Gulf of Panama and The CanalZ
By the time we woke up this morning, we found the winds and currents had slowed our progress somewhat, but it certainly hadn’t dampened our spirits. For a couple of hours we stopped by the islands of Otoque and Bona in the Gulf of Panama, lowered Zodiacs, and gawked at the hundreds of magnificent frigatebirds, brown boobies, brown pelicans, some blue-footed boobies, egrets and sandpipers. Downy chicks and juveniles of several species were in evidence, and male frigates were displaying bright red pouches, visible from great distances.
The excitement level however, mounted with every mile that brought us closer to our main objective: the Panama Canal. On board we have the Manchester Yacht Club, out of Manchester, Massachusetts, and every ship spotted (more and more as we approached), was inspected and discussed: what was the cargo? Where was it going? Where did it come from?
With the club burgee flying off the flagstaff, drinks in hand and canal line-handlers on the bow, we celebrated entering our first lock of six total as the sun sank in the west and we left the Bridge of the Americas and the Pacific Ocean behind us in the south. Our sights were now set to the north, to Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, the Gaillard Cut, Gamboa, Gatun Lake, Barro Colorado Natural Monument, Gatun locks, and finally the Caribbean, which we would reach tomorrow evening.
Clanking electric mules fired up at our approach, the first in line to transit north for the afternoon. The rowboat and line-handlers prepared their throws, while grackles lined the swing bridge and served as a rowdy audience to our admission to this most famous of canals.
By the time we woke up this morning, we found the winds and currents had slowed our progress somewhat, but it certainly hadn’t dampened our spirits. For a couple of hours we stopped by the islands of Otoque and Bona in the Gulf of Panama, lowered Zodiacs, and gawked at the hundreds of magnificent frigatebirds, brown boobies, brown pelicans, some blue-footed boobies, egrets and sandpipers. Downy chicks and juveniles of several species were in evidence, and male frigates were displaying bright red pouches, visible from great distances.
The excitement level however, mounted with every mile that brought us closer to our main objective: the Panama Canal. On board we have the Manchester Yacht Club, out of Manchester, Massachusetts, and every ship spotted (more and more as we approached), was inspected and discussed: what was the cargo? Where was it going? Where did it come from?
With the club burgee flying off the flagstaff, drinks in hand and canal line-handlers on the bow, we celebrated entering our first lock of six total as the sun sank in the west and we left the Bridge of the Americas and the Pacific Ocean behind us in the south. Our sights were now set to the north, to Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, the Gaillard Cut, Gamboa, Gatun Lake, Barro Colorado Natural Monument, Gatun locks, and finally the Caribbean, which we would reach tomorrow evening.
Clanking electric mules fired up at our approach, the first in line to transit north for the afternoon. The rowboat and line-handlers prepared their throws, while grackles lined the swing bridge and served as a rowdy audience to our admission to this most famous of canals.
