The sailor’s sailor is dreaming of faraway horizons. (Centkievicz)

 

 

My Yacht log 2007.04.10-19. Panama Canal Transit.

 

Text translation: Laszlo AA7UY.

 

Panama Canal Transit.

 

Everything is painted illusion, a crumbling

Snow covered heart and death,

Only one thing is real, my crying face

And my two misty eyes shrouded in fog.

 

You went to sea: existed then disappeared,

Your face sails on a hostile sea

today and by now your warm words

at this minute, sink below the water.

 

with your eyes went all the precious blue,

With your graceful head all the nice striae

And your body , that rides beyond the clouds

Near the sun on ever dizzying wings.

 

Everything is painted illusion, a crumbling

Snow covered heart and death,

Only one thing is real, my crying face

And my two misty eyes shrouded in fog.

 

(Pilinszky: In the Harbour).

 

(poem translation: L.Karolyi. wa6ypp)

 

 

2007.4.10. (199th day)

 

Great day today: I asked Bogi to be my wife.

 

Before noon: Colon.

Engine test and packing.

A few hours on the Marina Terrace, where you can always make new acquaintances.

For example: today a Frenchman who used to sail in the Bay of Biscay, one of the windiest places in Europe.

 

Lunch at noon the usual $1 USD soup in town.

Then rode a bus to Cocoplum near Portobello. Alvaro Guzman invited us here earlier. Free boarding (normally costs $90 USD).

 

Afternoon: swimming at Cocoplum beach, then we swam to a nearby island

(1 nm away, but was able to wade a great portion because of the 1 meter depth).

There we walked, then broke a coconut for Bogi, which we drank and ate. J

The rested in lounge chairs J

 

The dining room at Cocoplum beach was closed so we walked to another nearby restaurant.  It is built on a jetty and we were the only customers.

Dinner: fried fish and fried bananas, octopus with coconuts and of course beer (Panama).

After dinner I asked Bogi to be my wife. She said yes, though there was a conditionJ

 

2007.04.11. (200th day)

 

Breakfast at the Cocoplum dining room. Scrambled eggs, fried yucca, fried sausages and naturally coffee.

Great day today:

We are going on a Jungle tour in the nearby National Park part of which is rainforest!

Our guide arrived too after 8:30.

(For further info: http://www.geocities.com/selvaventuras)

Coffee and briefly comparing plans together…

Between 9:00-17:00 hours covered two longer walks, interesting that I did all this in SLIPPERS.  My friends will remember that on our previous outings together I usually appeared in elegant clothes, completely unfit for the occasion. And now I made this long tour in a rather beach like mood. The reason: all I had with me was a pair of slippers, I left my shoes in Colon.

1st tour: visiting 3 waterfalls, where we also swam, then through a larger hill.

Many, many butterflies, lizards…

2nd tour: Rainforest, then later a lake.

Here unfortunately were mosquitoes as well, however also tasted one or two interesting fruits.

We saw monkeys too in the rainforest.

Most interesting was a 400 year old tree.

 

Evening: a holiday dinner at the restaurant (fried fish, fried bananas, rice with coconut, squid, plus, of course Chilean wine), later we talked with Erika. Erika very kindly gave us another two glasses of wine for the evening because the dining room closed at 21:00.

 

A noisy Panamanian group came to the hotel in the evening, they argued until dawn, but it didn’t disturb us J

So far we were the only guests in the hotel.

 

I couldn’t sleep well in the soft bed, also watched TV - which I rarely do.

 

2007.04.12. (201st day)

 

Breakfast at the Cocoplum dining room. Scrambled eggs, fried bananas and of course coffee.

Happy Tours: www.happytours.biz

Erika missed the Hungarian lesson, we told her 1-2 more important words only.

Erika’s parents originate from Hungary, but she doesn’t speak Hungarian (she only knows 5 basic words).

After lunch we took a bus to Portobello, where we walked around in town.

The local cathedral is famous for its black Jesus.

The fort system is extensive but not contiguous, with old cannons.

Lunch: local soup, fried fish with fried bananas.

We met an Austrian couple who have been in Panama for two years will be here until September for sure.

After the Canal they’ll sail toward Ecuador, then the Pacific Ocean

 

We bused back to Colon and shopped for supper at the open market.

