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The cruising adventures of Sid and Manuela

Friday, August 10, 2018

PANAMA CANAL TRANSIT 05/11/2018



                                                  Tired but happy after the transit















No matter how many times we have had the pleasure to transit the canal (including now second time for Paradise, Sid has 16 under his belt and for me it’s been 9). Each time is a new and different adventure. We highly recommend for you to volunteer line handling on another boat first before you transit on your own boat. It will give you an idea as what to expect and how to prepare your trip whether it is line handlers, food preparation, plus it will keep your stress level down. By no means all transits are the same. There is a huge difference from when we transited in 2000 to 18 years later. In 2000 they did not raft small boats together and they did not turn the prop wash on big ships in front of you so you could practically water ski behind it or worse peel your paint of the bottom of your boat. Naturally since 2000 there are heck of a lot more cruising boats out there so a bigger demand for the canal to fit everybody especially during high season when everybody is on their way to the Marquesas (Dec to May. This year we had up to 4 weeks wait and on occasions a transit was canceled or moved a day ahead (not a good thing if you have friend or family fly in the day before your transit). We waited 4 weeks but unfortunately had to cancel do to motor issues. BTW you can postpone a transit as long as it is 24 hours ahead of the transit date and you will not lose your transit fee. If you reschedule before 60 days are up, there will not be a new admeasure. We exceeded the 60 days so an admeasure guy had to come out to fill out a new transit form. This time we had to wait 3 weeks. We heard if you bribe your agent you may go through the following day, which means some unlucky boat will get canceled.

You may request a specific date but don’t hold your breath, from what I have seen nobody got it. So plan well if you have family and friends fly in, have them arrive a couple days before your transit date.
The day before your transit most of the time you will not know what time you have to be in the flats, until sometime in the afternoon. The Flats is the staging area where the advisor will board you before you head into the canal. Some time you find out around noon that you have to be in the flats that same day as the advisor will board you at 4 am in the morning and you will go through the entire canal in one day. This is mainly for boats bigger than 46 feet or that can travel at least 8 knots. If you leave the flats in the afternoon that means you will spend the night in Lake Gatun which is much more pleasant than overnighting in the flats, it usually is very rolly plus you get waked by the working boats. Lake Gatun is tranquil oh and just wait until you see the beautiful sunrises across the lake, incredible, especially when howler monkey serenade the new morning. You may see a crocodile or two, so don’t swim in Lake Gatun.

They will tell you to be in the flats anywhere from 1 till 5 pm. Don’t bet on it, they usually show up between 5 and 7. We learned that what happens is they sign you up with a tanker, and they will not board you unless the tanker is inside the harbor and entering the canal. We thought it was weird as we saw 4 boats going in while we were waiting. When you go up locks you are always behind the big ship, going down locks in front.

Many cruisers organize their own transit, I think you only save about 300 dollars. I did it in 2000 but this time I decided to have someone organize it for us.

Most of you know Roger de Hoyos. He is the cruiser’s best friend and taxi driver. We met him in 2000. When I told him we were transiting he got all excited and told us he just and finally got the license to be a transit agent, we jumped on that one. We were his first transit customers, except we had a 7 weeks delay which was OK cause Roger got some practice in with other cruisers before us LOL. Roger does all the work, including bringing you big bumpers and the lines required. He also will check you in and out of the country or check you in on the other side if you stay a bit longer in Panama. Roger also is a wealth of information if you need boat parts, he knows where you can get just about anything. He can take you shopping, will pick you or your family members up at the airport. Roger is there for you no matter what you need. A great guy to have by your side especially if you don’t speak Spanish.
Look him up on his website: http://panamacruiserconnection.com/in/

Since we were delayed all our buddy boats had left and were underway to the Marquesas. Kelly and Darren from NautiKell were our line handlers and since I still had a bummed hand we needed a 3rd person. Rogelio also has line handlers ready if you need some so we decided to hire one of his guys, which turned out to be the best thing to do. I would suggest to hire one line handler. Man!!! Marcos was amazing (comes out I know his dad from previous transits), the minute he stepped on the boat he got to work, it was like having a deck hand. Funny Sid did another transits once we were in Panama City, on a Viking 65, and Marcos was part of the crew.

