Archiv
CW 41 2003
06.10. - 12.10.2003
We reach Port Cristobal, the entrance to the Panama Canal, on Monday evening.
We drop anchor in the Flats, an area lit especially for yachts.
First thing early on Tuesday morning: we visit the local yacht club to get
the formalities taken care of. Immigration is also here, as well as the harbor-capitain
for yachts.
He immediately calls the Panama Canals measuring office - that being the first
step towards a Panama Canal transit. Since only few yachts are doing that
now the responsible man is aboard SILVER BLUE within an hour, brought in the
pilot-cutter. He measures the ship and makes sure we have at least four 40-meter
long lines, enough fenders and some other essential aboard.
We agree to meet in an hour to finish the paper work. It is quite a lot, but
the proceedings aren't complicated and the atmosphere is friendly. And everything
gets done so quickly that we manage to get to the bank before noon, to get
the transit fees of US$ 600 and the US$ 850 for the deposit.
Only once all of that is taken care of will you get an appointment. Since
there are no waiting times right now we're already scheduled for Friday. That
leaves us with little time to find 3 additional line-handlers. Besides the
captain there need to be 4 of them.
After a mail to Christine and Christopher they come over from the St. Blas
Islands with their catamaran Kassomay and Fredericos yacht is also close by.
Frederico and his wife Mileidys will also accompany us.
| At 5am on Friday morning I collect everybody with the dinghy and at
5.30am the pilot shows up. First thing he does is fall flat on his face
while climbing over from the pilot-cutter … but nothing happened
so at 6.00am we weigh anchor and in full blast we're off to the first
lock chamber. Altogether the canal has 6 of them - 3 going up and 3 going
down. There's a little room left for SILVER BLUE behind a huge container
ship. We go alongside a large tugboat and fasten our lines to it. |
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The advantage being that we don't have to work the lines while moving - and we are moved up a good and turbulent 10 meters. As the lock gates open it gets really turbulent … the "big guys" propeller turns the lock-chamber into a whirlpool for giants. |
We continue through the other two Gatun-Looks chambers, going up all the time, heading for the Gatun Lake 32 meters above.
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| The Gatun Lake is part of a nature reserve park and driving by we spot some monkeys. The lake feeds all the canals locks, all of them operating without any pumps. What a technical achievement! Behind the lake the canal runs into its only part completely made by humans - the Gaillard Cut, over 13 kilometers long, cutting though a 100 m high mountain. We traveled rather fast so we have to wait in front of the Pedro Miguel Locks. We moor at a pilot landing and get a one-hour lunch brake. Perfect timing to enjoy the Arroz con Pollo Luznela prepared. So we're waiting for "our" ship, because yachts are always maneuvered through a lock together with a big ship. When that arrives we enter the lock chamber, which is rather narrow, and this time we're first. |
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Going downhill we're maneuvered through center-chamber, meaning the
ship is kept in the middle of the chamber by 4 long ropes - were more
and more rope is given as needed. The crew also masters this challenge
without a problem, just as the last two locks, the Miraflores Locks. After that the lock gates open up for us and SILVER BLUE for a last time and we're in the Pacific! Our helpers (lots of thanks to them) are also delighted by this impressive and smooth Panama Canal transit. |
In the evening we reach the Flamenco marina were the ship will be hoisted
out of the water next week.
More about that, right here, next week, if you like …
Until then, take care!
TOM