Yuka, fish and some unknown local fruits and naturally beer and wind (you can buy a fine Chilean wine for under $2).

We talked for hours with the other sailors on the Marina terrace, mainly with Frederico, Judith, Graham and Herberdt.

I met Harold, a 71 year old Norwegian sailor (he lived in Australia), who sails alone and is in very good shape!!!

He has a long white beard though, like Santa Claus.

One can talk a lot these times, but unfortunately I soon forget the names L

 

For example: I met again with Colombian acquaintances, who arrived today. They too will spend a minimum of two weeks in Colon.

 

I started looking for line handlers for the transit, four line handlers are required. I wrote an ad too, that I posted on the bulletin board. Called in the ad over the VHF radio (channel 74, the common frequency of sailboats anchored in Colon).

 

Made our supper together with Bogi, the more delicate ones Bogi made of course, (like fish).

 

2007.04.13. (202nd day)

 

We got up at 6:30 in the morning because the room was too small for both of us and sleep wasn’t very comfortable. I made eggs sunny side up with bacon and onions for breakfast.  After the usual daily packing I tested the engine.

Last time the engine overheated, and because of this, unfortunately part of the plastic exhaust pipe still didn’t seal well.

(There were 1 or 2 small holes in it).

I cut another 20cm piece off, then re-secured it and sealed with heat resistant silicone.

 

Forenoon a French couple took us ashore, they have been in Panama with their ship for 13 years.

Dad called me at the bar at 10:30 and we had a short conversation concerning the engine.

Then I continued to look for line handlers on the marina terrace.

Herberdt. a 50 year old Swiss engineer, who presently is the crew of Nomadlife agreed to help me. Then I coordinated with Tito to get the lines on M<onday morning.

After 11 left with Bogi for the Colon Bus Terminal and we bused to Panama City from there (2 hours $2.5).

We first went to the hotel where we stayed last and left our luggage.

Then later went into the town to walk (the Old Town and Center).

We tried all kinds of interesting foods on the street along the way.

Bogi also shopped a little, clothes are cheaper here than in Europe (1 polo shirt $1).

Then a farewell dinner at the Coca Coffee: fried fish, oysters, octopus, rice, fried bananas, tuna salad, lentils and 2 large beers!! I finally didn’t get kids portions J They were more attentive and kinder than average in the cook-house style restaurant.

We ate so much that we couldn’t even move afterwards J

So, we cancelled the Friday night Salsa bout.

 

2007.04.14. (203rd day).

 

Got up at 6 in the Malparaiso Hotel. After packing we left at 7 for Albrook and from there to the airport (Tocum).

For breakfast in Albrook at 7:20 we had the usual local fare: Eggs sunny side up, fried wieners and Yuka.

The airport was 45 minutes from here (ticket $1), because traffic is light on Saturday morning.

We were together with Bogi an hour at the airport, then tearful good-bye…

On the way back after 10 traffic jam already on the roads. It took 2 hours to Albrook in 35°C heat, no air conditioning of course.

 

From Albrook I bused directly to Colon, where I shopped for the transit: 15 beers, 1 liter wine, 21 colas, 21 oranges, 10 mangoes, 24 eggs, bread ($13).

 

Met Larsen and Rönald in the evening, they promised to be line handlers.

Later I talked a lot with Frederico, then dinner: meatballs in tomato sauce (I was asleep by 21).

 

 

 

2007.04.15. (204th day).

 

Morning: cleaning the ship’s hull, then shortening the special plastic exhaust pipe, which melted when the cooling didn’t work. I found some more small cracks in it, that part I cut off.

According to plans three people will sleep in the cabin. With this in mind, I had to pack and put things in order.

Later: 30 minute engine test, max speed 4 knots, not good news, but it could be enough – though narrowly L

The engine is running at 75%, I don’t know why (it later turned out to be a faulty spark plug, but you can’t get this type in Colon).

 

Breakfast: coffee.

 

Judith and Graham took me ashore, and I sat in a bar for a beer and hunting for line handlers.

Was talking with Larsen, when a pretty woman asked me, whether I know of a ship looking for line handlers. A pretty woman can come aboard as advisor, she smiles and they chat.