We had mixed feelings leaving the dock, as we had been in Shelter Bay Marina for over 8 months. All the seasonal cruiser still there, gathered on the dock and wished us well. Many tears were shed. 

A presi from my Besty Carole 


What an honor to have Victor come over and wish us well. He Hauled us out at the Panama YC in Colon 2000 and 3 times after that. A guy that knows what he is doing. Good person


When we left Marina Del Rey it was pretty tough saying goodbye, I remember we cried all the way to Catalina Island. But when you’re sailing you don’t have any more goodbyes right? Wrong!!! So we don’t say goodbye anymore it’s “C ya later”.
                                                   JuanJo took this fun video
Out we motored to the flats and all I can say we were sooooooooooooooo darn lucky with the weather, as rainy season had started early and the weather was already like in high season which is Mid-September to end of November. We didn’t get 1 drop of rain during our entire transit, yeah.

We could have not had a better crew and friends aboard for the transit than Kelly and Darren.
We left for the flats at 2 pm and while we waited for our adviser we enjoyed a few snacks. 






We did not anchor just floated around, the bottom here is very muddy and it’s a mess to haul up the anchor. There wasn’t much wind nor current so, it was quit pleasant. Our adviser showed up at 6 pm and immediately we followed the big ship in that was sharing the locks with us. It was all exciting heading into the canal, seeing the ferry we had to take to get into town, the bridge still in progress of being built. Although at the time there was a 1 months strike, the workers were fighting for 60 cents more, not sure per hour, or day, but you know the bridge will not be finished in December as proposed. Heck bridge according to plans should have been done 3 years ago.









Just before we got into the locks we had to raft with an Italian guy, we know the guy, he used to do charters in San Blas and is not a friendly guy and he proved just that. But for us it was good as he had to motor us in (-:  and he did a good job. As soon as the canal boys tossed the monkey fists down to us and both of us boats were secured with the lines. The lock behind us closed and immediately the water started rushing in and taking us up to the level of the middle lock. 
Heading into the locks

The bridge the bus crosses the canal



Then the moment came when they tow the boat in front of you out to the next lock. You have to be ready for a little prop wash. Wrong, the ship in front of us turned the prop full power and blasted us with an easy 20 knot current. The adviser immediately screamed into the radio to the pilot on the freighter to stop the prop, he just said: “nothing we can do that’s the way it is to get this boat moving”, whaaaaa!!!!

He also said this boat is too wide to pull through. Didn't they build the new canal for that and why would they put little boats behind them if they know they have to use full throttle?

Yes, the canal authority gives a rat’s ass about us cruisers. Too many boats are getting damaged in the locks. The last 3 transit Sid did 2 had major problems, with too much current ripping cleats out and smashing the boats into the wall. One catamaran was still heading in to be tied up and secured, when the big ship came in already, the cat was moved by a 4 knots current and crashed into the boat our friends were on. Luckily little damage done. Another Catamaran transit, not secured yet either when the big ship entered, the ship pushed such a current in the cat was smashed into the wall and had a big hole in the transom, he had to pay for a transit back to Shelter Bay to haul out and fix the damage, then pay another transit to get back. Yes you read that right. The other difference from now to 2000. In 2000 boats under 50 feet had to buy a buffer for $800, over 50 a buffer of $500 in case of an accident or engine failure. If nothing happened you got that money eventually back, usually after 2 months. That buffer is not in effect anymore so the canal takes no responsibility for any damage to your boat if it their fault it is in your hands now, they take no responsibilities and don’t care if they put you in harm’s way.

