Panama Canal

Panama Canal 26 February to 4 March

We reached Shelter Bay on the Caribbean side of Panama on 28 January as planned to meet Chris Budd who was joining us for the Pacific leg of the journey. We were due to transit the canal on 3 February so we had 5 days in Shelter Bay, two days to transit the canal and then a further two days in Panama City before heading off to the Las Perlas Islands, thirty miles off the coast of Panama.

Shelter Bay

The days after we arrived we went on a visit to the Panama Canal. In fact it was the same visit that Catherine and I did the previous year on a trip with Capgemini but it was interesting to see it again as we would be soon going through it. It also gave Chris his first glimpse of the locks we would be going through. The boats that go through the locks are built to a specification that allows just a few feet clearance between the ships and the side of the locks and are held in position by four trains with steel cables attached to the boats. It made you realise just how little clearance these boats have.

Catherine and I took our first reconnaissance of the shops the next day as we were advised to get most of the shopping we needed on this side of the canal. The shuttle bus left at 8 in the morning (there is only one per day) and took us on a 45 minute journey to the local shopping centre, crossing the canal. The first 20 minutes were along a pot holed road where the bus had to swerve from side to side to miss the potholes and could only travel at 10 miles per hour. When we reached the locks we had to wait until the locks were closed to be able to cross the canal which would take 30- 40 minutes of waiting in a traffic queue and then a further 30 minutes to get to the shopping centre. So the whole journey was about an hour and half each way.

The shopping centre was not as I was expecting. There was one fairly small supermarket and a number of shops which looked pretty run down and even one that sold guns. Many of the shops had signs on them barring the carrying of guns in their shops and it was not an area that you want to hang about in too long. The supermarket covered all the basic needs but not much than that.

The following day we went on one of the visits which was the highlight of our stay in shelter Bay. There is a tribe of Indians that live deep in the jungle which allow tourist to visit twice a week during the first 3 months of the year – during the dry season. The tribe numbers 140 people who still live a traditional life style although earn some income from tourism. They originated in Columbia but moved to Panama to escape the conflict about 150 years ago and have lived there since.

Something was funny!

We were taken by bus to a river, a two hour drive from Shelter Bay where we were met by the Indians in dugout canoes with large outboard engines attached. From there they took us on a 30 minute fast ride along the river, deep into the jungle to their village which is the only route to get there. Very remote and cut off from civilisation except by boat. The shame is that they can no longer hunt animals (because of international law) and have turned to tourism to allow them to support their independence.

Traditional dwelling

We were treated to traditional cooking of fish and plantains wrapped in a cup made of leaves and they talked about their life style through an interpreter. Much of the traditions remain (apart from hunting) and villagers can only marry within the village if they are to remain there. So very few have left and they provide their own schooling for the children.

Catherine having a Tattoo

While we were there a group of American tourists arrived from a
cruise ship. They did not have the traditional food we eat but had bought their own food – processed white bread with processed slices of cheese and ham with tomato sauce. It was amusing to see this.

The ride back was equally wet as the ride there as dugout canoes are not really designed to have outboard engines and go at that speed. But the journey through the jungle was beautiful and was part of the magic of the trip.

Our final few days at Shelter Bay consisted of maintenance of the boat plus one major shopping trip where we tried to buy six month’s worth of dry food (rice, pasta, flour etc) since provisioning would get more difficult and expensive as we crossed the Pacific. We also needed to get enough meat for the next 8 weeks to see us through to the Marquesa islands, 4000 miles to the west.

Each evening we would meet up in the bar with the crews from the other boats, the core being ourselves, Andy and Emma from Pentagram plus some of the crew from Exocet Strike. Many a good evening was had at the bar with happy hour from 5pm – 7pm providing the focus to stop working on the boat and go for a drink.

Transiting the Canal

We left the marina at 3pm to go to a holding anchorage about 4 miles away from the first lock. Each boat had to have one pilot on board for the entire journey and one of the key requirements was to feed them when they arrived. And keep them fed and watered during the next 24 hours.

Ricardo - our pilot for the canal

Our pilot was Ricardo who was also the manager for the transit of our yachts through the canal.  Not a small man to say the least but very friendly and unexpectedly he brought with him a trainee, equally as large. Catherine had already prepared and cooked a beef stew for us all but with the size of our guests had to forgo her dinner least they went hungry on route!

