In Panama

I arrived in Panama after 12 hours of typically boring and uncomfortable air travel.  I had a rough start to the trip when Air Canada informed me they would not let me board the plane on a 1-way ticket, claiming that Panama might not let me in.  After a few phone calls to their supervisors, we determined the solution was for me to buy a fully refundable return ticket, and then cancel it once I got into Panama.

Not surprisingly, no one in Panama had any questions about how long I was staying or how I was going to leave the country.

I met Les and Ali at the yacht club where the boat is anchored, and Roger, the 4th crew, joined us by dinner time.  We headed back to the boat for an early bedtime just after dinner.  It was a very hot and humid night on the boat, and very sloppy seas, with the wake of all the passing ships knocking us around.

Arctic Tern, with Bridge of the Americas

We are moored just next to the Bridge of the Americas, which is the only bridge over the canal.  There has been a steady flow of tankers and freighters going by.  We have received word that we are scheduled to head in at around 8:00 tomorrow morning, which should allow us to get through in 1 day.  The plan is to spend one night in Colon on the Caribbean  side of the canal, and then set off the next morning, with no current plans to touch land again before Wales.

Our planned route will take us between Cuba and Haiti, and then west of Bermuda, before turning east across the Atlantic.

At the Balboa Yacht Club with Ali, Les, and Roger