No More Transits – Finally Got The T-Shirt

Panama Canal – The Land Divided, The World United

Did two more transits of the Canal this week. Chris came alone on the US boat Legacy, a Saga 43 and I did another transit a day later on the Dutch boat Fruit de Mer, an Allure 44. Now that I have the t-shirt I think I can stop running back and forth across the continent.
There are a ton of European boats that are doing their transit to the Pacific this time of year. Lots of opportunities for line-handlers, as each boat requires a skipper and 4 line handlers. The Canal has decided to take the South-bound boats (to the Pacific) through in one day, instead of having them anchor in Lake Gatun for the night. This means that most boats are doing a large part of the Canal at night. Last fall the rules were no hand-line boats at night, way too dangerous. Legacy was scheduled for a one day transit, but when we exited the Gatun locks they said we were too late to make the last lock down on the Pacific side, so we ended up in the lake for the night anyway and got to sight see during the daylight passage.
  Chris, the casual skipper on Legacy stopping for some extra energy while a big Mersk freighter bares down in the lock. Chris left Alaska 9 years ago and is heading back up to Mexico to catch up with his wife.
Heading into the locks rafted up to two other sailboats.

The Centenario Bridge from the deck of Legacy, with crew member Patrick enjoying the view.

The same bridge at night from the deck of Fruit de Mer
The Gatun Locks doors closing on Fruit de Mer
The 360 foot, 170 passenger Star Flyer exiting the Canal.
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Hiking through the trails and the old Fort Sherman roads, here in Shelter Bay, always allows some cool wildlife spotting. Actually, we hike out to go Sloth Spotting. Haven’t seen one yet.
This guy is a grumpy howler. The howler monkeys make the most amazing noise, must’ve scared the day lights out of the unsuspecting Spanish when they first landed on these shores.

A baby howler who was very interested in what we were doing at ground level.

Check the baby on the left with its tail securely wrapped around mom’s tail, with dad protecting the rear.

Sometimes you have to stretch for the good morsels.

I hope he stays up in the tree.

This guy is actually a monkey Chris saw on her last trip to Malawi

Another Malawi monkey. Can you figure out how to tell the difference between a Malawian monkey and a Panamanian monkey?

Mom giving junior a ride in the Fort Sherman jungle

Paul and Chris

“This Could Be a Bad Idea”

“5 AMS [like in amateurs] In Control. 1 Van we hope survives - 1 filmer we also hopes survives - $200 a day”
Rome Snowboards
Our son Derrek is one of the ‘5 AMS IN CONTROL’ on this Rome Snowboards road trip. The aim is to shoot some  footage for Rome’s snowboard video production team. That’s Derrek on the right.
  This COULD be a bad idea…
Think snow.
Paul

Dock Visitor

This croc decided to cruise behind Jeorgia and look for small children and dogs on the dock the other day.
Well, I don’t drink vodka. I went to the local hardware store yesterday to get some paint thinner. All I could see was gallon plastic jugs of it. I didn’t want that much. Then I noticed on the shelf below it were these bottles of what I assume is Russian Vodka. Each had a ‘T’ marked on the top of the cap to indicate it really wasn’t vodka, but paint thinner. Doesn’t seem like the safest way to recycle bottles and labels, even in a personal responsibility culture.
I have a detailed picture of the 6 inch second degree burn on my hip that I decided to censor from the blog – too ugly. Thanks to Silverdine and lots of clean wound care it is starting to look like I’ll heal back to my beautiful self. Chris is working and traveling around Malawai till the 21st.
Paul