I hoestly told her my situation, but she accepted the discomfort, Natasha is a Dutch traveler who has been traveling around the world for 4 years, mostly in South America. Because my ship can’t make 5 knots (the minimum required in the Canal), Natasha will make up the missing knot with her smile. I hope.

 

Caramba (47 foot catamaran) will be with me tomorrow during transit, Spoke with the captain, (Pierre, Frenchman) and he kindly offered for one person to sleep in his ship.

 

A Dutch traveler (Bem), who has been riding his motorbike in Central America, came up with the idea to take a yacht to San Blas and Colombia. So far this is normal, but he wants to take his 300 kg bike along too. That will be a difficult affair…

Nowadays it is increasingly hard to find yachts traveling in that direction.

 

Two young New Zealanders arrived today in the harbor (in a 47 foot ship). They came from the north Caribbean and are heading for New Zealand. They contracted a boat transfer, their salary will be $13,000 USD, They have 3 months for the voyage, so maximum 3 or 4 stops fit into the time frame.

 

I checked out tonight and he finished checking in. So we were together in Puerto Cristobal. Cost $28.20 +$1.5 USD (other things are generally free), the fellow asked for another $20 USD because of the weekend, I told him I’m broke and have only $10. It was enough from me (you have to bargain here)…

 

The young New Zealander was so well groomed and clean that we took a taxi ($1) because (to walk) with him along  would have been dangerous in the Colon dusk.

 

Judith and Graham invied me for dinner in Nomadlife. Dinner was a very tasty crab.  They came over for drinks from the today arrived neighboring ship.

The captain was the British Olympic Sailing Cadre, who is presently sailing with his wife and  two year old daughters. Goal: New Zealand.

 

2007.04.16. (205th day)

 

After packing and putting things in order early morning around 6 , started to clean the ship’s bottom and side of the hull, of course the propeller too. Algae grow faster in the warm water and unfortunately there are increasingly more clams as well...

Started out to the Panama Canal Yacht Club around 9:30, yesterday we discussed with the officials so that I spend a few hours before the transit.

Dad called me over the bar telephone. Had a Panama beer while waiting for his call. (Already started drinking beer today at 10) J

This will not only be a transit, but the most interesting transit in the history of sailing. I’ve heard that a Canadian 20 footer went through a few years ago, but my ship is even smaller. I want to exploit the local slackness (corruption). The Canadian applied for an official permit to do this.

 

Transiting today! Starting at 15:00. I’ve already found the four most suitable line handlert (linert), or possibly they found me.

In my opinion it is very important that the crew and advisor (ACP’s colleague), be keen, ready for anything, accept everything and believes in this whole thing.

Mark said, that the ACP scheduler (Marine Office Scheduler) asked so that I call him, because “there was some small error in the system”.

I called then a ACP’s colleague also, then went to Citibank, 2-3 hours before start I was still arguing with the officials…

The problem was that, since I paid on April 2nd, the transaction code has expired after 10 days. The card’s limit was lowered again on April 3rd, and the Bank asked for a new transaction code on April 13th,  but couldn’t get it because of the limit.  Unfortunately, even when I called them on Sunday, they did not inform me of the situation.

I started to arrange things rather late, after 11 o’clock, but luckily was able to complete everything.

 

Dad raised the limit and the Bank too, very helpfully, speeded up .

Then the ACP colleague helped also, by 14:00 everything got together and I was confirmed in the system.

Got the permit: transit at 15:00!

Meanwhile I shopped for tonight and tomorrow, then checked the engine.

 

Continuously kept in touch with the liners, as to when and where I shall pick them up.

The liners: Natasha (Holland), Herberdt (Switzerland), Larson (Norway), Rönald (France).

Kept the connection with Cristobal Signal Marine Traffic on the VHF Radio from 14:30. Other than the Caramba (47 foot Catamaran) the Sea Star also starts today, I don’t understand, the original plan calls for me to go into locks with Caramba only. Suspicious. they told me to stand by from 15:30. At 16:30 all advisors were on the (other) ships, only nobody came to our ship. I was getting increasingly nervous. Cristobal Signal notified me at 16:45 that we won’t be transiting today and I should call them for the schedule.

I called them on Larsen’s telephone and they said my advisor is not coming to work today….