I was pissed beyond pissed when the ship in front of us blasted us with that current, which pulled the boat we were tide to away and back together, we twisted in the chamber we had to hold on not to get knocked on our asses, and in shear horror we watched how we got pounded expecting a cleat to be ripped and us getting smashed into the wall. The advisor was not happy either, he said he had never seen anything like this and neither did Marcos who transits twice a week. Advisor had a few words with the pilot on big ship but in the second lock the same thing, he blasted us again, not so much this time only 18 knots of a current as he pulled out of the chamber to the last one up. But Marcos that was luckily in the back tending the line, had a hard time and it did tweak our cleat and crack the teak.

   




The third one they positioned us even closer to the big ship (wait until you see the video), when you see the prop wash approach. Man when I saw that water approach I saw red, I thought for sure the one cleat at least will snap. We had at least 25 knots of current it was like being on a river rafting. Kelly got knocked on her butt, I was holding on for dear life on the rigging. Marcos was fighting to keep the line tight so did Darren on the bow. Shear panic in the faces of our neighbor boat. Both captains had the engine in full forward driving into the current. Boats tried to twist.
What a horrible neglect on the Authority to put small boats like us in jeopardy. The adviser did admit the Authority does not care for us and don’t care if we get damage or even loose the boats. I tell you with that current we had, luckily nothing happened, but if, our boat would have been smashed to pieces and lives with high probability would have been lost and the Canal Authority does not care, I repeat, does not care.

We were soooo relieved to have made it in one piece even the Italian guy looked relieved and I think I made his day when I handed him a bottle of Italian Red Wine with a thank you for getting us safe through the canal. (They had to raft with another boat down lock but when we finally pulled into the mooring field of Balbaoa YC they saw us with loud screams and waving all their arms).





Kelly went right to it and before we were tied to the mooring to spend the night we all had a strong and well deserved and more so needed Margarita in our hands.




Dinner was appreciated by all and Marcos who had settled in on the Mooring to give us space, even though I told him he is part of our family, had the biggest smile on his face when I handed him his own plate of cookies.
  
Chicken on a Morel/Porcchini Mushroom Cream Saude, noodles and green beans

Assorted Italian pastry cookies

All gone
  

We were told the adviser will be on the boat by 7, he arrived already at 5 and we started out trip across the canal.
 
Sunrise in Lake Gatun


Buoy we are tide up to

Help yourself breakfast
 





Our adviser and Marcos in background

Everything went well, except our blow up fender committed suicide and jumped overboard, so we did a man over board drill. Wouldn’t you know blow up fender number two did the same about an hour later.
  




Prepping an underway snack
Pivas, smoked tuna and Corvina





Penne Putanesca with spicy sauce




Cesar Salad in a crunchy Parmesan pocket and marinated Eggpland

And Kelly made the watermelon mind salad. I learned a new and faster way to cut water melons


Marcos taking a rest, he well deserved it
We got fairly fast to the Gamboa area where we had lunch. Then the excitement started as we started heading into the locks. This time we had to side tie to another boat, they had some engine problems. Funny thing is the Italian guy really has the bigger boat then us but our solar panels make us bigger so we had to drive the limping boat down the locks. Come out it was our friendly German dock neighbors, that was cool.


Famous Gaillard Cut with Centennial Bridge




  






the lock is opening or us



Going down lock was soooo much easier and in the last lock Kelly disappeared down below to come back with 4 Margaritas we enjoyed, waving to the many spectators at the Miraflores Visitor Center. Actually we were waving into the web cam, the visitors thought we were waving them LOL.







This used to be the fun Pedro Miguel Yacht Club where we stayed in 2000







Kelly's Killer Margaritas to celebrate 



behind us






one more lock and we are in the Pacific
  
Web Cam shots













Pacific here we come yeah!!!!!

