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We are picking up Luisa Bosci (Tupi), Mark Hilton, Tom and Jeanette O'Brien.
Panama is large with 3.5 million people with lots of new office and apartment towers. However, it is expanding so quickly the road system cannot keep up, so long traffic jams are a daily event.
It is about 75 Kms across the isthmus to Colon, the city on the Caribbean side where the canal starts it's southerly
journey.
Black Pearl is moored in Shelter Bay Marina, an old US army/navy base built for the 2nd world war. As the US relinquished the control of the canal in the 1980's, all the buildings in this base are now empty. This produces a very eerie feeling of a dead city.
The story of this canal which is rated as one of the engineering wonders of the world, was started by the French in 1879. Their involvement over 20 years ended in disaster, with the controlling company eventually going bankrupt. The French wanted to excavate the whole 70 Km canal at sea level, but it was plagued with geological problems, rain causing huge mud slides and tropical disease, which caused massive loss of life.
In 1903 the US took over the project and finished this engineering marvel in 10 years.
In simple terms the canal comprises 6 locks, 3 of which takes boats from sea level up 27 meters to Lake Gatun. This is a man made lake which when constructed was the biggest in the world. 3 more locks then descend 27 meters to the Pacific Ocean. The cost when completed in 1914 was about $500,000,000.
We learned that about 40 ships go through the canal each day and it costs a big ship about $200,000 in fees, smaller ones about $200-500 a meter. The income to the authority is about $8,000,000 per day and provides Panama an income of about $2 Billion per year.
We left the marina at Shelter Bay at 1pm. We were supposed to start through the canal at 4pm and we waited in the adjacent bay which was full of anchored ships awaiting their turn. We were to follow a large cargo boat through and were held up while several large ships came through from the Pacific. It is a one way system in the locks, with 6 hours for each direction depending on the tide.
We had to take on board a Pilot and 3 Line Handlers, but it was not until 5pm we started our entrance into the first lock. By 6pm it was getting dark and although we were disappointed we were loosing light, it ended up being quite spectacular with the harbour lights and machinery movement in abundance.
The first lock gates closed behind us with the cargo ship in front, then water poured in at a fast rate lifting us 9 meters. The Line Handlers onboard and on shore used mooring ropes to secure our position as a strong current is created by the incoming water.
Larger ships are controlled by lines secured to small heavy trains called 'Donkeys', which move on electric rails
along with the ship.
After we have passed through the next two locks we entered the large Lake Gatun, where we anchor for the night. If we had travelled non-stop to the Pacific in one day it would have taken 8 hours.
The next morning we travel across the beautiful lake surrounded by tropical forrest. There is lots of wildlife on the lake included many species of Fish, Alligators and in the forests Monkey's, Jaguars, Birds etc.
We rejoin our line at 12 Noon for our descent through the last 3 locks. These locks were excavated through the most difficult of the canal terrain, known as the 'Gaillard ( Culebra ),Cut'.
This cut took 170 million cubic yards of soil and rock. It was plagued with massive mud slides caused by rain and created great loss of life and equipment.
It was a very different experience during daylight than the previous evening. We were able to see more of the workings of the massive lock gates and the rope handling skills.
At our last lock we had a massive tropical storm with the rain being so intense we could hardly see where the navigation markers were. There were strong gusts of wind which were also a hazard but the Captain and Pilot got us through. We also passed under the 'The Bridge of the America's', named because it joins Central America to South America.
We anchored off a marina in front of Panama City. This city is a real surprise with it's wall to wall skyscrapers which has been developed only in the last 25 years.
The next day after we had cleared immigration and customs, we headed South East to 'Las Perlas Archipelago', a group of 100 Islands and Islets.
On the way we hooked a large Wahoo but lost it at the boat. We anchored opposite a white sandy beach on the Island of 'Isla Mogo Mogo'.
We swam to the beach and had a very competitive game of beach volleyball. Buxton family Versus O'Brien and Hilton. The latter winning 2 games out of 3 by close margins. Tupi is keen to catch a fish, so we troll in the tender for a few hours with no luck.
Mark fishes off the back of the Pearl in the lights and catches several yellow tail and one good snapper.
After dinner we have our second game of 6 hand Canasta. The boys beat the girls to make the total matches one all.
Early the next morning with Scott at the helm of the tender we take Tupi to try again for fish. We eventually spot frigate birds circling so we move quickly to that area and hook a medium size Tuna. Following the birds we hook a bigger fish. Tupi brings in a large grouper called 'Goliath Grouper', weighing about 10 kilos. She is very happy with her catch.
We went to the beach for a swim and a game of boules, Buxton's versus the guests. This time the family dominated and won the match.
We head back to Panama City as Tupi and Mark are leaving the next morning.
Monday we see them off very early. It is the Independence Day holiday here today.
While Paul is refuelling the boat, the O'Briens and ourselves go with a guide to visit the old town of Panama and the independence day parade.
The building of Panama town was started in the 18th century after Henry Morgan the English pirate, destroyed the original city in 1671. Even though there are some old walls and buildings of that period remaining, the majority of the architecture appears to be influenced by the French from the 19th century during the Gold Rush of California. This was due to the fact that French built the new railway across the isthmus during this period.
We had lunch at the Cafe Casablanca. Some of us have a dish of mixed seafood served in half a Pineapple, a specialty. We have local beer 'Balboa', which was named after the first Spaniard to cross the isthmus to what would become Panama, in 1513.
Most of the museums unfortunately are closed on Monday's. We then visit the canal museum which is open, to view the history of the canal build and to watch ships coming through the locks.
A massive storm develops with torrential rain in the afternoon which seems to be a pattern on most days in the wet season. We get back to the boat soaking wet.
Paul has refuelled with about 13,000 litres of fuel costing about 75 cents per litre.
We have decided to leave tonight heading North up the coast of Panama eventually to 'Golfito' in Costa Rica.
JB and Mick
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