All the 9 boats set off together towards the first lock two hours before our scheduled lock time to cover the 4 miles. We had to go very slowly as it was only 4 miles but we did have to come together in groups of three to raft up. The first boat we rafted up to was not from the Rally and the boat had seen better days (or had been in lots of adventures and come off worst in them) so when the skipper brought the boat alongside while trying to video the procedure it explained a lot about his boat.  But we had fendered the boat well so after his third attempt at actually coming alongside rather than bouncing off us we managed to tie him up without any damage being done. The other boat Allegro was from the Rally and rafting up was, as it should have been, very easy.

We approached very slowly into the lock at dusk with line handlers
each side of the lock throwing pilot lines onto the two outside boats of each raft. The crew grabbed the pilot lines which were attached to the huge dock lines onto their boats while as the centre boat we provided the steering and power for the raft. It seemed to take an age to get the three rafts into the huge locks before the doors closed and the lock started to fill. As the boats rose the 10m in the locks, the crews had to pull in the slack on the dock lines to keep the raft still and in the middle of the lock. With a million gallons of water rushing in over a 10 minute period, there is some turbulence in the lock but not as much as I expected. It felt like going up in a very slow lift but fast enough so you were aware that the boats we rising.

We repeated the same process for the first group of three locks at the entrance so that we were 30m above sea level after two hours and into Gatun lake the other side. There we tied up to a buoy for the night while our pilot guides left us to go home at 10pm only to be back at 7am the next morning (and ready for breakfast!).

We were the last boats to go through the locks in this direction that night (the direction of the boats changes every 6 hours) and we left our anchorage before the direction changed again so that we would be ahead of the new set of boats coming into the canal. We had 28 miles to go to the next lock and were scheduled to go just ahead of a car carrier at 12:10. If we were not there on time, the boats behind us would overtake us and we would lose our slot.

Gatun Lakes after the first locks

The first part of the journey was through Gatun Lake which is a flooded valley where you can still see the tops of trees that have not yet disintegrated. It was through the jungle most of the way and provided plenty of things to look at. We only saw one crocodile although the canal is full of them so swimming is not encouraged! All the way along we were passing container ships coming the other way and we had to keep well over to avoid them, particularly on bends where often tug boats were needed to get them around the corners.

Three Rally Boats rafted in the lock

The second set of locks are three separate locks which took us down 30m back to sea level. As we approached the first of these, a big oil tanker was coming out of the other lock and after a lot of shouting we were asked to put on full power to get into the lock on the right hand side. When we looked back 20m behind us we could see the oil tanker being pushed by two tugs sideways across the canal to where we had been coming along so that it could get around the bend further up.

The first lock was still quite exciting as it was the first one in the day light. We could see lots of people in the viewing platforms, more interested in the big ships going through the canal than us. There is 7 miles to the next set of two locks which are together took us back to sea level and into the Pacific which felt like quite a milestone.

We moored in a marina for two days on the Pacific side of the canal and Catherine and I went for a visit into the old town. We found a micro brewery which served their own beer that was not lager – first time since we left the UK we could drink real beer. We found a nice restaurant for dinner with the bar on the top floor overlooking the city. It was a pleasant place for a gin and tonic while we waited the 45 minutes for a table and it was worth the wait. Some of the best food we had had in a restaurant for months.

Las Perlas Islands 

We left the marina on the third day to go to the Las Perlas islands. Very beautiful islands, some of which were uninhabited (and one where a TV reality programme had been made (survivor or something like that) but no-one seemed to know which but we went for a walk around it anyway. The main island was very attractive with some beauriful houses dotted around the island. It was where the drug barons used to own holiday homes but since been fallen out of favour (or they are all in jail somewhere, probably Columbia).  Now slightly jaded but still very attractive. The only mode of transport are golf carts driven along immaculate roads with stunning beaches around the coast. 

Unfortunately the generator stopped working and we were forced to go back to Panama City to have it fixed. So we cut short our visit and spent yet another day waiting while it was taken apart and fixed. By lunchtime it was working again and 20 minutes later stopped. So they had to come back and spend another 6 hours trying to fix it.

It was also the day that Sarah was due to arrive from Equador so she was able to meet us in the marina rather than take a ferry to the Las Perlas islands. It was good to have Sarah back with us and we enjoyed listening to all her stories over the coming days.

So with the generator fixed (or so we thought), we set off again to Las Perlas to get the boat ready for the crossing to the Galapagos.

Santa Marta Columbia

10th January -  20 January 2015

Sailing to Columbia

Although it is not officially a race, each leg does have an official start and finish line with prizes awarded for the first three places. On this first leg, we also had one racing mark that we had to round off Castries which forced all the boats to sail along the coast and turn off towards Columbia outside of the Castries. It makes great pictures for the local press who had a helicopter taking pictures.

At this first and only mark on the course, we were sailing parallel to two other boats as we neared the mark with us on the inside. 