Bridge of the Americas


Picking up the Adviser

What a great feeling it was as the last gate opened and we headed into the Pacific Waters. For both Sid and I it felt like coming home as tears filled our eyes. On the way to the Panama Yacht Club we popped a bottle of Bubbly to celebrate the coming home, before the Advisor and Marcos left us. We tied up on the mooring at the Balboa Yacht Club just before the sun went down, it was a beautiful evening. We had such luck with the weather, not one drop of rain. We took the taxi ashore and celebrated with a comfort food dinner at TGIF.

Another unforgettable adventure on our resume, as Sid would say. We had the perfect crew to share it with and Marcos was a great line handler. BTW all the food photos we took were for Steph on Matador, she told Kelly  when she found out they were transiting with us, she was curious what kind of food I would cook. So I put Kelly in charge of the food porn. Nobody was going hungry on Paradise that’s for sure. I spoiled Marcos, when he left he thanked me and said he will never forget me, he loooved the food and was treated like a son. Good food makes people happy!

We left Paradise on the mooring as I had rented a car to drive Kelly and Darren back to Shelter Bay Marina plus to pick up a few things we left behind to have enough room for our guests.
Kelly and Darren had a bid on a big cat and just as we left her phone rang, it was the owner, so I pulled over so she can have a more quiet conversation, of course with all of us listening. After 20 minutes she hung up and we all broke out in a cheer and Sid brought out his new bottle of rum he just bought and the 3 of them celebrated the new boat. Funny enough just a week prior they sold both their other boat Mischief and their FL house and were practically homeless.

We stayed in the Balboa Yacht Club only for 2 nights as on the second night Sid and I both sitting in the cockpit, the bow of our new neighbor a row behind us, was their anchor and bow started to pass us about 3 feet next to our portside. The current here is so wicked that boats actually swing into each other. Our neighbor tried to blame us that our mooring broke, nope we were still lined up with our neighbor boats on both sides. The guy even called the water taxi to complain but nothing they could do. So we dropped the mooring the following day and headed over to the Las Brisas side with the incredible view over the Panama City Skyline. Besides Debi on Runner worrying that this was it for us in Panama decided to come for a visit and with her Ida joined us.

Both showered me with BD presents, champagne and wonderful dessert, we had a great time. Next morning Ida had to go to work but not before she got a hair cut from Debi in the parking lot LOL.
Approaching thunderstorm





What a surprise to see Georgia  in Las Brisas




Debbie wanted to take me out for a very elegant dinner, but when we drove by Taco Bell we both couldn't stand it and.....
















haircut in parking lot at 7 am

Originally Sid wanted us to go through the canal on my Birthday but my BD wish was to sit on my bow perch with a bottle of bubbly awing over the beautiful Panama City Skyline. I could have had a nice dinner ashore but that was one of my best BD’s ever enjoying the bubbly and the incredible city line.






Grilled Rabbit for dinner, yum!


We usually never leave the boat alone but Kelly and Darren after hauling out their new boat set a name changing date for their boat and insisted we both had to be there as the first guest on their new boat. So we rented a car and joined them for a very fun boat naming ceremony. Kelly went all out and researched the right way to handle the ceremony, it was cute and fun and unforgettable. For 2 weeks Kelly had a family whatsapp chat going on to help find a name for the boat. It was a fabulous idea and hilarious and I felt honored that I was included in the chat. The names were amazing. Kelly’s friend started with Nautikel Dreams as it is a Nautitech 47, from there it took off. Kelly had NautiKell or Umbutu. Names that came in: Catabout, Catatude, Nautidarren, RumBling, Nauti Nauti, Cool Change, Cat-a-tonic, Cat Tales, Cataround, Naut Sober, Nautikel Rum Runner, Way-2-Nauti. But nobody knew the name until the ceremony “NautiKell”.
It was a fun party.



