Panama, three part finale

More from Panama:  Part I

It’s been so long since I’ve written and so much has happened.  It’s now March 7, 2013 and we are currently on our way to Ecuador, a 5 day passage, the first opportunity I’ve had to write since my last post in January.  We’ve had company for 22 days, sailed to the San Blas Islands, hiked Fort San Lorenzo, transited the Panama Canal, seen the old city of Panama, Ancon Hill, sailed to the Las Perlas Islands, had dinner in the most incredible resort I’ve ever seen, walked all around Isla Mogomogo famous as an island used in the “Survivor” TV series, saw huge bats, a toucan, and wild macaws.  Had a barbeque on the beach with other boaters, bought diesel from a man in a lime green house, learned about the delectable iguana egg, and finally got to watch both seasons of “the Game of Thrones” in an anchorage with wild parrots flying by.  We’ve been busy, busy.

We’ll start with my dad’s visit beginning January 31^st.  We shopped the local town of Colon, beach combed for sand glass, walked out the jetties to see all the ships awaiting their transit on the Atlantic/Caribbean side.  If you can see a full mile, there were ships to fill the space.  Maybe a hundred or more at any given time of day awaiting their turn to go to the Pacific.  We also toured Fort Sherman, an abandoned military base with some of the buildings left from WWI.  While walking inside the halls of barracks, an unsettling feeling arose.  Don shone his light above and hundreds of bats took flight screaming!  Nope, sorry they were screeching, I was screaming.  (I really dislike bats!) Next up was a short trip to the San Blas Islands while we waited for sister Darla and husband Mark to also join us for the canal transit.

The San Blas islands are some of the prettiest in the Caribbean, white sandy beaches lined with coconut palms, the locals still living in thatched roof and bamboo huts, every sailor’s vision.  Water color the same as your backyard swimming pool only looking closer you’re likely to see stingrays in flight skimming the surface of the sandy bottom, dazzling orange, gold, red starfish scattered across the seabed the way the stars light up the night sky.  Purple coral the shape of fans swaying gently with the current, or in the shape of trees with out leaves, or giant ice cream cones you could put your head in, each a brilliant color belonging to only them.  Life is very simple on these islands even though they have been encroached upon with tourism.  The Kuna Indians still maintain their indigenous style of dress and culture sharing their art and way of life. (They are the second shortest people in the world with a fascinating culture, worth looking up)

Dad was amazed at their generosity and beauty.  A fisherman came to visit us and I told him how much I enjoyed the local “congrejo” crab.  The following morning he came back with a huge crab and two lobsters.  Dad gave him $20 for all three and we had a seafood feast like none other.  Although it was a short visit it was good to see the San Blas again.  It’s time to head back to Shelter Bay Marina to pick up Darla and Mark.

They arrived mid-morning February 12^th, with only a day and half left for the transit.  In order to transit each boat has to have 4 line handlers, the captain, and the advisor onboard.  The line handlers would be my dad, Mark, Darla, and me.   All three had to learn how to tie a bowline knot, a requirement for line handlers going through the canal.  A monkey fist is thrown from the wall down to your boat and you tie a bowline in it around the 125’ line on your boat which they then pull up the wall to secure your boat.  An hour or more of knot lessons we were ready to do something else so off to the beach for sand glass and shell hunting.

  

I must say at this point Don and I were getting a bit nervous, worrying about the transit, our novice boating line handlers, leaving behind the Caribbean and sailing into the Pacific, a whole new world and experience for us.  No time left to worry making sure Limbo is ready, our guest trained and having a good time.  One day left so we all went for a tour of Fort San Lorenzo built in the 1600’s to protect the gold and treasures being pirated back to Spain from all over South and Central America.  (Another interesting bit of history to look up)  Supposedly the famed pirate Henry Morgan destroyed the place.  That pirate got around!  I walked through the remaining halls, looked at the mote and old cannons.  Soaking up the panoramic vista I wondered about the men that stood here so many years ago.  I searched the stone for names etched from that time and found none. 

Back to the marina, a final look over Limbo, out to dinner, and a good sleep for the next days adventure.

 Panama Canal Transit: Part II

February 14, 2013 a big day for Limbo and her crew.  Crossing through a country from one ocean to another on a boat built with your own two hands!  Not only does it float it is now traveling under the Bridge of the Americas coming through one of the world’s wonders, the Panama Canal.  Definitely a “bucket list” item we can now scratch off. 

