We were up early this morning ready to make way to Colon Harbor. We had parked Swingin' on a Star at the eastern end of the anchorage so that we would have no one between us and the exit in the overcast grey morning. There were a few buoys to dodge but otherwise the way was clear.

Margaret, Em and Hideko were on the bow but it was difficult to ready the water in the weak light. The bottom came up gradually as we worked our way toward the east exit. The Cruising guide suggested a 10 foot depth on the way out. I couldn't find it. After seeing 4 feet under the bow and backing off a couple of times we decided to head out the south side.

We sailed along the north coast of Panama at a crisp 9 knots or so overtaking a couple of fellow cruisers along the way. We also passed a couple beating their way into the seas in the other direction. Didn't look half as fun as the way we were going.

As we approached the canal zone we began to get some very interesting output on the chart plotter. I had to turn off the perimeter alarms, I have never seen so many targets. One can only guess that all of these guys were waiting to go through the canal. This did not bode well for our quick passage.

Everything in this area is giant sized. The safe water buoy is huge, the markers on the entrance to the breakwater are towering and the ships are of course very large. The breakwater itself is the largest I have ever seen. You see it and expect to reach it in a few minutes but then it is still just as far away as it was.

We entered the port through the huge opening in the breakwater and not surprisingly there was still quite a bit of swell inside. Just a gentle ripple to the tankers anchored about I guess.

After clearing the yellow marks inside the breakwater we turned to starboard and ran along the wall toward Shelter Bay Marina. As we approached we saw cruising boats anchored out front, which was odd because this is not normally an anchorage per the guide. We entered the marina and finally discovered that they listen on VHF 74 with the help of some cruisers in the area. This is not printed on their ads or in the section on Shelter Bay in the Guide.

The management wanted to put us in a slip next to a monohull. I figured I'd give it a look see but was not inclined to believe that we would fit in such a place. After motoring down the dock I decided recon would be required. Fortunately the end of the T was completely open so we tied up there and I went to visit the office.

The dock master was not around but the office manager said we could not stay where we were and that we would have to move to the slip. I said I didn't think we'd fit. She got the dock master on the horn and he asked how wide we were. Hmmm, assigning a 50 foot cat a slip without knowing their beam. I had sent this information to them but I suppose it was not interesting.

I asked why we couldn't stay where we were. She pointed to the slip map white board and there were little Post-its with 007 written all over them. This 007 boat had taken up every spot on all of the Ts. What a jerk.

The slips had been reserved of course, but by the director of "Quantum of Solace", the new James Bond film coming out in November 08. It turns out that the boats anchored out in the poor holding area outside the marina were getting paid $100 per day to dress up the set.

Shooting had shut down for the night so we were good for now.