Sunday 13 Feb 2011 Isla Mogo Mogo
The EJ's Voyage
Mike Everton-Jones
Fri 4 Jan 1980 05:40
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Not sure if my latest blog got through as I had
difficulties sending it from the Panama Canal.
We left Shelter Bay Marina and Colon last Thursday
10 Feb 2011 at 14:30 to meet our pilot in the area called The Flats in the basin
at the entrance of the Panama Canal locks. Our meeting time was 16:00 but in
fact, we hadn't quite reached The Flats when we heard a radio call from our
pilot looking for us and he came onboard immediately. Lucky we left in plenty of
time.
We had to wait a bit in front of the locks for the
cargo ship that was transiting with us to catch up. He went in the locks first
and we followed right behind. Our boat was positioned in the middle of the lock
with 4 lines ashore each held by a man, so 4 men in total who were
"walking" us through the 3 locks. In these 3 Gatun locks we go up and the
turbulence is strong which makes taking the lines in quite hard. But all went
very well and smoothly. We got out of the locks at about 17:00 and made our way
to the anchor buoy in the Gatun Lake where we had to stay for the night. Not a
quiet and peaceful one! The second canal is under construction and they work non
stop all through the night. The noise of the trucks was very loud indeed! They
hope to open the second canal in 2014, a century after the opening of the first
one.
The pilot came onboard the next morning at 6:30 on
the dot (not the same one we had the day before, a shame as we liked him very
much). We steamed through the canal towards the next set of locks. We went
through Pedro Miguel lock at 11:30, this time tied up to a canal tourist boat.
Then on to the last two locks at Miraflores, each time tied up to the same
tourist boat. In these locks we go down into the Pacific. The views when
you are at the maximum height of the lock looking down are extremely
impressive. Again all went extremely well.
What an experience! We are so lucky to have had this opportunity!
We spent our first night out of the canal and
in the Pacific at Balboa Marina tied on a mooring buoy. We were welcome by heavy
rain for about an hour! I got totally soaked whilst tying up to the buoy but the
positive thinking attitude is to say that the boat got a good and well deserved
fresh water rinse! We had a meal ashore, very tasty red snapper. Mike thought he
lost his wallet (again!) so we had a bit of a panic for a while but then I found
it tucked in between the numerous bags we have on our saloon bunk since the port
cabin is occupied by Peter and the forward cabin by Molly and Ed. The night
ended well!
Next morning (yesterday) we were off to the Las
Perlas Islands. Lovely sail, gentle breeze and loads of dolphins playing with
the boat. Not a bad way to get back on the water after a 7 months lay out! We
anchored off the first most inhabited island, Isla Contadora. Dinner onboard of
BBQ sausages accompanied by a delicious home made tomato and red pepper sauce on
a bed of pasta... This morning we went round the island and ashore in our
dinghy. Quiet island with huge houses. It is the weekend and holiday place for
the very wealthy Panamanian. We found two "Shopette", grocery stores with only
the very basic, a hotel which must have been very nice but now in need of some
TLC right on a lovely beach and 2 restaurants.
We left Contadora at 12:30 and motored to Isla Mogo
Mogo, very closed by. We are anchored in front of two lovely beached, only 2
other sailing yachts around us.Went for a swim. There are little invisible
"things" in the water that are stinging us. How do they dare!!! Chicken on the
menu tonight.
We will be off exploring another island tomorrow.
Will report...
So all well under the sun!
Love
Mike and Catherine
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