AlexandrA comes home

Hola señoras y caballeros

Well as time closed to leave the canal, we had sufficient remaining time to consider a walk in the jungle at Shelter Bay. A walk along two routes took us to some world war 2 emplacements, covered by jungle regrowth that looked like a movie set stumbling upon a lost city. Exploring inside the first chamber, it was amazing the condition of the concrete being 70 years old, metal hand rail along walls and steps had long ago corroded leaving round holes in the concrete as their finger print. We climbed a set of stairs hung in the air to see the view. Once the sea would have been clearly visible but now only jungle, the waves could be heard through the foliage. Looking up we found a family of white headed gibbons with one baby. It's as special to an Australian coming across monkeys in the jungle as it is for a visitor seeing a kangaroo in a paddock at home.
We found soldier ants marching their freshly cut leaves from the tree canopy above back in their battalion lines to their nest. They have carved grooves into the ground as they had walked these routs for so long.
From when the canal was completed by the US military in 1913 the control of all passages was maintained by the US. As with the British and Hong Kong the control and operation of the canal was handed back to the Panamanian's at midnight 31/12/99. Our second part of our walk took us to a beautiful now deserted barracks. We were fortunate enough to be here as the days ended as the howler monkeys erupted in the distant jungle trees and awoke above us another family of gibbons, this time at least 30. As they woke they would leap freestyle from tree to tree like sugar gliders except for the huge tussle of leaves as they hit their target branch. Some even came down low to check us out.

We greeted Manuel, Remi's nephew visiting Panama from France, here with
his Panamanian wife and their 15 month old daughter for her christening.
Well at 1430 our line handler, Eric, a 22 year old of 7 years experience came to our vessel with tyres for buffers and four 50m long inch ropes to tie us with. I confirmed with Eric at his arrival that the agent had advised us that this was his first trip, a smiling giggle from our young strong man.
We headed to the muster area to wait for our pilot to be dropped to us and to meet our fellow lock mate, a kiwi mono with some Aussie's also on board to practice for their trip; we were to tie together within the lock for the steps up. Our advisor came, Wesley Snipes twin brother, William (Guilermo)! Well no bad arse pirates were going to mess with us now! The Kiwi's, well their movie double was a no show, change of plans, we are now solo.

We were briefed as to our rolls with the confidence and enthusiasm as you expect Wesley too. Assuming naively that the lock was ours we headed to the Gautin locks.
Three locks, one after each other. Each lock raising us 30 feet. As we approached our lock we found an intruder, shit we have to share with a cargo ship! Bugger me, if that mother comes loose we are screwed! Take note of the fuzzy first photos, nervous energy. That's polite for shitting bricks as I was on our bow. Men on the walls to each of our corners threw haul lines to the boat for us to tie our large ropes to. These lines they would throw at us like lasso's. They had a monkey fist knot tied in the end to give the rope weight, we needed to be wary they we did not get hit and knocked out.
The enormous gate closed behind us and I had already worked an evasive plan for Maxi to steer the cat backwards into the corner of the lock when the cargo ship broke free. The area covered by the lock door revealed inwards and the curve of the stern of the cargo ship in front looked large enough to save us.
With six on board we all had our roles. Wesley directed and monitored us, Maxi keeps at the wheel with both motors running ready for disaster and the four remaining manned a line at each corner.

We pulled our ropes tight and the water started to swirl from under us, eddy currents and whirlpools developed and the boat was pulled from left to right and front to back. The taught lines keeping us central. I had a keen eye on the mules holding our intruder tight. Originally back in 1913 it was mules that steadied the boats, these now replaced with their name sakes which are compact and heavy locomotives. Each ship has 8 tending it in total. The ding ding of the pilots on board telling them their rolls.
The water rose so quickly and in no time we raised our 30 feet. The mules pulled the ship into the next lock and we followed. We continued this three times and were now old seasoned hands. Dark had just fallen as we left the last lock to head to our mooring for the night, a big piece of cheese!

Our advisor left us here but Eric stayed aboard. We were blessed that Manuel Spanish is excellent which assisted conversation and stories with Eric.
At 0630 the following day we left to transit to the Panama City locks approximately 50 miles away. A number of ships had come up the lock over night and were now anchored in the lake. We motored at 7.5 knots passing many ships heading toward us from Panama to Colon within the channel.

We came through the cutting which gave us some great photos, saw a crocodile, dredges at work and a tug so glad to see an Aussie boat the we had a water cannon display.

We came to the downward locks ahead of schedule and waited for our fellow lockees.
Lock one down is by its self, a couple of miles more the next two which are together. Our two sharing boats were both passenger ferries with tourists traveling up a couple of locks for the experience with commentators. We tied firstly to the larger of the two in lock one. We had no need to cross tie to the other side as down was as gentle and uneventful as you could imagine. Just like the water draining from the bath at home. We traversed to the last set of locks and rafted off the smaller of the two ferries this time. We had some mirth with the commentator of this boat as he offered the passengers a free ride back to Australia. We subsequently advised them that until we saw the boarders recipe books and proof of their cooking ability they could not board.
We were held at this lock for near an hour not knowing initially why, we served our lunch, cheese, biscuits, salami, ham and salad.

Our delay was due to another ship in the previous lock to come with us.
The lock's are 110 feet wide and 1000 feet long. Our new friend was 106 feet wide and 700 feet long, not much room for the three of us. It's amazing how they control a ship this big with 2 feet to spare on each side, I reckon they have done it before. We dropped through the remaining 2 locks and into the Pacific.
We passed the construction site of the two new lanes being built, they will be able to take ships 1500 feet long and 180 feet wide. Construction due to be completed for the 100th anniversary in 2013.
Out we headed to be greeted by a totally unexpected site, the coat hanger at Sydney Harbor! Its amazing how small the Pacific ocean is, only 60min from the last Panama lock.

It was Sunday lunch time when we arrives at Balboa. Behind the restaurant is a very large parked area. Walking around we found a large concert with retro, house and dance music. Families and friends playing soccer and baseball. As lads do in every city in every part of the world they had cordoned off with witches hats a large area of carpark and had about 8 50cc mini bikes racing around their made track. Some of the boys with helmets, some with out, some with knee pads, shorts and long pants. The rear of their cars open with music playing. Two stroke fumes flying out of each mini bike as they rounded corners and negotiated chicanes. lads in their 20s, 30s and 40s riding mini bikes for 6 years old as happens where ever you live.
And what do you do when you have finished with the mini bikes, bring out the remote control cars. Again it could be any city in the world, however may be not Melbourne as someone would have called the council or police complaining that there is noise in the car park which no one is using on a Sunday and lads are having too much fun.