Waiting can be annoying but when one is in a lovely marina with all the amenities - swimming pool, restaurant (with an excellent chef), laundry service, mini-mart, boat repairs etc. etc. waiting can become a pleasure. As long as it is not too long. And it won't be.

We arrived on Thursday Feb. 25, after successfully navigating through the numerous cargo ships in que for transitting the canal. (See photo of AIS showing just some of the ships around us as we sailed in. All the red ones are in our Danger Zone).

We organized an agent to help us with the red tape for doing the transit and had the 'admeasure' done yesterday where they check the boat out to make sure we have the ability to safely go through the locks. We passed muster and are now scheduled to transit the Canal tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 29. Leap year. Which must mean an auspicious transit. Safely and successfully... we hope.

We need to have 4 line handlers and one professional pilot on board for the entire transit. We head out tomorrow late in the afternoon which means that we do the first part of the transit in the evening and then moor in Gatun Lake (the manmade reservoir) and complete the transit Tuesday.

We are required to provide 3 meals and sleeping accomodations which is stressing me out considerably. Where will everyone sleep on our little boat? Argggghhhh!! What will I feed them? Apparently one pilot who did not like the food served ordered food to be brought to the boat which was very expensive. Arrrgggggghhhh...!! The menu I have come up with is:

Monday Dinner: Paella (with chicken, shrimp and chorizo) served with corn Tuesday Breakfast: Pancakes and bacon with orange juice Tuesday Lunch: Spaghetti Bolognese

Entertainment: Billy/Scuppers