The Best Laid Plans...

Eilo 

Ken 

There is a reason that I am the reluctant sailor…I like life to go according to plan and am used to a certain amount of certainty…so…I shouldn’t be on a boat. 

Ken and I were safely ensconced in Shelter Bay in Colon waiting for Val and Terry to arrive.  We had the boat ship-shape and were ready for the next stage.  The plan was to spend a day in the marina and then head off for the Panama Canal.  After the canal we would spend a day in Panama City in La Playita del Amorado Marina and then sail on to the Las Perlas Islands for a few days on the beach and in the bars with Terry and Val.

Terry and Val arrived (yep, as planned…but they had their own adventure on the way..their story to tell).  They had their doubts a few times when their journey took unexpected turns and modes of travel that they had not anticipated.  Of course they kept us updated via email (also as planned) but (also of course) we never got the emails as the Panama wifi was iffy at best!  But… they arrived Fort Sherman/Shelter Bay as expected and we were thrilled to see them.  We settled them in their quarters and prepared for our first adventure.  We set off in the jungle, an area of a former American Base known as Fort Sherman.  The jungle has now retaken the area and it is lush with wonderful plants that we attempt to grow in our houses in the States…they are magnificent in their own habitat…split leaf Philodendrons, Rubber Plants, orchids and more.  

Amid ruins of old armories were monkeys – Spiders and Howlers- , Toucans, coatimundi and many birds we could not name and sloths (OK we didn’t see any there but later found one hanging out by the laundry).

The sound of the Howlers was impressive and, at times, eerie.  We walked with sugar cane rods for protection, ever mindful of Ken’s reputation amongst the monkeys but they kept their distance.   The day before Eilo, my chief monkey spotter, saw a mommy spider monkey with a baby hitch hiker.

The next day brought trepidation (at least to me) and excitement we were going to go through the Panama Canal.  Humongous cargo ships are the normal traffic of the canal

and pleasure boats “nest” together to  go through.  We, AURORA, were to be tied up to two other boats, ASHIA and ARABELA and Ken would be the lead boat in center position and drive the nest through.  So we get in place at the anchorage right before the canal entrance, our advisors give us the thumbs up to raise our anchors, blood pressures starts to rise along with the excitement factor, we start heading for the first lock

and the call from canal control comes through – false start – orgasm over, need top head back and anchor again.  Some large boat in front of us got stuck in a lock so we all got out our large crow bars – just kidding – we waited and waited and finally got under way about ½ hour before sunset getting us to the first lock in the dark.

So not only did we not know what we were doing but we could not see what we were doing… which was perfect.   Each boat was required to have an “advisor” (and before we pulled up the anchor our advisor told me of an experience where he had to bring his group through the first locks in the dark – and that was not pretty – I thought about that… note the look of concern on Val’s face) 

from the Canal on board.  Roy Paddy was our advisor and from the start we all got along great!  Each “nest” needed four rope handlers on the corners of the outside boats to handle the lines to go through the canals.  As Ken was on the helm, Terry would help the boat beside us (Terry – the official rope handler - was invited for a vacation –HaHa - but has not worked this hard in 30 years)

with Armin on the helm and his wife Nicole on the stern of the boat handling the lines.

The first task is to raft the boats together and it is not as simple as it sounds.  You slow down and the first boat comes along and you tie it with fenders between so that you don’t damage each other.  Our advisor advised to tie the bow together first – so lines were tossed but the stern lines were caught first and as the bows were being tied up the other advisor told the other boat to drop the stern line so we started to drift apart; kind-of; and a couple of ugly moves later the gang managed to catch the stern line again and get us tied up.  Then you do likewise with the second boat.  It is critical to get it right as they need to be tight and move together seamlessly.  Once that is done you proceed into the Gatun Locks.  It is daunting…the locks are huge and our boats, even in a nest, seem ridiculously diminutive. 

