Autor : Toni

29/30 December 2006

We arrived in Colon/San Christobal, the Atlantic side of the Panama canal just before Christmas.

We arrived in Colon/San Christobal, the Atlantic side of the Panama canal just before Christmas. The preparation and formalities to transit the canal take some time and with Christmas days included a week has gone by. With the help of a local “agent Tito” guiding us to the right offices, banks and shops was of great help. Colon is not exactly a place one would feel safe in with crime and violence running amok. Finally we received a departure date and on the 29th of December at 5pm Little Swan was standing by to get permission to enter the canal. We had 12 tires used as fenders on one side and 7 large fenders on the other. A smaller yacht was the only other yacht accompanying us. I had hired Titio and his 2 friends as line handlers and the canal authorities require an advisor to be on board. Within an hour we stood by to enter the 1st chamber of the Gatun lock . Both yachts got strapped together which caused a cacophony of Spanish orders shouted to do this simple rafting up procedure. I was on the helm and thought best to shut up and let the experienced men handle all that. Rafted up we entered the chamber with one big ship in front of us.

Four lines-men (two on each side ) took our ropes and kept us stationary in the middle of the chamber. Soon the water was rushing into the chamber causing lots of turbulence testing the robes to the extreme. After 55 Million of gallons of water had entered the chamber we had risen 10 meters. Everybody had settled down a bit and soon we entered the 2nd chamber without too much fuss. Having risen to 20 meters altitude we had a spectacular view back to the chambers below and Colon Harbour. After the 3d chamber we were on a altitude of 85 feet and in the lake system. This is a s far as we go today and as yacht are not allowed to cross the lake at night. By 9 pm we were moored and settled down to some cold beer and food re- telling our experiences to each other. The engineering of the canal and locks is immense and one is awed by the enormity of the work completed nearly a hundred years ago. The night was peaceful and calm, but I don’t know if it was the crew snoring or the howling monkeys in the jungle who woke me up. The howling monkeys certainly had a scary sound.

Six am ant the advisor arrives, the engine already warming up. The manmade lake is huge and the many islands covered in lush vegetation was very pretty. We followed a well marked channel for about 30 miles, the adviser explaining and pointing out interesting points of interest, the train, the dredges, the wildlife and many other things. Our progress was excellent and arrived at the Miraflores locks just at the right time to go down to sea level again. Going down was easier I thought. Well, thanks to all my crew and helpers and especially to Tito for his organizational talents which made everything appear easier. Having transited the Panama Canal successfully and no damage is satisfying and a great experience.

We are now preparing ourselves and Little Swan for the next leg to the Galapagos islands and Tahiti.