 

This meant two problems:

1.    Secure another 4 liners

2.    Another day of delays and tension.

 

The liners kindly offered their help for tomorrow. I thanked them, and we drank 1.5 liters of rum and many, many beers to celebrate.

 

I didn’t anchor in the evening, instead I tied to Larsen’s 28-foot ship, Luna. So the two ships were together.

 

We all went over to the greater ship. Luna is a sensational vessel. Then we looked at the Marina in the evening, I talked with one or 2 acquaintances and returned to Carina after a few drinks.

Could only fall asleep late, after 23:00.

 

2007.04.17. (206th day).

 

 Got up early in the morning and entered the water to check the hull, even cleaned the bottom a little.

Then checked the engine. One of the plugs didn’t work right. Burned the dirt off the sparkplugs over the gas cooker.

Wiped off the cables to make everything clean.

Meanwhile Larsen called the APC to find out today’s transit time. Answer: 18:00 today.  Seems a little late…

 

Then after 9 I motored into the Marina. Talked about my situation with Roger, Tito, but they calmed me. Transiting for sure today!

 

Late morning in the marina a Canadian lady approached and indicated that she knows me. - ? ? ? Luis’ (Hungarian radio amateur, who lives in Canada and helped me a lot) wife’s (Olga) ex-colleague. Olga told them about me. J)

It took 6 months for the Canadian couple to get here from Canada, and they’re planning to cross the Pacific Ocean. It’s a small world…

 

Went to buy rum, fruits and vegetables again.

After 14:00 called the ACP center again to confirm the transit time. They confirmed 18:00.

Kept in contact with Cristobal Signal from 14:30 on VHF channel 12.

Everything is OK.

Tito too called ACP again, transit today at 17:00. Oops, then we better get ready.

We circled in the anchorage from 16:45 and waited for news over the radio.

The answer: all’s well. We’re ready and waiting.

At 17:05 our advisor, Jose arrived.

He’s in his thirties, works at Cristobal Signal at the radio center, sailed all over the world as a professional seaman, as Third Officer. A kind and helpful man.

At 19:00 we waited for all the small ships to assemble before the lock and tied all the ships together.

The large vessel was in the center (over 40 feet), on her port side was the 32 foot, Junk rigged, two masted ship, then Carina. We used three lines to tie us together: one forward, one aft and one across the middle.

The “locking” begun, together with a large, 30,000 ton ship, but we were far from it, about 50 meters away.

Carina’s line handlers had nothing to do because she’s so small, so the port side lines were handled by the larger vessel’s handlers, the ones on our starboard side by the Junk rig handlers. 

Everything went smoothly, it was very interesting and exciting to rise together 10 meters per lock.

After the rise ended, there was a small problem, Carina let the forward line go before the stern line. I already let he stern line go, but the larger ships handler has not yet finished releasing it from the cleat. Mike, captain of the larger vessel did’nt notice the situation and put his engine in gear, his vessel started moving, the line tightened, Carina turned around, and was towed stern first. I was on the stern and kept Carina from hitting the larger ship’s wind steering mechanism. Carina being only 1 ton, was easy to keep her away from the other ship…

The large ship slowed, the stern line slackened and the handler returned it to me.

Then I waited a little and started the engine. (Officially the engine is not supposed to stop while in the lock and even after).

Carina started toward the northern buoys of Gatun Lake. Everything is OK, we’re past the first lock!!

The engine stopped after 20 minutes, Started checking it, Cooling system OK, ignition OK…Re-started, but it stopped again after 5 minutes, then I couldn’t even start it L

The buoy wasn’t too far, so the line handlers creatively started to row toward the buoy. I was busy with the engine.

The pilot boat that came for the Advisor was  waiting nervously already. They were about to call a towboat , but gave us another 5 minutes and the liners managed to row in!!

Tied to the buoy with 2 lines, also with two lines to the boat ahead of us. This way we surely couldn’t collide.

The Advisor was in a hurry, he didn’t even want to drink, just left.

Then I poured a rum and coke for everybody with ice and started to cook rice.

Went over to the neighboring (Junk rigged) captain to ask what he thought. We talked some then I went back to the crew and we held our first conference:

1.  I called on VHF (ch. 69) the larger vessel tied to the other buoy and explained our situation. He gave me some advice, mostly of technical nature.

