The short journey from Shelter Bay Marina to the Flats anchorage where we picked up our first pilot crosses the main

shipping channel into the canal. This young dolphin had worked out that this was a great place to play in the   bow wave

of the large bulb nosed ships that make their way into the canal.

The first set of three Gatun locks are transited in the evening and rafted to two other yachts we shared the lock with

a large, heavily laden bulk carrier that needed to assist the locomotives with its own propellers to exit the locks

creating a lot of turbulence for our much smaller boats. A stationary top speed of 2.3 knots was registered as the current

created by his wash rushed past our boat.

The locks are a major feat of engineering even by modern standards and even more amazing when you consider

that the canal was built 100 years ago and has worked faultlessly ever since.

Once we were through the locks Mac, our pilot for the first day left us and we spent the night moored to a holding

buoy on Gatun lake. Astro, our second pilot, joined us at first light for the rest of the transit and we motored across

the lake with huge boats of all shapes and sizes close by. Both of our pilots were really nice people and keen to share

their knowledgeable of the canal and their country with us. They added to our enjoyment of the transit immeasurable.

This car carrier would never win the prettiest boat design.

On its way from China to the west I wonder how much of the contents of these containers are crammed with

manufactured goods that people neither need or in many cases even want?

Once across the lake we entered the Culebra Cut where some of the larger vessels need the assistance of a tug to

negotiate some of the sharper bends. The current canal can accommodate ships up to 950ft long and the authorities

are building a new set of locks that will allow ships up to 1,400ft long to cross the Isthmus but also need to widen the

Cut and remove some of the islands in the lake to eliminate the sharper bends.

Once through the cut we passed under the Centennial bridge and on to the Pedro Miguel lock.

Unlike the previous day we had these locks to ourselves.

The final two locks are called the Miraflores locks.

A great shot of a locomotive moving back up the ramps.

Just to prove that Trish and I was actually there.

Curious between an Australian yacht and a South African catamaran.

Exiting the final lock and sailing back into salt water.

Under the Bridge of the Americas and into the Pacific Ocean

Our first pacific sunset from the anchorage at the end of La Playita causeway.