All hands on deck, lines and tires (tires are used as fenders) secured, goodbyes and best wishes extended, Limbo was off to the “flats” (an anchorage used as a holding pattern) to await an adviser from the canal authorities.   The adviser literally leaped from the pilot boat onto ours and immediately gave instructions to anchor up and head in.  We would be entering behind a cargo ship but tied to two other boats about the same size as Limbo.  We would be rafted three abreast the largest one in the middle.   Our starboard side was the only side needed for lines to secure to the walls inside the locks. 

The canal has 6 locks and is 50 miles long.  The first three raise you 85 feet and let you out into Gatun Lake.  There you spend the night moored onto a buoy with another boat.  The adviser leaves and a different one returns at around 6:30 a.m.to start your 30 mile trek to the second set of 3 locks which lowers you into the Pacific Ocean.  The boat in the middle named “Shellback” is 53’ also custom built, sail boat made from steel.  They’re from California where he spent almost 20 years building his boat.  The boat tied to the other side of them was named “McPellican”.   A 42’ Whitby ketch, the very same type of boat we had the first time we went cruising.  They were from Australia.

I thought it odd that we had a boat like we used to have and a boat that was “owner” built with us to do the transit….. past and present meeting….

All of us rafted together we enter the first lock.  The man throws the monkey fist down for us to secure the line on our boat.  Mark had the bow and I had the stern.  He did fantastic.  I on the other hand tied a terrific bowline only I didn’t tie it to the line!  The man on the wall is shouting “the line”, “the line”, with the gates closing and water began swirling as it entered the chamber.  Quickly I remedied the knot problem before we crashed into the wall taking the other two boats with us.  Ok, first lock down, 5 left!  The adviser on the middle boat was the one doing the commands, he having the best vantage point to see all three and both walls.  All three boats have engines on but the middle boat is the one controlling the flotilla.  The outside boats have the lines to the canal wall.  The ship in front of us has trains that maneuver them.   Next lock, the water current so strong I was unable to handle the line and Don had to come to the rescue.  His quick thinking and strength wrapped it around the winch to secure it.  Ok, 4 locks left!  Fortunately, the last one for the day went fine and we tied up to the buoy, had a terrific dinner and some chocolates to celebrate Valentines Day. 

The next morning, new advisor, same thing, move on quickly, raft with other boats and off we go.  This time I’m ready.  Everybody was at the ready, Darla at the helm, Mark at the bow, Dad at the stern with me.  Don ready to extend a hand were needed.  Before rafting we traveled approximately 30 miles through the man made cut to the entrance of the next set of locks.  We were able to see the continuous dredging to maintain the depth and where they intend to put a new set of locks to accommodate the larger ships being built.  According to local information, the canal sends through more than 13 thousand ships a year, the average toll for each one about $100,000.  Some more, some less, that is the average price for a container ship.  Another piece of trivia, they all have to pay in cash! 

The next three locks went without incident.  I’m not sure what I was expecting once we got to the Pacific, maybe horns blowing, corks popping, not sure.  We were all beaming with smiles ear to ear.  We had done it!  Don and I looked at each other in silent appreciation and loud sigh of relief, it was over.  We did it and have probably 500 pictures of the event.  So many, that all the ships started looking alike.  But, we were there, passed under the Bridge of the Americas and ready for new adventures. 

The Final on Panama: Part III

February 16^th, we only had one more day with my dad so we were picked up by a local tour guide at 9:00 a.m.  and whisked off to see as much of the city as possible.  We went to Casco Antiguo, the old town of Panama City which was built behind a wall in the early 1600’s.  A huge restoration of the area is underway.  It was another fascinating walk through history and architecture similar to Old San Juan in Puerto Rico and the French Quarter in New Orleans.  We went to an artisans craft center for souvenirs and had lunch at a fish market dining on ceviche and fried fish.  The noise and throngs of people haggling over how to cut it and pricing, brought back delightful memories for me and my “fishmonger” days in Henderson.  Onto Ancon Hill, an old American facility with a tainted past but a fantastic view of the city.  Then to Mira Flores, the last lock on the Pacific side to stand as spectators watching the ships go through.  This is a great facility with museum, a 3D movie of the canal, and a simulator you can act like you’re piloting one of the container ships through the locks.  A good time but the day was over and we had to say goodbye to Dad. 

