Switching sides (ocean-wise)

Rich — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:26:00 -0600

We left Shelter Bay Marina (Atlantic side) about 4:00 pm on Wednesday 11/11/09 heading for "the flats" to await our Advisor to board and go through the Gatun Locks and then anchoring overnight in the Gatun Lake. We had to change line handlers at the last minute before we left Shelter Bay (the day we were leaving) due to one of our friends fell off a ladder working on his boat "on the hard", meaning their boat was on land up on stanchions doing bottom work. He had sprained his wrist so we had to put him on the disabled list and called up our DLH "designated line handler". Our friends Jay and Barbara from s/v Jupiter's Smile, who arrived at Shelter Bay the day before, came to the rescue with only 3 hours notice. They were ready along with Brian from across the dock who had also volunteered to be a line handler. So with the 2 experienced line handlers (read paid) and 2 of our volunteered friends we were ready for the 2 day transit of the canal. Putting one "pro" line handler at the bow with a "rookie" and same at the stern worked out great. We had a nice relaxing night moored in Gatun Lake. Pat made rigatoni which was perfect for the first night out. Everyone enjoyed her cooking. We had some wine and just talked and laughed. The next morning the new advisor arrived at 6:00am sharp in the pilot boat so we were on our way at 6:05. We had found out that we would be going through the canal "center chamber" which means that you straddle the middle of the chamber all by your self and the lines run up the sides of the chamber from both port and starboard, fore and aft. We now will have transitted the canal all of the 3 different ways it can be done. We did the " center chamber rafting up" way where you are one of 2 or 3 boats "tied" together and the 2 lines from the starboard side go off the boat on the starboard the port lines go off the boat on the port. The 3rd way is when you tie up (raft up) to a tug that is against a side wall and his boat takes all the beating of up and down the sides of the concrete chamber walls as they are filled and emptied. This is our 3rd time through the canal, twice in our boat and once on our buddy boat Tasman. Each has been a different experience. Each chamber is 110 feet wide and 1000 feet long, so generally you share the chamber with a large freighter which is about 700 feet long. The isthmus of Panama and therefore the Gatun Lake is 84 feet above sea level, so when you enter into either side of the canal you have to be raised 84 feet and then transit the approximately 50 miles to the other side then be lowered 84 feet to exit to the ocean. The chambers pump in 52 million gallons of fresh water from the Gatun lake into each chamber and it takes only 20 minutes to fill the chamber, so you can imagine the turbulence in the chamber when this being done. This is where the line handlers are really busy. There are 3 chambers at each side (Atlantic and Pacific) so you go through this 6 times, 3 filling and 3 draining. It rained off and on as we transitted the canal, but we had a great advisor and the eight of us were all very compatible and we enjoyed it. Pat out did herself in the area of culinary achievements. For breakfast she made this scrumptious egg bake casserole and everyone had seconds and along with fruit and juice. She prepared snacks of chip and dip and peanuts, etc. during the day. For lunch just after we left the last chamber into the Pacific she brought up 3 platters stacked with sandwiches for lunch. There was egg salad, tuna salad, and ham and turkey club sandwiches, along with soda and beer. Everyone on the boat really loved the food Pat prepared, In fact one of the hired line handlers wanted to know where our next port was after we left Panama because he wanted to come along just for the meals. The advisor said he didn't know if he could jump onto the pilot boat when it arrived because he ate so much food. (Continued...)

A mega, mega mall, Albrook Mall

Rich — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:59:00 -0600

This is a very, very big mall, in fact the largest we have been in. This is a view of one of the 3 food courts and as you can see it has a merry go round and tons of food places and tables. There are about 4 different sections of the mall, equally large and lots of rides for the kids. It was so big that a lot of the stores had a store in each section of the mall. It was fun just to walk around. (View Post...)

Taking a bow in the Canal

Rich — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:59:00 -0600

Here is Leroy an experienced line handler and our "rookie" Brian waiting for the next chamber to adjust the bow lines. (View Post...)

Our Sea Era: SailBlogs

Switching sides (ocean-wise)

A mega, mega mall, Albrook Mall

Taking a bow in the Canal