The Panama Canal

On our last morning in Shelter Bay Marina, 4 young Panamanian male youths arrive on Tika and sit in our cockpit drinking coke. Our line handlers. They were to spend two days with us and sleep aboard for our night at the Gatun lakes. We had received our transit number 3 days before and our agent had arranged for the boys to be ready to go that morning. Our pilot would board at the entrance to the canal and stay with us until we arrive at the lakes.

Basically, going through the Panama Canal involves lots and lots of sitting around in the sweltering Panamanian heat doing absolutely nothing; interrupted by bursts of intense action. Most of the action involved trying to satisfy the ferocious appetites of five dudes.

We anchored at the Colon entrance to the locks, our pilot arrived and boarded and there we waited for our time to head in. Port control manages the line up of vessels waiting to transit and we wait until they say we go. We were told that we were scheduled to raft up to a rusty old Panamanian ferry that had anchored close by. We weren’t happy and expressed our concern about that arrangement (it had very few fenders and high, steel sides with rusted, scary looking waste pipes jagging out from it’s hull) Russ fretted during the wait, however,  when it was eventually our turn to enter the first locks, we were permitted to go in by ourselves behind a Panamax container ship and in front of the dilapidated ferry.

We entered the Gatun Locks. Monkey fists (Thin, strong ropes with balled ends) were thrown down to us from the steep walls of the locks and attached to each corner of Tika. When the water started to swirl around us we swerved a little but the line handlers managed the ropes and we stayed well clear of the foreboding, weathered, concrete wall. It was uncanny watching the water rising up the wall as we slowly ascended the first chamber. Although the water bubbled around us the upward movement was subtle. I was looking at one of the indents on the wall. One blink and it was gone- concealed by the mounting water level. Soon, we were eye level with the Port Authority line handlers who had seemed so far above when they had first thrown us their lines. The incorruptible, iron-clad gates were like great, medieval, fortress doors and opened as if in slow motion. One chamber down, three to go before we get to relax in Lake Gatun.   

After the Gatun locks, we had a 30 nautical mile motor across the lake to the designated anchoring spot. Fresh water was diverted from the dammed, river Chargres during the construction of the canal to form lake Gatun- a huge expanse of surprisingly peaceful water that is home to a large variety of birdlife, fish and fresh water caiman crocodiles. 

A tugboat arrived to pick up our pilot, we made a massive pot of pasta to share with our line handlers and then we chilled out listening to the yeeowl of the howler monkeys ashore. We handed out blankets, sheets and cushions and the boys made themselves at home on the tramps and in the cockpit. Of course it rained that night so at least 2 of them ended up in the saloon. Tika’s 55ft felt claustrophobic with 4 extra bodies aboard. We practised our Spanish and encouraged their shy use of a little English and they spent the nights chatting and teasing each other until it was time to get some sleep ready for our descent into the Pacific the following day.     

Below; anchored for the night in the Gatun Lakes (photo credit: SV Kairos)

Below; Our crew of line handlers and pilot. They were lovely boys- they just ate a lot and took up all the space in the cockpit

Day 2: A new pilot arrived mid morning and we headed through the Culebra cut- a massive bisect of the Continental divide 26m above sea level. It is 12km long and the only section of the canal that cannot accommodate two ships, side by side. Once through the cut, we were told to anchor. And wait. We were to be rafted next to Kairos, a 32ft OE Swedish monohull.

We had seen Kairos as we entered the canal and I had snapped this hilarious photo of them being overtaken by a Panamax on their way towards the parallel locks. The massive vessel had dwarfed the little yacht, who looked like a tiny, yellow blip next to the humongous monster of a ship. I was able to give them the image as we had now become boat-buddies and were rafted together as we were lowered through the Pedro Miguel and then the Miraflores locks..

Above; Kairos v’s ship. Below; Tika and Kairos rafted together.

Waiting, watching, taking it all in, waving at people in the cruise-ships and trying to stay cool in the broiling humidity!

There was a tangible excitement in the air as the last gate of the Miraflores Locks languidly opened, giving us our first glimpse of the Pacific. We unrafted from Kairos, waved goodbye to our new friends and took off (there are strong currents and you need a little engine grunt to push through and get on track towards the Puente de Las Americas- The Bridge of the Americas) and the Balboa Yacht Club where we were due to drop off our line handlers.

Hello Panama city. We anchored at La Playita and watched the British documentary ‘Seven Wonders of the Industrial World’ that features the canal’s construction. After our transit it was riveting to watch how it had been built. Kai decided to do a school project about it (coming soon…)  

We don’t usually like commentated videos but we did one anyway….