We spend the night then Kelly and Darren came with us shopping and spent 2 nights in and on Paradise. Lots of fun and lots of food again and when we drove them back we did a side tour to San Carlos to visit the new Vista Mar Marina everybody is raving about. We were not disappointed either and new eventually Paradise will find a temporary home there.

City Burger in Flamingo best and biggest burgers ever


Vista Mar Marina






On our second week in Las Brisas anchorage rumor had it that the Port Authority was going to kick every single boat out of the anchorage. Wait, wait, where are we all gonna go???!!!
A couple days later the Port Authority held a meeting for all the boaters to join. Rogelio us and Darren and Kelly joined the meeting. I have to say we were the only cruiser’s there the rest are what we call live aboards. 2 young French couples with babies and to play victim they were both breast feeding in front of the Authority then when not breast feeding the kids made all kind of noises and the parents let them. The other boaters were Italian and Spanish charter boats. They do have a problem here amongst them there are all the local Panamanian once first class boats now run down and used for charters. We got tired of listening to them complain and wanting so we excused ourselves half way through the meeting. We see about 6 guys that juggle the boats around from mooring to mooring. They don’t care for their neighbors either. After one big thunderstorm we returned to Paradise and less than a boat length next to her sat a derelict power boat. We knew who tended to it so after Georgia our neighbor said it did not hit Paradise we told those guys to move the boat. 
One of the boats






They ignored us until we had left the next day to move it but when we came back there was a blue bottle in it’s place. Went to the boys again and told them they have to move it. They claimed it was an anchor, told them that if we have to leave in an emergency we did not want to get wrapped up in their anchor. Well a week later the bottle was still there and we moved over it many times. Sid finally had it, pocked a hole in the bottle and loosened the lid just a little and come next morning the bottle was sunk. 4 days later the boys came looking for the bottle and asked us. I told them we thought they moved it and thank you. About 4 more days Sid saw the bottle floating quite a ways away from us, so they had found the bottle. Same day when we ran the engine, Sid noticed right away there was no water coming. He wanted to clean the bottom anyway so did that and found a bag stuffed into the engine intake, there is a protector there so somebody pushed it up through the screen…… Nice guys ha. It was time to leave, this anchorage indeed is a mess and needs to be cleared out.

After a month in this anchorage we still enjoyed the magnificent view over the city and used the heck out of the metro system to get anywhere in town. It was huge fun. One of our outings I took Sid to the Soho Mall. He admitted himself the best Movie Theater ever.



When Melania and Carol and Greg found out we were leaving for the Perlas they arranged for dinner in town and they all spent the night at the hotel in Las Brisas.
We took them to the movie theater, OMG did they love it and unfortunately Ida couldn’t make it but funny thing was as we watched Melissa McCarthy’s movie “Life of the Party” we all agreed that Ida was in the movie. 

 



From here we went to City Burger and enjoyed a yummy dinner



2 for 1 on any drinks, $7   Margarita, Passion fruit Mojito, regular Mojitos and a Gin Martini





They have burgers for 6, which is the size of the whole wooden plate

View from their hotel toom
It is so nice to have wonderful friends that go out of their way to spend a night in town to see us, makes us feel so special.

A couple of days later we pulled anchor and headed to the jewels of Panama the Perlas Islands. But more about that in our next Blog.

Here a few other photos:
First time Ida saw the burgers

This is Panama City for you, one building right next to the other

Shanna and AJ invited us for dinner, look at the stunning view over Punta Pazifica

The rounded building is the Trump Tower
Don't ask, we think some kind of fender for big ships




At the fish market with Tchiao Tchiao brothers

Stunning Panama City Skyline

While we were there this boat sank twice. The guys who take care of it pump it out ever 3 days



Carol came for a visit and spent the night, Sid was on a transit on a Hatteras, so it was a girlsout:




Took Teresa out for lunch, was great to see her


had accidental Margaritas with April and Cane from Spirit of Argo




Sid building us  a new sun shower as they don't make them anymore:











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