The line handling takes some getting used to and is a very serious task.  The Canal line holders throw lines to the boats, these lines have a “monkey fist” on the end.  That “fist” is shaped like a ball and has lead in it.  Great!  The first hurdle. 

If the so called fist hits your solar panels or your deck…well you own a new problem.  The line handler has to catch the line and tie it around a huge rope on the boat.  Then the canal handler pulls that rope (attached to the boat) to the wall.  The line handlers on the boats tighten and slacken the rope as the boat goes up or down in the locks.  Doesn’t sound so bad…Hah!  Boat owners scurry around worrying that the rope will hit their decks or panels or hatches…once the  rope is attached they worry that the handler will not use the cleat (to which the rope is attached) properly and the cleat may pull out of the deck…yep $$$$$$$.  Not to mention that you don’t want to let go of the rope or have the nest hit the walls.  Terry was having such a great vacation…he was physically abused for hours.

Catch the rope Terry

Quick tie it around the other rope

Tie it off

Send it back to the wall

Slacken it

Tighten it

Can you use that other cleat? (boat owner request)

No it is too close to the anchor chain (Terry) 

Use the cleat you were on Terry (advisor)

And so on …repeat twice….and more tomorrow...

We arrived in Gatun Lake where we untied from our nest and proceeded through the lake to raft with other boats attached to a mooring.  Exhausted…we slept.  We were up at 6 am to welcome back Roy (our advisor) for more fun and games.  We motored through the lake to the Miraflores Locks but en route Ken noticed the engine was overheating and sent his first mate (aka Reluctant Sailor) to check out the engine room.  Oh Holy God….coolant was spewing out onto the engine and there was smoke.  Ken came down to find that the pulley was not spinning the belts which cool the engine, run the alternator etc.  He tried to fix the problem by tightening a bolt but the pulley wouldn’t hold.  I love boats!

So we tied up to the other boats…on the outside now as we couldn’t drive the three of them.  ASHIA was now in the middle.  Terry was once again put to work…same drill except we went down in the locks instead of up…he was an old hand by now and so got to work.  Seemed more like a prison camp then a vacation…our advisor had many jokes about how we would be off the Shlimbaum Christmas list!

Val and I were feeding the crew, taking the photos so that we would never forget (fat chance) and I was trying to help Ken with the engine (fat chance #2).  We exited the locks and all felt this incredible sense of achievement.  We had gotten through the Panama Canal.  Not sure how Terry was feeling…the line handlers had the toughest job and Terry thought he was going on vacation.

Well, we were without an engine.  It was decided that ASHIA (thanks Armin and Nicole) would help by staying attached and getting us to harbor…about 5 miles.  About two miles out from harbor we were being approached by a monstrous cargo vessel and Nicole was nervous about staying rafted so Ken decided it was time to go it alone.  He ran the engine but didn’t want it to overheat so…given the wind direction and our wonderful Bimini and Dodger…(Bimini is over your head in the cockpit and the Dodger is in front of you like a windscreen).  Ken figured we could ‘sail’ with the Dodger and Bimini.  And we did!  We were moving along at about 2 knots an hour and so made it in in about an hour.  Ken got kudos from many sailors for this maneuver!  As we approached the entrance to the harbor he went to turn on the engine…but one of the things that pulley does is charge the battery which was now flat.  Ken and I dove below to lift floor boards and jump the engine battery with the generator battery…just in time to pull in to our slip.  Ah yes….how wonderful it is to sail!  We were now berthed in La Playita del Amador in Panama.

Our intention was to stay one night (31^st) to get our boat cleared to sail to Las Perlas islands but absent an engine that probably wasn’t the best idea!  And so we had to remain in Panama.  Engine diagnosis was that we needed a new main crank shaft seal, new pulley and more work done on the turbo charger…ok to me it just meant we weren’t going anywhere soon and the Shlims were due to leave on the 3^rd.

