Panama Canal Transit

Hi everyone,

Today we are anchored at La Playita in the Pacific.  Yesterday was an epic day.  We transited the Panama Canal.

Doors about to close on the Atlantic

Here are the usual images...

Track

Graphs

The morning prior to our transit our lines and fenders were delivered by Stanley.  He is an agent but can provide lines, fenders and line handlers for the transit.  We had arranged a couple of yachties to come along as line handlers, and booked one line handler with Stanley.  Unfortunately the couple booked their transit for the day after ours and so couldn't come with us.  So we ended up with three professionals and that worked out very well.  Two had been aboard UK sv White Malkin with us when we joined Mike as line handlers.

Fendered!

We had dinner at the marina restaurant on our last day.  Twas a nice way to finish our stay.  Then we turned-in early to get some sleep before our 0230 start.

We were up on time and ready for our line handlers arrival at 0300.  We called Cristobal Signal on the VHF and they advised our advisor's boarding time would be 0445.  So we stayed in the pen until 0400.  Then we motored out to the flats off the marina where the advisor came aboard at 0430.

From the flats our group of three boats motored to the first locks.  By the time we arrived it was twilight and we 'nested' into a single three-boat group, secured alongside each-other.  Once nested we motored into the lock.  The canal line handlers and our onboard line handlers did a good job throwing the monkey fist messengers and handling the lines.  Before long we were going up - about 9m per lock in this flight of three.

Getting Nested

Entering the first lock

Gates closing on the Atlantic

Once the 'climb' was complete we motored out of the lock and de-nested.  From there we had a 25nm motor across the lake to the Pacific side.  It was the most sustained workout for our Craftsman CM3.27 engine since installation in 2014.  Five hours at 2000 rpm.  Normally we motor between 1600 and 1800 rpm.  2000 gave us 5.5 knots, avoiding our being the 'laggard' of the group.  And it was good to stress test the motor before a lot of motoring out of the Bay of Panama.

De-nesting

Aussie sv Matahair takes the lead

Nic did a fantastic job cooking for the crew of six.  At the start of the long motor we had a cooked breakfast.  Along the way we had chilled fresh fruit.  And on arrival at the down locks we had lunch of chilli con carne.  Throughout we had an endless supply of cold bottled water on offer. 

Very BIG ships

Constant dredging

On arrival the three boats hadn't been quite fast enough to go through the down locks with the ship we ascended with.  So we had to wait 40 minutes for the next ship - another big car carrier.  In the interim we went alongside the lock wall and nested-up there.  This avoided one of the three monkey fist catching episodes so wasn't all bad!

Company in the down locks

Ready to descend

Pacific Ocean in sight!

Doors opening on the Pacific

Once free of the down locks we de-nested one last time and motored under the Bridge of the Americas to the Balboa YC where the Advisor was collected by a Pilot boat.  Great job Amado!  Then the line handlers Rocky, Alex & Manuel were collected.  Thanks guys!  We'd definitely recommend having at least one professional line handler aboard.  All three knew the drill and made our time in the locks very very easy.

De-nesting

The Bridge of the Americas

Advisor extraction

So here we are in the Pacific Ocean!  The La Playita anchorage is a bit rolly from the wash of passing vessels but less so at night.  The anchorage is off the La Playita Marina and a 10 minute (US$15 return) taxi ride to Panama City.  It's nice to be at anchor again with a good draft through the boat.

Trust all's well where you are.