Ocean Lady's Travels: The Panama Canal

Dear all,

Where do we start, so much has happened in the last 6 days. After a trip into Colon to have a new high pressure hose made up we could see that the city was pretty run down and not the safest place to hang out. The marina complex is nice and safe with swimming pool, internet, bar and restaurant. Our “Admeasurer” arrived on Tuesday to measure up Ocean Lady for her transit, later in the afternoon our agent arrived to discuss a transit date which we opted for Friday or as soon as possible after. Wednesday saw the whole crew indulge in a massive shopping trip to fill Ocean Lady up with as much as possible to try and avoid the steep prices reported in French Polynesia.

On Thursday Alan has successfully repaired the windlass until the new part arrives in Balboa and the last of the jobs were being done. Thursday night our tyres and ropes were delivered by the agents’ crew, we then treated ourselves to a lovely meal in the restaurant where the steak and chips were superb. We were joined by Craig our volunteered Aussie line handler for a few beers. Laura was trying to describe to him the Aussie biscuit like a penguin biscuit (because she couldn’t remember the name) in the UK that you bite each end off and suck tea or coffee through – by the end of the night not having a clue what Laura was talking about Craig and Margaret were convinced these were chocolate shaped penguins (They are actually called Tim Tams!!)

Friday morning we exchanged details with a couple of other boats going out to the Galapagos Islands so we could keep an informal radio schedule with them, Odesseus a New Zealand vessel on a delivery trip due to be in Auckland in April and Sea Fawke an Aussie vessel similar in size to Ocean Lady. By midday our line handlers Craig and James were on board and we departed the marina to the anchorage in the harbour where our advisor would join us.

By 14.30 our advisor was on board and we started the journey into the canal system up through Gatun Lock to Gatun Lake. On the approach to the lock we could see two rather large crocodiles’ resting on the shore. We entered the first of the three chambers behind a bulk carrier and alongside a sports fishing vessel en-route to Ecuador. Through each chamber we gained over 10m of height before entering Gatun Lake where we anchored for the night, our neighbours in the sports fisher could go fast enough to do their transit in one day and were soon a dot on the horizon. A large spaghetti

Bolognese and a few beers before heading to bed. Gatun lake is now the second largest manmade lake in the world, formed when the Rio Charges was dammed to create the canal system almost a hundred years ago.

We were woken at 5.15 by our Aussie helper Craig saying to the pilot launch “G’day mate” apparently because of our boat speed he was told to turn up to work for 3am! We started the transit in the dark with a well buoyed channel. Most of the trip is undertaken through the lake and the channels dug into it, It was hard to believe that 100 years ago these were being dug out, without the use of mechanical diggers and large earth moving equipment – let alone health and safety! Some of the narrow channels have literally been carved through rock faces.

After a few hours steaming we arrived at the next lock Pedro Miguel lock where we transited on our own being held in the centre of the lock with four mooring lines. A heaving line with a monkeys fist to thrown on board to connect these, keep your eyes open because these could really cause a headache if they caught you!!

Going down in the locks is considerably less turbulent and the loads in the lines were not excessive if tended to regularly. Once through the Pedro Miguel lock we entered the Miraflores lake and then into the Miraflores lock, a two chambered lock overlooked by a webcam and visitors centre who gave a shout out to “Ocean Lady from the UK” and received a great cheer. Equally family and friends at home could see the webcam that kindly focused on Ocean Lady.

The last lock gate opened and we were in the Pacific – quite a weird sensation.

Once through and under the Bridge of the Americas we continued around to an anchorage and launched the dinghy to take the tyres, lines and line handlers ashore. Once anchored we were treated to a shoal of rays swimming along. Ashore, we met our agent who asked how the trip went “uneventful – just the way we like it”. In all the canal process was dealt with so efficiently by our agent (who we would thoroughly recommend – Erick Galvez from Centenario Consultant Agency)) we could focus on getting the boat ready. The cost for the canal transit was just over $950 which for what you get is great value, the canal operators definitely take yachts through at a loss. The canal system is amazing employing over 9.5k people plus subcontractors, the thought that the concept was dreamt about over 100 years ago without accurate cartography, computer software to model it and verify the concept, let alone the man power to create the canal system which would have been colossal.

Now we are having an early night and lie-in to compensate for a busy and stressful couple of days.

Lots of Love,

Ocean Lady