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June 27 2013
Greetings,
This morning we took Kay to the dock to head home so we’re back to just the two of us until Wednesday when our next company arrives. We’ll have enough time to get Second Star all tidied up and do some maintenance projects before Phil gets here and we head out to do a little exploring of the Archipielago de las Perlas.
So, I suppose you want to hear about the canal transit now. Okay, so I left off when we were going to the marina to get ready. Our agent had told us the lines and tires would be delivered to Second Star on the 21st at 1100 hrs and that we were to be in the F anchorage (refered to as the “flats”) by 1300 hrs to pick up our adviser. The next we heard from him, he said we didn’t have to be to the flats until 1400 hrs. At about 1100 we found out that our lines and tires had been delivered to another boat, on the other side of the marina, the day before. And, that we had to be in the fates by 1230. While Johne dealt with the Authorities for our paperwork, our friends Harry and Matilthe, who were going with us on the transit, got a marina cart and moved the 12 tires and 4 very large lines over to Second Star and we hurried to get going. We were told to call the canal authorities on the radio to confirm we would be in the flats at the appointed time, so, as soon as we were underway headed over there, we called and were told that our adviser would be there at 1300 hrs. We got to the flats, tied to a mooring, and, while I made sandwiches, the guys got the tires hung on the sides of the boat. We ate and waited for the adviser to come. There were two other boats, both small sail boats, that were also there getting ready to go through. At about 1340 we saw the pilot boat coming to bring the advisers out. They went to the sail boats first then came to us. Two guys came aboard and we were told we had an adviser and an adviser-in-training. We set off toward the locks and they told us how we’d be rafting with the sail boats. The advisers were nice but we found when we got to the locks that they were either giving too much advice (how to steer the boat) or not enough information (how the lines needed to be prepped before they were tied to the messenger to be pulled up to the wall). Once we had gotten through the first lock, and we understood what needed to happen, the next two locks went very smoothly and the advisers said we did a great job. I responded that if you tell us what we need to do, we had a good crew and we could do it.
The little boats being tied to us made a little extra challenge. It changed the steering dynamics, especially when they were trying to “help” steer so I was fighting their rudders. But Second Star is strong enough to do the job.
After we got though the locks it was a short trip to the mooring in lake Gatun where we would spend the night. We got tied up, sent the advisers on there way and had an awesome lobster dinner to celebrate the solstice and to thank our crew for there hard work in getting that far. We talked over dinner about the next day and our plan for the rest of the trip.
The day would start early. The adviser(s) would be coming at about 0600. It is 28 miles from the mooring to the next lock, and since we cruise so much faster than the sail boats, we thought it would make sense to let them get a head start and have a bit more leisurely morning.
We saw the pilot boat coming at 0615 but after they drop off the advisers on the sail boats, they came and told us our adviser would be there soon. No problem. As I said, we wanted to leave later anyway. At about 0630 we saw another pilot boat coming. Again, we got two advisers. The not-in-training adviser said we should get underway. We explained our thinking as far as catching up with the sail boats. He said we were supposed to be at the locks by 1000 and we should go. Johne ask if we were going though with the sail boats because they wouldn’t be there by 1000. The adviser said he wasn’t sure if we’d have to wait for them or not, and we should go ahead. So, we fired up the engines and headed out. After a little more than an hour, we passed the sail boats and Johne reiterated that if we would be waiting for them, we’d need a place to tie up so we weren’t idling in circles for an hour. So when we got to the lock, sure enough, we were going to have to wait for a tourist cruise boat and our little parasites (as we were affectionately calling them). We tied to the wall and shut down our engines to wait. After about an hour the tourist boat got there and the advisers said the little boats would be there soon. So we went to fire up the mains, but our port main starter motor gremlin, which hadn’t reared its ugly head in nine months, pick that moment to return. Sometimes when the starter is hot it simply won’t start. So now we’re going to have to do this on only the starboard engine. More challenging and stressful, but not impossible. We pull into the lock and along side the big tourist boat and they tied us to their port side. The little boats (when they get there) are rafted to each other and on their own. That went very smoothly and we pulled out of that lock with no problems. After that, there’s a small lake to cross before the last two locks. That part was easy. Along the way Johne kept trying the port engine to see if it would catch. No joy. In the last two locks they decided to put us on the wall. So I pull along the wall, into the first lock. The guy on the wall takes the bow line and Johne lassos the stern bollard. We ride down as the water flows out. No problems. Only one more lock to go. I get the boat moving down the wall into the last lock. We’re almost in place. But there’s nobody on the wall to receive the lines. By this point we are very impressed (not in a good way) by the communication among the Panama canal crews. Our bow starts to drift toward the wall. Harry’s fending off. The stern is drifting out. With only the starboard engine, engaging in either forward or reverse will only exacerbate the problem. The wall guys finally get there and take the lines. We get turned and secured to the wall with only a minor scrap on the rub rail (which is what it’s there for). Whew! The water goes out. We pull out of the lock and right after the boat comes to pick up the advisers, the port engine fires up like nothing was ever wrong (we’ve replaced that starter now).