As we neared the mark, the boat next to us started to cut across us, forcing us to hit the mark (it was only a blow up plastic mark so better hit that than the other boat). As we shouted at them (as you do), they made a hard turn to port sending the stern of their boat into the side of ours. Nothing we could do and fortunately it did not damage to us but it did to them. Not a good start because no-one ever thinks it was their fault and we had not really spoken much to them in the lead up to the start. Luckily for us one of the World ARC team saw the collision and said that they we clearly at fault but the initial conversation in Santa Marta with them was a little awkward!

The next four days were almost perfect sailing conditions and we average 175 miles each day – we would have been pleased with 150 miles per day. We all knew that the last 24 hours would be the most difficult and the last 6 hours would be even more challenging as we closed in on the Columbia coast so it took the shine off the good days we were having. In the event, while the wind and waves were steeper on day 5, it was only the last 6 hours which was really rough. We were on a beam reach with the wind and waves coming over the side in 35 knot winds, gusting to 42 knots for the last 6 hours in pitch black as we closed the coast. It was rough, wet as the waves came over the side and just on the edge!

1 mile from the finish line the wind just stopped and went down to 8 knots and we had to motor the last mile. The winds had just died at 4am as we came into the harbour and it made for an easy berthing. As soon as we tied up, it was beers all round and some of the other boats who came in after us joined us for an early morning beer – 6am counts as a very early morning beer! We were all glad to be in and tied up and nothing broken on the way.

Columbia

Street market in Santa Marta

Not sure what I was expecting from Columbia and it would not have been on my top 10 list of travel destinations. The welcome drinks on the first night ended with three of the boats going into town for dinner at a local restaurant where the food was excellent. It was cheap, the town felt safe walking through at night and the people were very friendly. Having not slept much the night before on the way into to Columbia, the breakfast beers, welcoming drinks and dinner caught up with us and I had the best night’s sleep for a long time. 

Setting for the Beach BBQ

On the Saturday (17^th), the World Arc had arranged a beach BBQ at a private house in the national park. It was a beautiful setting with cold beers all day and a BBQ at lunchtime. The coach trip there took about an hour over some very rough roads but worth the trip. The three brothers who owned the marina (and had helped bring the World ARC to Santa Marta for the first time) had joined us on the beach, each taking their 60 foot luxury motor boats from Santa Marta to the bay and bringing the Minister for Tourism to meet us. They offered to take anyone back on their boats who wanted to stay until later in the afternoon and so 20 of us stayed on the beach talking and drinking beer until they took us back. 

Waiting to get on the Motor Boats

It was a party all the way back

It was an exhilarating ride back and with a real party atmosphere – people dancing to music, drinks flowing and high spirits. On the boat we were on, the Minister of Tourism joined us along with some of the press. Victor, our crew member, was again interviewed and photographed after already appearing in the local press on the first day we arrived. Clearly he was younger and more photogenic than the rest of us!

Kerry, Catherine and Mauren neogitating

Street in Cartegena

The last two days we were there we had earmarked to go to Cartagena which is the number on tourist destination. A taxi ride to the bus station, a four hour coach ride and another taxi ride the other end. We went with three other people and our first task was to find a hotel and negotiate a good deal. We did find a hotel out of town in the backpacker’s district (mainly hostels) but negotiation was not something they would enter into – it was more of a case of “we have a room, do you want it or shall I give it to the person behind you”.

For $30 it was not a bad hotel

Sight of many battles with English,

French and Spanish

Cartegena is the oldest city in South America and the number one tourist destination as a result. A very pretty walled town well preserved enjoyable to walk around. As it was a Sunday the Museums were closed but there was enough to discover down the side streets together with afternoon tea, early evening drinks etc. to keep us all amused for the day. The next day we had three hours to walk around the castle that was built to protect the city learning about how the French, the English and the Spanish invaders took the city and plundered its wealth 5 times. The guide who was a native Indian did say 3 or 4 times that there was no hard feeling about this history although he did say it with a little edge in his voice. 

We made the journey back to Santa Marta just in time for the briefing for the next leg of the journey and the farewell dinner immediately afterwards. Further speeches over dinner, some prize giving and a few more drinks before going back to the boat. 

The Tuesday morning was very busy – we had until 11am to get all the final jobs completed on the boat, clean it and do all the shopping and put it away. Not good planning but it was worth going to Cartegena and putting up with a little bit of stress. As we left the harbour for the start line we were still packing away food and finishing of the jobs, some of which we completed as we were crossing the start line. 

Off to San Blas Islands. (just off Panama).

