‘Locked’ and Loaded – Panama Canal

28 Days

For 20 months we have been doing this commuter cruiser thing. It works. I know it seems like a lot of travel and it is but you are going to your boat and that is never a hardship. It’s not like flying to Buffalo in winter. Originally we would come home and work for three weeks and then go back. Now that the boat is further away we have been coming home for 4 weeks. You would be surprised how that extra week feels. For years we vacationed twice a year so what am I talking about! But after you have the fever like us being away from your boat for 28 days sucks!

Swelter Bay

Shelter Bay Marina is like the movie “Defending your life” where everyone is stuck in one place waiting to go to heaven and they can’t leave until they are judged. If fact it’s exactly like that. No one goes to Shelter Bay unless they are transiting the canal. There are no cruising destinations nearby. It’s at the dead end of the Caribbean and the Pacific is on the other side. You just have to make it to Shelter Bay and wait…. To be judged. Well, measured, but it feels the same. The measuring guy works for the canal authority and he is your ticket to inspect your boat and qualify your crew. If in good order and monies are paid you get your certificate and then you request a date. You wait patiently while the date gods are pondering and then you get it. Now it’s real. And everyone there is doing the exact same thing. No one is there for a marina stop. It’s for the canal and now you have a date. Immediately you run around the dock and tell all your neighbors. They come out to see you and everyone is excited. Some have their dates already but most don’t. And so it goes in Shelter Bay. Oh…..and its hot there.

2 Live Crew

Lennie and I cruise alone. It’s our thing. We love inviting family and friends because we want to – the canal authorities explained you HAVE to. I mean you need 4 people plus captain on board or you don’t go through. And our date was originally quoted at 12 days out. I asked if we could go sooner and 4 hours later I get a call that said day after tomorrow. I can’t say….how about another day that is more convenient? They aren’t interested. They are moving 10% of the world’s cargo and fitting in a few cruising sailboats as a courtesy. Now my date is on us. Need crew. Need Crew now. In Panama. What would you do? Fortunately our neighbor on a power boat heard us talking about it and offered to help. It would be good for him to get a dry run before he took his boat through. One down two to go. I called some friends, and what’s great is the canal is a bucket list item for a lot of guys. The call went like this. “I am in Panama with the boat going through the canal and need help can you fly down tonight”. A millisecond later I hear YES. This happened twice. No calling the wife, Job, Family, etc. Just yes. Easier than I thought.

The Show

When baseball players get drafted to the big leagues its called “going to the show”. This is what I was thinking as we motored off toward the rendezvous point to pick up our advisor for the first night transit. It’s real, it’s here and it’s on! Our crew was excited and night was coming as we motored into the first lock. I can’t explain the experience but you will see it in this video. Enjoy!