We awoke Christmas Day, rested and ready to strike out on the Pacific part of this trip. Feliz Navidad/Merry Christmas to all. I stated how impressive the canal itself was and it is true. The transit itself was equally as interesting. We start by picking up Tito and Pedro, our required line handlers. Both were characters. We left Shelter Bay and went to Area F, the designated spot by the Canal Authorities where we pick up our required pilot. Jose and his trainee, Liz, both come aboard. We now have 7 people on the Reliant, a Pearson 35. It is our responsibility to provide meals of high standard to all. Our schedule was set to go through Gatun Lock and the anchor overnight. We would then exchange pilots, Edwin and Victor (trainee). From there, we transit and finish a three o’clock the next day. Welcome to communal life.
To put the situation into perspective, Reliant has but one head (bathroom). There are three berths inside the cabin. This Pearson 35 has been modified from the standard layout. Hunter and I pulled the backrest cushions off the berths and slept out in the cockpit. Surprisingly, it was comfortable and we experienced no bugs. Tito, Pedro and Meredith were below. I remarked to Meredith how amazing it was there were no mosquitoes. She corrected me, there were plenty inside the boat.
I am a private person. It was difficult to be host on a small sailboat with this concentration of people. We managed with style. Meredith whipped up breakfast, lunches and dinners that everyone enjoyed with enthusiasm. It was extremely hot going through the canal. The stove heat compounded Meredith’s discomfort. We were short on canned drinks. None of us are soda pop drinkers but the handlers and pilots would drink as many as they could. Regardless, we made some new friends. We had an interesting and happy group. It was reminiscent of being in a college dorm.
Yesterday afternoon, we went to a super market that makes Wall Mart look like a corner grocery. This place had everything. It was in the middle of old Panama City and it was packed with people preparing for Christmas meals. I made back my cab fare average I lost in Isla Providencia as it only cost $3.00 to ride from the Balboa Yacht Club to the heart of the city. For anyone considering ex-pating to Panama, it is a very inexpensive place to live.
I suspect it will be a few days until I can blog again. Our next stop is planned to be Golfito, Costa Rica. I would love to explore the islands on the west coast of Panama. I know there are some surf breaks there that are world class. I am out of time as I need to get the boat in charter during tourist season, which has started. Time is a precious commodity. There is so much to do in life, it is difficult to fit it all in. At least on this trip we got to see two of the wonders of the world, the canal and Chitchen-Itza.
Hasta Luego
25 Deciembre, 2013
Balboa
Panama
Reliant/Relianto
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