More Panama News

Walking through the jungle with Jen and friend

I'll pick up with day two going through the canal...

After our evening passing through the Gatun Locks, we had an awesome dinner on Pur Vida and ended up staying up and telling stories till pretty late. Eventually everyone found a flat surface and got a couple hours of sleep.



















Passing through the Gatun Locks at night

I woke up aroud 5:00am to the screaming sound of howler monkeys in the mangroves. It is a pretty crazy noise something like the sound someone would make if they were being tortured. I didn't get much time to appreciate the sounds of nature before I saw the big steel power boat that was bringing out the adviser for the next part of the canal.


















Prepping my new fenders - Panama Canal-style!

We got the same guy as the night be for which was great because he was a real chill Christian guy. We dropped the mooring and headed out. We still had to pass through the 20 some mile marked channel. It was pretty wide and apart from having to dodge the occasional ship or tug, it was an easy passage.

























Cooking breakfast for the linehandlers

We continued along through the lake and as the sun got higher the heat started to go off the charts. Everyone was trying to find a bit of shade to keep from being BBQed.

Further down the channel, the lake narrowed and we entered the part of the passage that had been dug out- the Culabra Cut. This is where were a massive mountain had been in the way of the canal and they had cut a channel through it.

This is when the heat was getting crazy. It must have been radiating off the black sides of the cliff on either side of us. It was kind of like being an egg in a frying pan. But any way a couple of buckets of sweat later we came to the second set of locks - the Pedro Miguel Locks. On this set we would be going down and back to the Pacific. We rafted up with Pura Vida and entered the locks.

The guys on the sides of the locks threw out monkey fist waited lines - my dad was the only one to catch one on my boat. With our lines secured, we started the drop. I was at the helm to rev the engine or steer if the current was to start turning us. My dad and David at the bow slowly released the lines as the water level dropped lower and Rosemary, at the stern, was doing the same.

After this first lock we motored about a mile to the next two locks - the Miraflores Locks. They both went smoothly. That was where there was a web cam and unbeknownst to me we had thousands of people watching. Good thing we didn't screw up!
















Intrepid tied to Pura Vida

Also, it was my parents' wedding anniversary so my dad made a sign that said '18 years of love' for my mom to see on the web cam. That's right, grab your pads and take notes. Anyway, after that we dropped down to the Pacific!!!!! It was awesome knowing that I only have one leg left and that I won't be crossing any moor oceans or seas - just the big old Pacific.

After the last set of locks we headed on over to the Flamenco Bay Marina. When we pulled in there were a ton of camera crews and photographers. After fueling the boat I spent a couple of hours answering the same questions into different mikes and cameras.

Then Brett, Jen, my dad and myself all jammed in the back seat of the Panamanian equivalent of a a Toyota Forerunner for a long drive to our hotel which, after two days at sea and in 100 degree weather, makes for a nasty combo.

We finally got to the hotel and then got some sleep.....

Dad flew out yesterday afternoon. We've been filming, working on Intrepid, picking up provisions and otherwise keeping very busy. It is all good. I'll be back at sea again soon.

Cheers
Zac



Reuters Article:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE54L5YA20090522