Canal Transit
3/23/18 – 11 nm – N9º12.1′ W79º54.7′ – Gatun Lake – Zero wind, heavy rain.
Yesterday afteroon we finished flushing the water tanks with cleaner, added 200 gallons of diesel, ate some lunch at the fuel dock and then motored over to The Flats to drop anchor as part of our canal plan. [See “Canal Procedure” for details.] All set to board our canal advisor at 05:30 in the morning. Amazing sunset, Dark and Stormies for all, chicken curry with jasmin rice ala Cheryl.
Woke up this morning to a boat toot and “Rise and Shine!” The advisors are on board. Normally there’s only one, but we get a new guide under his trainer, so two for one! Looking at my watch, it’s 7am. South America is always late, even in the canal! Cheryl served the advisors a hot breakfast, we pulled up the anchor at 8am and linked up with Victory Cat and a small tour boat to motor in line behind a huge red tanker to the canal entrance. Just as we were leaving the anchorage, Gary started yelling and pointing at an anchored boat, “Fatty Goodlander! That’s Fatty Goodlander!” I guess he writes a ton of cruising articles. So Chris left our train to circle Fatty who heard us and popped his head out to say hi as we motored by. His wife, too. Gary was like a teenager meeting Elvis, haha.
Back enroute behind our Big Red Tanker and on we motored, eventually going to idle and drifting slowly downwind to kill time. The advisors made a few plan swaps until settling on our final order through the canal. Forty five minute delay, so we set up our lines while drifting directly for the first lock, a 15 knot breeze pushing us along perfectly. We held up briefly for another tanker to enter the lock ahead of us, then took our position right behind a tug to follow in. We finally entered the first lock at 9:25am. Chris at the helm, Gary at the stern line, Gary/Patty on springs and Yayoi on bow. Cheryl supplied food and drinks, popping up to help with lines when needed. After throwing lines to the tug next to us and securing outselves, the lock gates closed and water began bubbling up heavily under us. And up we go! Next thing I knew, we were looking down on the big black ship behind us, still sitting in the Pacific. The gates in front opened up, Big Red powered up slinging whirlpools at us, then we shoved off and followed our tug to the next lock. Three locks later and three hours later, we powered into Gatun Lake. Fresh Water, powering through rain, thunder and lightning!