Through the ditch

We received our schedule late Monday, for our Tuesday transit.  Our agent was to arrive at 6:30 AM with the 2 line handlers we had hired, and our canal advisor was to arrive at 7:30.  We were supposed to enter the first of the locks at 9:26.  It all sounded very precise.

The agent dropped off the line handlers at around 7:00, and the advisor showed up at around 8:00.  Then we sat around for a long time, waiting for the other boats we were to transit with.  Eventually the 57’ catamaran we were to raft together with arrived from another marina, and we motored under the Bridge of the Americas (one of 2 bridges over the canal as it turns out), towards the Miraflores locks.

Arrival of the lines and their handlers

BOA to be replaced with higher one needed by modern ships

Ship maneuvering into first lock

 Once there, we had to wait another 45 minutes or so for the arrival of the Nikkei Progresso, a large container ship we were to share the locks with.  She was slowly maneuvered into the first lock.  It looked to us like they were going to need to grease the sides to get her in.

Does this lock make my butt look fat?

By this time we had rafted up with a 57’ catamaran, effectively making us a single vessel.  We slowly motored into the first lock behind the Nikkei Progresso.  Once inside the lock, 4 thin lines were tossed down by 4 men on the sides of the Canal, to which 4 large lines were tied, and pulled back up and looped over anchors on the sides of the canal.  There were 2 lines tied directly to Arctic Tern (bow and stern), and 2 similarly tied to the catamaran.  Once we were in our desired position, these lines were cleated firmly in place.

Nice throw!

Good-bye Pacific

As the lock filled with water, the line handlers took up the slack, keeping up in position.  It was all a very smooth process, until the upper gate opened, and the Nikkei Progresso started turning its propellers.  The lines strained mightily, keeping us and the catamaran off the walls.

There were 2 stages to the Miraflores locks, and then we motored across a small lake, to get to the 3^rd lock before Lake Gatun.  Once we had done the 3^rd uphill lock, we had 25 or so miles to go through the Culebra cut, and across Lake Gatun.

Our canal advisor functioned as a bit of a tour guide, and had many stories relating to the construction of the canal.  In one section of particularly mountainous terrain, the French, who were trying to build it at the time, planted small amounts of gold in the ground, and started a rumour of a Panamanian gold rush.  One way to solicit free labour!

“Gold mountain” in the Culebra cut

We were hit by a bit of a storm for an hour or so crossing the lake, with 30 kn winds and driving (but warm) rain.  Not very pleasant, but it did cool us down a bit.

We had assumed by our early start that we would be getting all the way through in a single day.  However, as we were approaching the Gatun locks for the trip down, our advisor directed us to a mooring buoy and informed us that we were done for the day.  We couldn’t really understand why, other that perhaps to justify another day’s pay for a canal advisor.

Our advisor was picked up by a motor launch shortly after, leaving the crew and the 2 line handlers to have dinner, and spend the night tied to the mooring ball.

Sunrise on Lake Gatun

Our day 2 advisor showed up shortly after the 7:30 scheduled time, and we were moving within 5 minutes.  Once again we rafted with the cat, but this time we entered the locks first, with a large cargo ship coming in behind us.  I was expecting a somewhat scary situation with the ship coming directly before us, but it moved very slowly, and was precisely controlled by lines running to specialized rail cars on each side of the canal.

top lock before draining

After draining

Ali enjoying breakfast atop the boom

Beyond these gates lies the Caribbean, and freedom

After an uneventful series of 3 locks, we were finally in the Caribbean.  Due to losing a night during the transit, we are planning on a quick stop in Colon, to fill up fuel and water tanks, and then setting off for Wales.