Then Larson also called him and inquired about the possibility of  a tow.

Mike, the captain was very helpful and willing. He said he’ll do everything for Carina that does not endanger his ship and the Advisors accept. So, if necessary he’ll come back next day for Carina to tow her.

This was of course thanks to Larsen, whom Mike knew from San Blas already! True, he also knew me from Colombia but we didn’t talk with each other then.

The rice being ready I fried 15 sausages and cut vegetables (green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers) then with a little sauce, everybody liked everything. Then came two rounds of rum and coke with ice, a little wine.

Everybody loosened up, so we held the next serious conference about tomorrow’s schedule, plans and possibilities. Then we started to check and fix the engine together. Natasha meanwhile put some music on, so, in a word it was a bout-style repair J

The problem turned out to be a clogged fuel line and by 23:30 we finished the work, all the other ships were asleep already. We drank andother 4 or 5 rounds and went to bed after 1. It was rather interesting: Herbert and Larsen in the cabin,  I was in the cockpit, Natasha and Rönald on the buoy. This hasn’t happened before either: someone to sleep on the buoy J

 

2007.04.18. (207th day).

 

 Got up at dawn, 4:48 because it was raining. Natasha and Rönald woke up on the buoy, because it was already raining very hard. It was an interesting scene, how five of us fit into the cabin. When I sailed on Lake Balaton we had similar scenes but I didn’t have so much stuff packed in the boat. Friends I sailed with often, and a lot, will perhaps understand this situation. (During those days my principal  was that anybody who wanted to come could come and we were more than the allowed six, i.e. ten persons. That was good preparation for this tour.)

Larsen and Herberdt didn’t wake up, so the three of us tried to rest in the small place. After some 30 minutes the rain eased, so I made a tarp from the old main sail, a little tent over the cockpit. So Nasha and Rönald could go to sleep there but it didn’t go simply.

I relaxed on the middle bed, that isn’t really a bed because I could only  fit in an S shape on it.

Got up before 6 (the rain has stopped), first I filled up the tank completely (22 liters, theoretically this should be enough J

Then went into the water to check the hull and propeller, everything was OK. True, there are many crocodiles here, but others were swimming too. I.e. Larsen swam across to Mike to talk over the possibilities.

We spoke of the possibilities over the VHF radio several times yesterday. Captain Mike was maximum help.

They’ll help with everything, even a tow, if the Advisors permit. It would be against the rules…

I was glad I met Mike and his kind team.

 

Carina’s advisor, Ivan arrived and we started out first.

Ivan is a pilot in his thirties, college professor who is being asked to help  out as an advisor during the peak season (April, May), one could tell he’s very pro.

The other advisors were laughing at him, pulling his leg…

We went ahead with 6 persons, a weak following wind, about 3.8 – 4 knot speed. Larsen suggested after the first buoy that everybody go over to Mike’s. I agreed, this was so much against the rules, that it has never occurred to me….

Ivan and the other advisor accepted it also (and of course Mike as well), so Natasha, Rönald and Herberdt transferred to the larger ship.

Thus my ship became lighter, I hoisted the Genoa too, so we could progress at 4 - 4.2 knot speed.  I used the autopilot so we could keep course very well. We used every possible shortcut, zigzagged between islands. True, he called the Center for special permit before more drastic cuts and deviations. Naturally, we sailed outside the buoys and often sounded the bottom with handheld lead.

Made an omelett for breakfast (with coffee, orange juice, vegetables and fruits….)

Lunch was fried wierners, (with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, vegetables, mountains of fruit and chips.).

In other words I was cookjing, Larsen was steering and did it very well. I felt they understood each other with Ivan.

Luckily there was no rain, though the sun shore brightly and made a bimini (tarp/tr) using the main sail Ivan J

Ivan asked for ice over the radio, a pilot came and brought ice.J This is luxury J

 

This canal system leads through an artificial lake that is an ecologically protected area and is wonderful!!

There are many, many little islands, jungle, monkeys, crocodiles. We saw a crocodile and I photographed it!

 

We caught up with the other two ships sometime before 14:00, true, they waited for us J  We tied the ships together again, using three lines and many bumpers.

