THE ADVENTURES OF S/V SERENITY AND HER CREW

10 November 2015
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03 June 2015
03 June 2015
03 June 2015

Panama Canal--Day 2

30 March 2015
March 26, 2015 Panama Canal—Day 2



Up at 0530 to get the boat and crew ready for day two in the Panama Canal. Staying the night in Lake Gatun was very cool—it was pitch black and very calm. When dawn came we found ourselves on a flat, calm lake with large ships anchored nearby. Sherry fed us a great breakfast and our new Canal Adviser, Amado, was soon aboard. Amado told us to get underway and we were soon heading through the lake at 7 knots. Amado told us to stay in the shipping lane marked by the red and green buoys as the lake had boat damaging tree stumps outside the lane. We slowed to allow Jacatta to catch up and continued through the sinuous path through the lake. We passed the federal prison where Manuel Noriega resides and the town of Gamboa. The Gaillard Cut or Culebra Cut was the most difficult passage to create in the canal and still only allows one big ship at a time to pass. It took about five hours to motor through the lake and it was actually very scenic and enjoyable. We arrived at the Pedro Miguel locks around noon and were rafted to Jacatta once more. The big ship Fouma did not stop for the night and we were locked through the two chambers of the Pedro Miguel locks by ourselves. The lowering locks are gentler and we were soon through both chambers. We then stayed rafted as we motored across the small Miraflores Lake to the single Miraflores lock as Sherry fed us a great lunch. Once through the Miraflores Lock we were in the Pacific Ocean and we all clapped and cheered as we separated from Jacatta and passed under the very impressive single span Bridge of the Americas.
We called Balboa Yacht Club to see if we could get a mooring—although everyone told us this would be impossible as the BYC had lost half of their moorings to the new canal construction. The BYC guy answered me but when I asked about a mooring he did not answer again. Amado asked for my VHF radio and he talked to the BYC guy in Spanish and lo and behold we were given a mooring. All the boats that transit the canal into the Pacific must stop at the BYC to drop off their adviser, line handlers, and lines/ fenders. A pilot boat picked up Amado and a panga showed us to a mooring where we said a fond farewell to our 'guys'. We were elated and tired—what a life-time experience! We will never forget this adventure and look forward to our journey home.
Comments
Vessel Name: serenity
Vessel Make/Model: Tayana 52 Deck Salon
Hailing Port: Ventura/Mammoth Lakes California
Crew: SHERRY AND GORDON CORNETT
About: ON AN ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME--LEARNING,LOVING,EXPERIENCING LIFE TOGETHER.
Extra: FOLLOW US AS WE TRAVEL THE SEAS OF THE WORLD.
serenity's Photos - Main
La Cruz
5 Photos
Created 3 March 2010

THE CREW OF SERENITY

Who: SHERRY AND GORDON CORNETT
Port: Ventura/Mammoth Lakes California