Returning the tires and lines and getting to the anchorage went without a hitch. We tried the first anchorage on the south side of the causeway, but it was a bit rough, with the angle of the wave set and the traffic from the canal, so we moved to the main anchorage around the north east side.
We’ve now been here a week. A gale came through and we didn’t drag so we‘re gaining some confidence that our anchor is well stuck, but we have to be careful here because the wind does come up pretty fast and, even if we don‘t drag, others have been.
This week we’ve been getting our supplies restocked. Once we head for Ecuador it will be more difficult to get a lot of things...
June 13 2013
0900 hrs
Greetings,
The sun came out this morning. It’s been dreary and rainy for the last several days which hasn’t made dealing with this shipment issue any easier. And it’s still going on. After having spent two and a half days trying to deal with the port only to be told at every turn, “You can’t do this. Where is your Delvi (the company that did the shipping) agent? You don’t have the right paper work. They need to be here to handle this.” And many phone calls back and forth with Port officials talking to people at Delvi and getting nowhere, yesterday, Johne emailed the person at Delvi in Miami who was our initial contact person on April 23 when all this started. He sent Maria a timeline referring to all our email and phone requests for information over the pas six weeks, told her we had run up against a wall and asked for her help in resolving this and getting our stuff aboard the boat. At this point, She has sent the woman who told us we were responsible for dealing with the port from Panama City to take care of this and we are hoping the cargo will be delivered this morning…
June 14 2013
2300 hrs
Well, the cargo did get aboard yesterday but not until 1600 hrs. After all the headaches and hassles of dealing with this shipment at least, in the end, Delvi made it right. I’m very glad to be done with that saga and moving on.
Today we were back to the water maker saga. We had sent the problem part to the machine shop to get replacements made in stainless steel. They were supposed to be done on Monday but weren‘t back to Colon until Wednesday night. And with the Delvi crap yesterday we couldn’t get in to check them until this morning. Par for the course, when Johne check the new parts with the micrometer there were several problems. So back to the shop in Panama City they went. Johne spent the whole day with our new Panamanian friends, two sisters, one of whom had arranged for the work, getting the parts fixed. First thing in the morning we’ll put the water maker back together and see if (fingers crossed) this is the cure…
June 15 2013
1100 hrs
No joy with the new parts. They are just slightly too big so they have to go back to the shop to get small enough to fit inside the tubes. That probably can’t happen until Monday or Tuesday. We’ll be going into the city on Tuesday anyway to pick up our friend Kay who will be making the transit with us. We’ll see how is best to coordinate it.
June 20 2013
1030 hrs
Well, everything is going great right now. Tuesday, we took the water maker parts, and the tube they had to fit with, back to the shop, and they took just enough off of them to make them fit. We got some shopping done and picked Kay up at the airport and got back to Colon before dark. We got Kay situated aboard and had a lovely visit over dinner, and then we were off to bed.
Wednesday morning we put the water maker back together, crossed our fingers and held our breath. IT’S WORKING! YEA! So far we’ve run it 3 times for more than 2 hours each and it seems to be doing great. No leaks so far.
Wednesday afternoon we left the anchorage by the port and came back to the Chagres river. Last night and this morning we’ve been enjoying the peace and calm and all the jungle noises and sights here.
In just a little while we’re going to go to the marina where we will do the last prep work for the transit though the canal. Tomorrow we’ll be picking up the lines and tire/fenders and our friends who will be our line handlers. And then, at about noon we’ll be headed back to F anchorage to wait for the adviser to come aboard. At that point it’s just waiting for our turn. The first part of the transit will be made Friday afternoon. We’ll go through the first set of locks and to a mooring in the lake. Saturday morning we’ll finish the crossing. I’ll be leaving a SPOT trail, not every 2 hours like usual but as often as seems best to make a good track all the way through. If you want to follow the trip, click on “where is Second Star to the right of the Blog page.
