Hello from Trevor
04 February 2008 | Fonda Sagitaro Internet Cafe
Trevor/ sunny
PANAMA
CANAL
ESSAY
On January 21 and 22 of 2008 we made a transit of the Panama Canal, it was an experience of a lifetime! Late afternoon about 5 PM on Monday the 21 we were to meet a pilot boat on an area called "The Flats". The pilot boat dropped off a pilot, which is basically our guide through the Canal. About an hour late the boat showed up and dropped off our pilot named Francisco. After a few minutes of waiting for the channel to clear we proceeded up into the Gatun Locks. We were to be a center tie in the lock, which meant we drove the boat into the middle of the lock and on all four corners of the boat workers from shore threw things called monkeys fists, monkey fists are these ball type things with long thin line attached to them the workers use them to pull your line back to shore and loop the lines onto cleats onshore. Once the lines were secure we then needed line handlers to take in or let out line as needed. We had John and Sandy from Shelter Bay Marina, Shane, and myself. Once the gates to the lock shut the water rushed in with extreme force every line handler needed to be aware and paying attention to which lines need to taken in. After being raised 85 feet and let out of the last of three locks we slowly motored into Gatun Lake.
We arrived at our mooring in Gatun Lake at about 9 PM the mooring was a huge orange thing that you could walk on it was full of bird crap though. After we tied off a pilot boat came up to the mooring and our pilot jumped on the pilot boat and left for home. After we settled down we light the grill and had a late dinner of hamburgers. Early the next morning the Howler monkeys were growling on the shore about 200 feet away from the boat, they are very loud and are fun to listen too. Several hours later around 6 AM our second pilot joined us. His name was Amado; he was to guide us through the lake, down the remaining locks, and into the Pacific. Along the way to the Pacific locks we sailed through the beautiful countryside of Panama passing huge cliffs and thick jungle not to mention the towering cargo ship right next to Gabriella. Before arriving at the first lock named the Mira Flores lock we passed under the centennial bridge, it was a huge bridge built as a monument for the hundred-year celebration of the Panama Canal.
At the Mira Flores locks we did another center tie and went down 31 feet and exited to head toward another set of two locks about a mile away these were both 27 feet down lowering us a total of 85 feet. Down the second and third locks we had a side tie to a big tug boat that was training men to work in the Canal area. We got through the Panama Canal with no trouble at all and had a great transit. After dropping our pilot we headed to our anchorage near Flaminco Marina. After anchoring we dropped John and Sandy onshore and head back to the boat for a nap.
By Trevor Gordon
1-26-08
Las Perlas- Once we reached the Pacific we anchored a few nights right off from Panama City. Then we headed to the Las Perlas islands. The last few days we've been sailing to various islands having big fires on the beach and smoking fish over the fires. Since we have started fishing on the Pacific we have had great luck! So far we have hooked up four Yellow Fin tuna and caught three of them. Two were about five pounds and the other was ten. On Tuesday my grandparents are coming to join us for the crossing to the Galapagos.