This message was sent on 23 Mar, but didn't make it. For completeness of
the record I'm re-sending it.
En Route to The Galapagos.
Back to Shelter Bay and Dracula tells us it's now not Monday or Tuesday but
maybe Wednesday. Decided to go back to the Chagres river-its delightful,
quiet and no cost!
We have a nice sail round and after anchoring at the top take the dinghy
ashore and walk about a mile up to the top lock. Freighters and 3 yachts
appear and we watch the yachts to see where they anchor.All good info but we
feel we should be there.Back to Shelter Bay marina on Weds. Dracula appears
and now it could be Friday ..or?
We begin to get the picture on Friday.We have to have an Advisor on each
yacht but the advisors are on unofficial strike.By now there are some 20
yachts in the marina like us.The Authority may now decide to fill a lock
with yachts to get rid of us...maybe on Saturday! More shopping and a new
gas supply and things look promising.We meet 2 Americans who offer to be our
extra line handlers and we are ready. Saturday and we are off at last. We
motor to the assembly point and are joined at 6.30pm by Ricky who will be
our guide through the first 3 locks and into the lake.It is night by now but
we enter the first lock in a raft of 3 boats tied together with us on the
outside of a large catamaran Another raft ahead of us includes a hospitable
crowd from the Cowes RYS! The filling of the locks is quite turbulent but
surprisingly quick for a lock 1000ft long. About 15 mins in each of the 3
locks and by 9,30pm we are 120ft higher in the lake. Ricky directs us to an
anchorage for the night and then is collected. We may see him tomorrow or
another but must be ready to leave by 0630.In fact the new shift appears at
0545 and we must leave now! The new man is Amadi and very knowlegable about
the Canal, Panama and much more.We have 30 miles to motor through the lake
passing many freighters going the other way.There also seems to be a lot of
dredging and widening.We reach the narrow part of the canal and the final 10
miles to the next lock arriving at about 1030 after passing a square rigger
and the Bridge of the 20thC-The latter apparently had no connecting roads
for several years after it was first completed! Going down is the same as
going up but much simpler for us.We are also made aware of the tourist
viewing platform adjacent and a webcam.We motor out the last 5 miles to the
Bridge of the Americas (Pan-Am Highway) were we say thankyou to Amadi before
going on to the Balbao Yacht Club and moor up to a buoy.Our 2 American
friends leave us to go back to Shelter Bay and we go ashore to have a look
around.
Our mistake is not to take a taxi but start walking. When a cataclysmic
rainstorm starts there is no shelter and we get drowned! After a taxi ride
to the largest shopping centre I have ever seen we take a guided tour to the
old City which is fascinating with a very voluble guide. Probably worth what
he charges and we manage to decline his add-ons. After a good meal at the
Club we go back on board. Up at 0700 and decide to move on to the next
marina to top up with diesel. No luck, the office will not open until 1030
and so, itching to get going, we set sail for Galapagos.
The first hour we pass through waiting freighters and then off. There is
no wind so much of the day is motoring but we sail when we can and catch 2
splendid fish. Wind appears in the evening and we make good progress
through the night and more today with the Asymmetric. It's warm! At last
we are back on track and will be in good time to meet Andrew and Nick at the
Galapagos.
|