St Lucia

28 December to 10 January 2015

St Lucia 

After 17 days at sea we arrived at St Lucia on Sunday 28 December at 9:00 in the morning. After berthing the boat and a beer on board, we went to immigration and customs to check in. We had already pre-registered our arrival when we were in Gran Canaria using the Caribbean website which amazingly allows you to complete all the boat and crew details on line. This greatly speeds up immigration on entry (according to the website). It was the normal scrum as we went into immigration, queued up at the counter that was for crew who had registered on the website. However, while they may have a sophisticated website for preregistration, they do not have any ink for the printer so you have to join the other queue and complete all the details by hand.  But only two hours later we were through the process, having visited 4 different people, completed forms in triplicate and we finally had our papers and passport stamp.

After lunch of hamburgers and beer (funny what you crave for after nearly three weeks at sea), we walked into the nearest town in the afternoon heat. Last time we did that because it is very hot at that time, there is an excellent and very cheap bus service or better still you can take your dinghy for a 5 minute ride directly into the town. But there again we did want to have a walk and it was only a couple of miles on hot dusty roads. 

The day we arrived, we were approached by “John” who offered boat cleaning services. He showed us some of his work on other boats and we negotiated on prices to to clean the decks, topsides and hull. So for $200 he and his father spent the next day and a half making the boat look like new again and  took such pride in his doing so. He was also really cheerful and just a nice guy to have around. I wish I could muster the energy, patience and attention to detail when I clean the boat – but that is never going to happen! 

Castries

It took us a good 5 days before we felt we had any energy again although as Sarah was leaving on the 1^st January, we did pack a few things in. We took the bus to Castries (the capital) one day - always fun travelling on local transport – and spent the day with 5000 passengers off the three cruise ships anchored there walking around the streets. In a bid to get away from the invading hordes, we walked further into the back streets of Castries only to be advised by a doctor, who came out of his clinic especially, to turn back as we were in an unsafe district. Advice gratefully received!

Sarah departing for South America

On New Year’s Eve we decided to move out of the Marina and anchor outside to get some peace and quiet while watching the fireworks along the beach. A relaxing night of eating, drinking and playing games. Sarah also had to pack her bags for her 6 week tour of South America which she was starting the next day. 

Trip to the rain forest.

After Sarah left we started the planning for the next leg to Santa Marta on the Columbian coast which started on the 10^th January. All the guide books and advice from the World ARC team was that this was the second most difficult passage of the entire circumnavigation, second only to round the cape off South Africa. This came as a little bit of a shock after having spent three weeks crossing the Atlantic but we decided that just two of us undertaking this 900 mile journey was not a good idea so we had to find another crew member. 

The World Arc Starts

The World Arc team arrived on the 3 January and we discussed the problem with them. Fortunately one of the team knew of someone who had sailed with who wanted to sail to Australia – a 25 year old Frenchman called Victor who had some ocean sailing experience. We were due to meet him in a few days but at least it was a potential solution to our problem. We met him a few days later to find out that not only is he a very good sailor, he loves to cook and is very good at it. Could not have worked out better. It was also a great relief to have a third person on board for this “challenging” sail as it was referred to.

The World Arc put on a series of drinks in the evening and other social events during the day for the World Arc participants to get to know each other.  There are 14 other boats in the fleet with the smallest at 40 feet and the largest at 62 feet. There is also a good range of nationalities: British, French, Icelandic, American, Australian, Irish, Swedish all with a common interest of sailing around the world.  A few drinks parties, a few dinners and some social events helped to get to know people (as did the crib sheet the World Arc gave out showing who was on which boat).

The saga with the generator played out for the entire 8 days before we left, with engineers coming, taking things apart, trying different solutions but to the same effect. The day we left, the engineer turned up at 9am in the morning to put back the generator after having found that the brushes on the alternator had broken. I was pleased that they had found the fault, not pleased that the generator was in bits two hours before we were due to start the first leg to Santa Marta or that we did not have a replacement part. However he did manage to put it back together just in time so we did get to the start line on time but it was not the most relaxed of starts.  

The last night before the start was the farewell party at a local hotel. Rum cocktails, some nibbles and a steel band together with speeches from the government minister for Tourism and various other people. The drinks ended at a respectable 9pm so a few of us set off to go to the Friday night “Jump Up” at Gros Islet. This is a street party over about 4 streets where all the locals go on a Friday night to have street food, loud music and dance. It was one great big party and even the rain showers did not dampen the atmosphere. Never a good idea to go out the night before the start of a 5 day sail and especially not going out until 2am (or maybe it was the beer that was not the good idea – I forget which). We all slept well that night and felt surprisingly alert the next morning, no doubt in anticipation of the next 5 days.