Finally in the Pacific!!

We have had a great time here in Panama and wish we could stay longer.

Since our last post we have transited the canal and are currently anchored on the Pacific side of Panama. Our transit went pretty well overall. We started our transit on Thursday afternoon, anchored in Gatun Lake, resumed transit Friday morning and finished late in the afternoon.

While in Colon we took a guided nature tour through the former US Army Base Fort Sherman. The tour was great but it rained most of the time so the pictures didn’t come out. We saw lots of birds, butterflies, monkeys, flora and fauna and in the afternoon a big crocodile swam past the boat!

Click on the pictures for full screen view.

Fort Sherman:

The old base chapel:

Begining of our transit through the Panama Canal:

Rafted up with one other boat to go through the Gatun Lock:

Entering Gatun Lock:

Doors closing behind us:

Going up!

Moving to the next step in the lock:

Flooding the lock:

Usually they put small boats on mooring buoys in Gatun Lake. The buoys were in use by the canal so we anchored between Gatun Lock and the parallel lock, in 70 feet of water. We were surrounded by ship traffic and a canal dredge all night long. We got about three hours of very fragmented sleep. Sunrise Gatun Lake:

Ship traffic from the newly opened lock which runs parallel to Gatun Lock:

After our canal advisor arrived we began the four hour motor south across the lake:

Rafting up again for the Pedro Miguel Lock:

Going down:

…and one last time, Miraflores Lock:

Doors opening to the Pacific Ocean!!!

Bridge of the Americas and the Pacific:

We used the services of a canal agent and it was worth every single penny! They coordinate everything and when we finished our transit they collected our lines and fenders and even coordinated our departure!

Dropping off our gear and one of the line handlers via Balboa Yacht Club launch:

Canal webcam picture:

We motored about two miles south to La Playita Marina achorage, dropped the hook, ferried our two remaining line handlers ashore and passed out!! We had three great line handlers, Juan from Columbia, Ole and Maxi from Germany. Thanks guys!!!

We spent a day in the old section of Panama City, did a little food shopping and will depart Tuesday. We will be out for about a month! Update again in 3900 miles!