The rest of us went to dinner and then back to the boat.  An early morning departure also awaited us for we were off to the Las Perlas Islands about 35 miles off the coast.  Our first anchorage we met up with old cruising friends and had a fajita feast on Limbo catching up with their experience thus far in the Pacific.  We did a lot of beach combing because the water temperature is much colder than the Caribbean.  We did attempt some snorkeling one day, but not for very long.  Back to beach combing and hunting for the perfect piece of sand glass.  Darla’s treasure bag needed wheels.   These islands have beautiful rock formations from lava to limestone and color variations white to black with everything in between.  I am completely fascinated by the rocks here and could spend hours just looking at them.  They’re strikingly beautiful. 

We spent 4 days with Mark and Darla tooling around giving them some true “boat life” experiences.  We needed gasoline for the dinghy so we all went to a small village, Pedro Gonzales.  There in front of the store where you buy the gas was a cluster of white looking balls hanging on a line in the sun.  The woman sitting in front of the store took something out of her bag and handed them to Don and me.  They were the same as what was hanging.  She showed us how to peel and eat it.  I handed mine to Mark.  They were sun dried Iguana eggs!  Mark spent a bit of time trying not to choke his back up it was so putrid.  Don didn’t have words to describe the flavor but asked that we not ever buy any.

February 21^st, time to head back to the city to celebrate Darla’s birthday and say our goodbyes.  It has been so good to have all of them for the trip through the canal and to share with them our alternative lifestyle.  It’s quite different than what they’re used to at home and all of them did exceptionally well.  We loved having them and hope they will visit again in a different port. 

The next two days for us was spent provisioning, refueling, getting Don’s computer fixed, and laundry.  A weather window was approaching to give favorable winds all the way to Ecuador and we did not want to miss it.  Boat stocked, fueled and cleaned we went back to the Perlas to explore some more while we waited for weather.  Again we met up with our friends and had a fantastic barbeque on the beach with our own “immunity idol” hanging from a coconut palm (something used in the TV show Survivors)  We had been to Isla Mogomogo where the show was going to be filmed or it had been filmed there, not sure which.  The next island San Jose offered quite a different dining experience.  It was the best food we’d had for our entire Panama visit.  This view, the food, the resort, was like the old TV show “Fantasy Island” where literally the only way to the island is by plane or boat.  It’s called Hacienda del Mar, look it up, book a room, stay forever.   Wild Macaws and parrots are frequent visitors since they have huge feeding bins sitting out for them.  There is also a local toucan that will sit next to you for a french fry or mar chino cherry.  Such beautiful birds.  The islands keep getting more interesting as we travel down the island chain aiming for our jump point into open water and onward to Ecuador. 

We needed to top off our fuel one last time, try to find some internet for one last weather report and contact the kids to let them know our float plan.  All of these turned to be an adventure in itself.  “The Can You Hear Me Now” ad campaign could have used us!  Ever travel on a boat with your smart phone wrapped in plastic and hoisted up a 55’ mast to get a signal?  How about chasing signal from bow to stern with your arms in the air shouting at the person on the other end trying to explain you’re leaving to only have the call dropped?   Finally, the weather page came through and we were set to leave on Tuesday the 5^th of March.  Next up, fuel.  We’d heard you could get fuel on Isle Rey in the pueblo (village) San Miguel.  This was curious since everyone we asked had no idea where that might happen.  Through constant searching, and poor Spanish, we found a man who lived in a very lime green house on the side of a hill that had a key to the diesel supply room used for the town’s generator.  He graciously consented to selling us some at a good price and cash of course.   No luck on the call to kids. 

Our last anchorage we were alone.  We were the only boat of 20 or more not doing what they call the “puddle jump” which is from Panama to the Galapagos, then a 35 to 40 days sail across the Pacific to the Marquises and down the South Pacific Islands onto Australia, New Zealand, etc.  Our intentions are to sail 5 days to Ecuador and then circumnavigate South America going around the ill-famed Cape Horn.  The other boats doing the puddle jump chose Esmeralda to depart from.  They were also leaving on Sunday and we were leaving on Tuesday.  We anchored at Isla Cana, put the dinghy on deck and stayed aboard for two days watching “The Game of Thrones”.  I’ve read the books and one of the cruisers had the shows taped so they gave us a copy.  Great show and great to have had the time to rest before our next journey, crossing the equator into Ecuador.  We opened the champagne, toasted the passage thus far and cheered for the new ones ahead.