Yesterday, May 7,1999, we completed our transit of the Panama Canal. We spent a week in Colon, Panama getting our paperwork, boat measurement, line handlers, and tires for fenders in order. We had to go to the Gatun Locks in advance to pay our fee of $937.50 in cash only. At 4:30 AM our Adviser arrived and we made our way to the first set of three locks -- the Gatun Locks. We locked up behind a huge container ship rafted up to two other sailboats. Gatun Lake was spectacular surrounded with tropical rainforest, Kuna Indian huts along the shores, we even saw a crocodile swimming along. At the continental divide the buoys changed from red on the right to red on the left. There was a violent squall that reduced visibility for about an hour before the last lock making us look very weathered when the transit ended. The only damage or mishap was one cleat couldn't take the upward stress as we locked down and broke but held until the end of the lock when we transferred the load to the hawse hole. We used the large sheet winches and the windlass to take up the lines, there was incredible stress and tension on those lines. As we exited the third lock the middle boat in our three boat raft was caught by a wind draft which went uncorrected and put us within four inches of the corner wall when our adviser and Jack red lined our engine lifting and pushing the three boat raft over saving us from hitting the wall. It was close. The large container ship was like a wall in front of us but was merciful upon exit, the "mules" little locomotives that pull the lines of the large ships and move them along in the locks, pulled the ship ahead before he used his own engines very gently so we weren't thrown against the back of the locks in the wake.
After discharging our Adviser under the Bridge of Americas we found a mooring at the Bal boa Yacht Club. He was a great help, and a pleasure to have aboard. Interestingly, he went to school at US Coast Guard Academy in Kings Point, NY. Jack has a bad cold so we're going to Island hop for a few days before setting out on the long day and night leg to the Galapagos. Plan to stop at Toboga, Panama where Gaugan recuperated from diseases he contracted while working on the construction of the Panama, Canal.
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