Fortunately we discovered that the old part of Panama (Casca Viejo/Antiguo) is beautiful, a World Heritage site.   Full of wonderful old buildings, the old city dates back to 1673.  The buildings have red tile roofs and wrought iron railings around balconies. 

There are historic squares and impressive ruins with beautiful churches lit to best show their architectural glory.  It is reminiscent of New Orleans. The old city boasts wonderful bars and restaurants that blend the traditional with trendy and rival those of the best cities worldwide.  We enjoyed Casco Viejo each night and tasted and tested as many bars and restaurants as we could fit in!

Our day trips were adventurous with some highs and lows, we were true explorers!  Val, Terry and I took a trip to a beach (Playa Bonita/ Beautiful Beach) in Veracruz.  About 30 to 45 minutes from the city.  Well…the Pacific enjoys huge tides (14 feet or so on the Pacific side compared to about 14 inches (or less) on the Caribbean).  So when we arrived at the beach there was no water…honestly miles out!  We decided we would walk out…wrong…after the sand there was muck.  We decided this may be due to the huge dredging projects that are part of the ongoing canal work as they build the new canals.  So we sat on the beach, had lunch at a beach restaurant and waited for the water.  When we finally went swimming ….I guess the water was also impacted by huge canal works and traffic and it was none to clean.  We had some laughs and went to shower at the restaurant.  Well…the rest rooms provided the next hilarious moments.  In the back of each gents stall was a picture of a naked lady!!!  Val and I rushed to see what picture would grace the wall of the ladies stalls…wait for it….a picture of puppies.  Omg!

Another trip was to a local swimming pool, this one worked out well and Ken joined us after some boat work on the da** engine!  Stools in the pool at the bar counter made for a fun lunch.  A walk around the Smithsonian Institute introduced us to Panamanian frogs, nurse sharks, tropical fish, starfish and sloths….although we met the sloth at the marina!

On the third day we took a ferry to Tobago Island where Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro set up a base to loot the riches of Peru and South America in general.  Later the island was a pirate hideout.  Paul Gauguin, who worked on the Panama Canal project, recovered from illness (there was a sanatorium for workers with Yellow Fever and Malaria) on the island.  We enjoyed the beach and clean water!  The highlight was a delightful restaurant with a view of the island town and the ocean with liners waiting to use the canal.

Terry and Val left after our island trip and I confess to being more reluctant than normal as they departed.  It was such fun to have friends join us but we are left wondering if they now are convinced we are utter lunatics to have chosen this way of life for the next year. 

Now we are back to cleaning the boat and getting ready to sail…if we fix the engine!  I do have to report on my washing.  That must have excited you the reader….clothes washing at the marina in Panama.  Stay tuned.  It is a small room with two washers and two driers (one of the latter actually works).  I was on my own and it was getting dark. The security guard comes on duty around 6:30pm and sits outside this laundry room.  In he comes and gives me a nod…I nod in return.  He then removes his semi automatic 12 guage (street sweeper/riot gun)

and ammunition belt from his bag and places it on the defunct dryer and leaves.  I sit there considering what I am meant to do???  Am I in charge of this weapon?  May I/should I leave?  But my clothes are still in the washing machine.  He returns after about 10 minutes and now picks up the gun and ammunition….phew relief…wait….he puts them in the dryer that is not working and takes off again.  In comes one of the ARC sailors, a Latvian with no English…I pray he doesn’t open that machine…seems his clothes are in the other dryer.  He exits with his clothes and I breathe a sigh of relief… didn’t know how to explain that.  Another ARC sailor enters.  Karen is her name and she is from the yacht LEXINGTON.  She is next in line for a dryer and I advise her not to open a certain dryer and add that it doesn’t work anyway.  She looks at me and so I am forced into explaining.  I have seldom seen that reaction…HOLY COW.  When I finally leave the room everyone has gone and he (security guard) is nowhere around.  I hesitate a moment wondering if I should wait to make sure he comes back for it but finally decide the responsibility is too great for me.  I am a reluctant sailor but absolutely not a warrior!