Arrived Panama City, Pacific Ocean, Saturday 21st May,1400,apox…
Very happy to get through the canal, almost in one piece, an oil seal went with about 10 miles to go, but managed to keep going with a very oily bilge. The trip through took 20hrs, I went with an Aussie boat ‘Diego’, a 48 Jenneau, We went through the locks rafted up together, which all worked out well, only one moment when we were heading for the lock wall on my side, let me tell you they are very solid, but managed to avoid it, thank the good Lord.
It is an amazing bit of engineering. You are lifted 85 feet in 3 locks, then cross Gatun Lake, about 30 mls, to the Pacific side, where you are dropped, gently, the 85ft, back to sea level, also in 3 stages. Continue reading