Shelter Bay Marina, Panama – 1st April 2016 to 8th April 2016
Josie Maria arrives at Shelter Bay Marina
in the morning of the 1st April at 0930.
There are lots of large cargo ships waiting outside the harbor entrance – waiting their turn to be called in for their canal transit. We have to radio the San Cristobal Port Control for a position to motor in quickly after one cargo ship and before the next one!! Like playing chicken with very large containers!!
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Shelter Bay Marina |
There are lots of large cargo ships waiting outside the harbor entrance – waiting their turn to be called in for their canal transit. We have to radio the San Cristobal Port Control for a position to motor in quickly after one cargo ship and before the next one!! Like playing chicken with very large containers!!
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| Vicki and Gordon are happy doing something they have always wanted to do...the Panama Canal. |
Colon looks very industrial from the Caribbean
Sea!
On arrival at Shelter Bay Marina we refuel
and wait for a couple of hours before being moved to our marina berth. John and
Vicki (who think the buildings by the shore is a hotel), decide to wander over
and find out that it is not a hotel, but an old US military base and are asked
to leave!
On Sunday we take a ride in a taxi into Colon
and are disappointed to see the dilapidated US military base buildings close to
the marina, and in Colon itself, lots of slums and burnt out crumbling buildings
which looked post apocalyptic.
It was very sad to see a town that had been something its hay-day in this state, and not something we have seen anywhere else. First World going backwards to Second World. On a positive note the people seemed haapy with much of the of the local populous out in their Sunday best going to church and having lunch in large family/community groups.
There were also some nice housing and shops in gated areas and we passed the local jail on the way to Colon – which looked shocking.
It was very sad to see a town that had been something its hay-day in this state, and not something we have seen anywhere else. First World going backwards to Second World. On a positive note the people seemed haapy with much of the of the local populous out in their Sunday best going to church and having lunch in large family/community groups.
There were also some nice housing and shops in gated areas and we passed the local jail on the way to Colon – which looked shocking.
Of note is that once we were on land, we crossed the Gatun Locks by taxi to get from Shelter Bay to Colon – so had a sneak preview of what we were in
for.
There was a lot of work being done on the new larger locks, beside the old ones, with the date of completion of getting closer. Unfortunately, the construction has run into problems with the water supply for the new locks – what is needed is rain!
The new Panama lock is due to open later this year are extensions of the existing Panama Canal. Essentially they are adding a new lane of traffic allowing much larger ships to pass, of New Panamax size and able to carry twice as much cargo.
There was a lot of work being done on the new larger locks, beside the old ones, with the date of completion of getting closer. Unfortunately, the construction has run into problems with the water supply for the new locks – what is needed is rain!
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This is the new water catchment system that will recycle the water for the new lock |
The new Panama lock is due to open later this year are extensions of the existing Panama Canal. Essentially they are adding a new lane of traffic allowing much larger ships to pass, of New Panamax size and able to carry twice as much cargo.
Early in the week of the 4th
April we meet with our Agent, Roy Bravo, onboard Josie Maria, and fill out
paperwork for the crossing. Roy is
organizing Josie Maria’s canal transit, line hire, fenders and line handlers.
Rhiannon joins us from Australia for the
Panama crossing, arriving on the 6th April after a very difficult
trip, with flight delays and rerouting.
It was a real pleasure having Rhiannon on-board and her excitimnt and
enthusiasm for the cannal transit was infectious!!
We decide to be conservative and hire 2
line handlers to assist John and Charlie with the lines. Gordon is to be at the helm and Vicki and
Rhiannon to assist as needed. John is busy in the kitchen making Roman Suppli (otherwise know as Arancini - stuffed rice balls) so we have some hot and quick easy to eat food as there will be no time to cook once we start.
Canal crossing Friday 8th April and Saturday 9th April
Our much anticipated Canal Crossing begins
on Friday 8th April!
The first locks are the Gatun Locks (which
go up 3 steps).
We have Gordon, Charlie, Rhiannon, Alan,
Jose and John and Vicki onboard (Alan and Jose were the 2 line handlers we
hired to help with the lines).
Josie Maria departed Shelter Bay Marina at
1530 for the flats (a designated area where yachts wait at anchor before being
called for entry to the canal). It is
also where yachts wait for their Pilot Advisor to come onboard. Our Pilot Advisor, Astra arrived at 1700hrs.
Just after the sunset we were called to enter the Gatun locks.
Josie Maria was designated a night, center
chamber, solo (only) boat position within the Gatun Locks. Going up yachts are placed behind a Container
ship, so we were positioned at the rear of the Lock and had a good view of the
entrance to the Harbour and Colon as we were raised in each subsewuent lock.
One of the most memorable moments was
giving cokes to the line handlers onshore in a plastic bag on one of the
ropes!! We completed the Gatun Lock Canal transit after 2200hrs and were taken
to an anchorage by our Pilot Advisor for the night. In the morning we would be joined by anther
Pilot advisor for the trip through the Gatun Lake to the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks.
On Sturday the 9th April Josie
Maria departs her anchorage in the Gatun Lake around 0900, with a new pilot
advisor, Carlos, and motores through the Gatun Lake to arrive at the gates at the
Pedro Miguel Lock by 1330. The Pedro Miguel Lock is a single flight down and following this there is a two step flight at Miraflores Locks. Going down the locks yachts
are placed infront of the large container ships – so its looks way to close!!
The long motor through the Gatun Lake, took
Josie Maria past Gamboa and the America Bridge. Most memorable was the current on Josie
Maria’s stern, as well as wind on her stern which made steerage very difficult! Going down the locks infront of the large
container ships very daunting!
On the way down both the Pedro Miguel Locks
and the Miraflores Locks, we were tied up to 2 tourist boats, taking tourists
through the locks…so met lots of interesting people!
Once through the Miraflores Lock – at 1700
hours the pilot advisor was picked up and we met our agent who showed us where
we should anchor at the Baloboa Ychat Cub.
This anchorage is not recommended – but we did so because our agent
insisted – it would have been much better to anchor around the corner near the
La Playitia Marina. Fortunately we were able to move Josie Maria to La Playita
Marina on the 12th April -
much better than bobbing up and down uncomfortbaly close to the main shipping channel,
with the necessity of re anchoring several times as officials deem the Yacht
too close to the channel! Rhiannon had
to fly out on the 12th April, So John, Vicki and Rhiannon spent some
time ashore and did some sightseeing, while Gordon and Charlie.
Also notable after being in the Carribean
for a couple of years was that the tidal range was 6 meters!!
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