supermarkets again…) and I was able to get everything I needed.  The only down side was that I left one of the six trolleys I had filled somewhere in a supermarket aisle, so in the end I didn't quite get everything.  I had to go back to the supermarket on the Sunday to get the last few things.

Second major Pacific Provisioning shop - where will we put it all

On Saturday we all went to The Mall.  The Albrook Mall was bigger than any shopping mall I have ever been to…, or maybe I have just been away from such things for too long.  Hayley was in heaven.  Even Megan enjoyed looking through the shops for a while.  We were able to get some of the things we had been missing or worn out (like some new T-shirts), but after 4 hours at the mall we were all shopped out, so we took a taxi back to the marina, stopping at the Bio Museum on the way.  What a treat!  The museum focuses on the geology and biodiversity on the isthmus between North and South America.  We learnt a lot about how the isthmus was formed and why there are so many species in such a small land area.

Hanging out at Albrook Mall, Panama City

Listening to our virtual guides at the BioMuseum

Hayley and Zenon at the BioMuseum

We had a quick turnaround when we got back to the marina so that we could go out to the old town for dinner.  The Casacasco had been recommended, so we had drinks in their rooftop bar watching the Panama skyline as the colour slowly drained from the sky. It was St Patricks Day, so all the staff were dressed in green, and they gave out gold (chocolate) coins to the kids.  We then went downstairs for a meal.  The old town had a very Spanish/ Latin American feel to it, which makes sense when you think about it.  As it was Saturday night, everyone was out enjoying the warm evening.  All the locals were on the streets at local gatherings like street parties, only this wasn't something special, it's just what they do.  Everyone was happy, kids were playing in the playground- it's too hot to play there in the day.  It had a great vibe.

Heading into the old town for dinner

Dinner in the old town at Casacasco

Big tides at La Playita marina, Panama City

Sunday I did that last shop and got things packed away.  We spent a couple of hours trying to download everything we could, sort out emails, upload school work and generally get organized for an extended period without wifi, but there is never enough time.  We met up with Pelizeno and Dol’ Selene and went around to the Balboa Yacht Club to clear out and have an early dinner.  We wanted to be back in time to welcome La Cigale to the Pacific. 

We woke early on Monday morning to get the boat organized, sneak in another hour of wifi time, say goodbye to La Cigale and welcome our day crew (Zenon from Pelizeno) on board.  At about 9am we untied our lines and motored out into the Pacific.

Adios Panama