Panama Canal

Just back from our practice canal transit!

We spent the last couple of days line handling on another boat through the Panama Canal. We had a great trip, learned a lot, and now feel much more comfortable about our upcoming transit. Tibby, Claudia and family were amazing hosts! Not only was the company wonderful but there was lots of food and it was deeeelicious!!! We meet the nicest people out here!

The trip through the canal started late in the afternoon, moored in Gatun Lake around 8pm, resumed around 7AM the next day and finished up in the Pacific Ocean around 2pm. After anchoring on the Pacific side we ate an amazing lunch, said our good-byes, then took a cab back to Shelter Bay Marina.

click on the pics for a full screen view!

Departing SBM:

Headed out to anchorage H, gloomy rainy day:

We sat in the anchorage for a few hours waiting on the pilot boat to deliver our advisor:

Pilot boat arrived around 5pm:

The advisor told us we would be going through the locks with this cargo ship:

Our canal advisor, super friendly, very professional:

Getting lines ready:

We went through tied up with two other sailboats. Raft up:

Entrance to Gatun Lock. One lock, three steps. Cargo ship is already in place:

Rafted up, heading into the lock:

Moving into the lock behind the ship and a canal tug. The tug puts out a big wake and didn’t seem to care that there were three plastic sailboats close behind.

Canal authority hand liners. They throw a small weighted line to you, you attach it to the larger line and they pull it up and secure it to the wall.

Doors closing, closing, closed:

Flooding the chamber, it gets a little swirly:

Going up!

Once the chamber is fully flooded they open the doors and we all move to the next chamber. In the second “step” of Gatun Lock, doors closing behind us:

Step two, flooded:

Once through all the steps of the lock we were in Gatun Lake. The boats separated and the advisors directed us to a couple of large moorings. We tied up and spent the night in the lake. Howler monkeys howling in the distance…

The next morning the pilot boat showed up at 0700, shortly after we were on our way again:

Rainy day:

Ships anchored in Gatun Lake:

The lake is man-made, deep right up to the shore:

 

Our new advisor:

Ship VS sailboat:

 

Tibby, the captain, let me drive for an hour or two:

We would be locking with this ship, Maersk Brigit:

Northbound traffic, 1100 feet long:

Centennial Bridge in the distance:

After a 28 mile trip across the lake we rafted up again and prepared to enter Pedro Miguel Lock:

Entrance to Pedro Miguel Lock:

Now we are dropping down to the Pacific. Chamber doors opening. We will be in front of the ship this time:

Canal handliners:

…all the way in:

Relaxed for a minute waiting for the ship to enter the chamber:

…and here it is:

They pin the ship against the chamber wall with a tug and attach lines from the ship to several small locomotives. The locomotives will keep the ship in the center of the chamber.

Going down!

Doors opening:

Staying rafted up, we make a quick run to the final lock:

All the way in Miraflores Lock:

Pamama Canal visitor center:

Tug and ship moving in behind us:

Going down, down, doors opening, one more chamber down to the Pacific:

Once last descent:

Into the Pacific Ocean:

The three boats separated again and went our own way.

Bridge of the Americas:

Passed by Maersk Brigit:

Balboa Yacht Club off in distance to port:

And finally the pilot boat arrived to pick up the canal advisor:

We are excited to make our transit, shouldn’t be too much longer!