Next entry will be from the Pacific side…
June 4 2013
Greetings,
We’re on anchor at Escudo de Veraguas, a lovely little island about 50 miles east of Bocas. The trip here yesterday was very pleasant. We had a 3 foot rolling sea. Not choppy at all. Second Star ran well and, with her bottom freshly scrubbed, slid through the water beautifully. When we got here and had the anchor set, we swam to shore or a walk on the beach. There are a few small thatched roof shelters but we didn’t see any people. This morning two local guys in a boat come by trying to sell fish. But they left and it’s just us again.
The wind shifted a lot during the night so we were up lots on anchor watch. The anchor held fine but it wasn’t the best nights sleep. When Capt Johne got up this morning I went back to sleep to try to catch up a bit. We’re planning on spending the day here. Hopefully enjoy some snorkeling or diving later, and do an overnight trip to Colon…
June 5 2013
We’ve made it to the anchorage at Colon where you get measured to go through the canal. We had a very nice passage last night which, for me, included an awesome shooting star, and dolphin in the bow wake illuminated by the bio luminescent (WOW!). We got into the Rio Chagres at 0715 and anchored for the morning surrounded by the lush jungle, and the sounds of many birds and howler monkeys. It was a lovely morning followed by lunch, a nap and then the short trip here.
When we left the river the scenery changed from jungle to a sea of tanker and container ships. Johne counted 37 big ships anchored on the outside of the “break water” and he doesn’t think he got them all. Plus, there were more anchored on the inside. All awaiting their turn to go through the Canal.
Yesterday, before we left Escudo, we did get a snorkel in. We saw a school of Palometa which I had never seen before. They are silvery and pearly in the sun light. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to stopping there again the next time we’re passing that way…
June 8 2013
The last three days have been very productive. Thursday we got admeasured and they give us our transit date, June 21st; Friday Capt Johne met our agent, completed our paper work and paid the transit fees; today we met the ladies who are taking care of the machine work for the water maker and they helped us with where to find other things we need in town.
We’ve had some things shipped down here from the states and the communication with the freight expediter has been frustrating at best. We’ve been try for weeks to get info on exactly where and how we are supposed to get our stuff. The last we were told was it will be coming to the Cristobal Port, a huge commercial container port. Now, we can’t just pull Second Star into the port and say “where’s our stuff” so this morning Sharon and I dropped Johne off on a dock at the port and went into town to do some errands. About an hour later I got a phone call from the head of port security saying he had my Captain, that he wasn’t supposed to be there and that they couldn’t let him leave through the gate. In the end, we just had to come back and pick him up where we’d dropped him off so they didn’t have to admit that he’d gotten where he shouldn’t have been without them catching it (too much paper work involved with that). He could have been in big trouble, especially when he found that he’d forgotten to put the copy of his passport back in his wallet and he had no ID except a PriceSmart card. But all’s well that ends well. He didn’t get arrested and it gave Port Security something out of the ordinary to entertain them. And, now we know the next step to picking up our shipment which will arrive here on Monday….
June 1 2013
Greetings,
I got back to Bocas about a week ago. The trip to FL was productive. I worked, spent time with friends and family (Mom, my sister, nieces and nephew drove down for the last weekend I was there), and, as always on these trips, picked up a bunch more stuff for the boat.
Now we are getting ready to leave Bocas to head for Colon and the beginning of our Canal transit adventure. Today we took Second Star to Almirante to fuel up. We spent most of yesterday scrubbing the bottom and polishing the props. We’re going to take three days, going in tandem with our friend Sharon aboard Ko Komo Kat, to get to Colon. We stop on the way to fish and dive and we’ll anchor over night. So it should be an easy and fun passage. We’ll be sending out SPOT tracking while underway so if you want to follow the trip click on the “Where is Second Star” link to the right of the blog page. We’re planning on leaving Monday morning at about 0730 or 0800 CDT, and we’ll be getting into Colon sometime Wednesday afternoon.
There’s more getting ready to do so, with a promise to post more soon, I’ll get back to work…