We were an hour late, but no great problem, they modified the transit sequenceJ

We didn’t handle anything in the locks, the larger ship’s crew handled the two (port) lines, the other, 32 foot ship’s crew handled the two lines on the starboard side.

True, I was often alone in the ship because the Advisor and my line handlers went over to the larger, more comfortable vessel…I continually checked the bumpers and lines and of course photographed and made videos.

 

The mood was festive after the last lock, though Ivan left in a hurry, a pilot boat came for him.

 

Sailed under the bridge at 15:30. WE MADE IT!  Poured a rum and coke for everybody, then another and another. By the time we got to the Marina. nobody was feeling any pain…J

Herberdt steered the ship, I took over for maneuvering. The fueling dock was full, so I stayed at a buoy, then another and yet at a third one.

Finally Carina found the 3rd buoy suitable.

 

I made history today. The smallest sailboat that transited the Canal following the rules!  Though it isn’t official, I don’t care much about records, but a very interesting moment during my Voyage J

I thank the liners for their help, these last three days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) were an unbelievable experience. The real reason for success was that we could learn from- and were interested in each other.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!

 

We went ashore at 6 and I said good bye to he liners.

I’m glad I could provide them with this huge adventure, I believe they’ll never forget it. Like they won’t forget: Lalala either.

My message to them: I hope we’ll meet again!!

 

Once I sat down, I quickly made 1 or 2 new acquaintances, the neighboring ship is Austrian, for example, an American helpfully explained what was where in the Marina.

 

Roger, (Tito’s boss, the Dockmaster of the Panama Yacht Club) came before 7 to pick up the four 125 foot lines and returned the $60 USD deposit.  He said this was the smallest ship to transit, a 20 foot Canadian sailboat transited a few years ago but he had special permission.

 

Interneted in the bar from 19 to 23:30 hours, I had plenty to do. I was very tired but afterwards I ate the leftovers from lunch.

 

2007.04.19. (208th day)

 

I got up tired, sleepy and in a bad mood at 6 in the morning. There’s too much to do. Cleaned up for about an hour….There were 6 people in the ship yesterday….Lots of empty bottles J and rotten bananas. Bananas last only 2 –3 days here without refrigeration.

Then I checked the solar panel, wiped it off well, plus after an acetone wash, applied another layer of  lacquer. It still needs another 1 or 2 layers more…

The solar panel was in the cabin during transit. Dangerous business in the locks plus during that time the APC colleagues throw lines on the ship’s deck, and if their aim is off then they could break the solar panel.

Breakfast: leftovers from yesterday’s lunch (fried wieners).

Went ashore with the free watertaxi even before 8, where I started interneting, 1 or  2 hours were spent on brief talks with friends and acquaintances. I.e. installing the new MSN, uploading about 350 pictures through WLAN. So I interneted until about noon, then went into town with the Happy Tours bus (tickets cost 25 cents and are frequently more cultured than the BKV (Budapest Transit Authority/tr) - interesting info for BKV), then continued on foot, and ate the usual $1 soup along the way.

The manager of Happy Tours Travel Bureau helped me (for the sails: thanks to; István Dénes., Vitorlás Magazin, Pannon Sail, Farkas Litkey, Bence Litkey, Doyle Sails) to store the sails, the 3 new sails couldn’t have fit into the ship during transit. Yet I’m getting tomorrow via Fedex:  Waterlog, Autopilot.

Thank you Sr. Alvaro Guzman Z.

 

Afternoon walked to the nearby gas pump (2 km) for fuel, 23 liters of benzin cost $18 USD. Unfortunately the fueling dock was out of gas.  During transit: 1st day used 5 liters, 2nd day 20 liters (motored 9 hours).

Later started to fill up ther water supply (80 liters today), because all tanks were empty before transit,

And of course packing in the cabin. Sometimes I feel it’ll never end J

Dinner: fried wieners.

During the evening, because I couldn’t work in the dark, went ashore to internet, write my log, upload pictures and videos to the meder.hu server. It lasted until late night…Meanwhile charged up my hand camera’s battery.

 

B . András’ videos from the Webcam:

Up-locking to Lake Gatun
After the Centennial Bridge
Down-locking to the Pacific Ocean