So the big day arrived and there we were, loaded to the gunnels with enough food, water and alcoholic beverages to supply a third world country, ready to experience the eighth wonder of the world, the Panama Canal. Continue reading “Locked & Loaded – The Panama Canal”
We had an easy 23NM sail from Portobelo to Cristobal Harbour, and the beginning of the Panama Canal. As we approached, more and more ‘targets’ popped up on the screen, many at anchor but a fair number moving in and out of the Canal. It was quite a sight. Feeling very small and insignificant we radioed Cristobal Signal tower and requested permission to come in and make our way to Shelter Bay Marina. Continue reading “The Pub With No Beer – Shelter Bay, Panama”
On the way from San Blas to Colon we stopped at Portobelo, a small place with a big history. Continue reading “Myths & Mysteries – Portobelo, Panama”
We’d been told by so many people not to miss the San Blas islands that we just had to visit, despite the clock ticking on our Panama Canal transit. Continue reading “Adventures in Paradise – The San Blas Islands”
It’s 3.30am on our first night after leaving Aruba, and I’ve just started my 3- hour watch. The wind is steady at 20 kts and we’ve got a reef in the main and the jib partially furled. There’s no moon tonight so it’s inky black out there, but the stars are putting on their best display, the Milky Way a glittering belt encircling us above. I listen to the familiar creaks and groans of Toucan as she rides over the swells and watch the little blue triangle (that’s us) marching across the chartplotter screen. Suddenly two orange monsters appear on the screen, one crossing our path ahead, the other coming side-on. These are the ‘targets’ that our AIS (Automatic Identification System) picks up, better known as bulk cargo carriers, plying their trade across the oceans of the world. They’re big and fast and I certainly don’t want to be the meat in their orange sandwich. Continue reading “Dancing In The Dark – passage to San Blas”
Curacao is very different from Bonaire. It’s much more industrialized and commercialized, and they even have traffic jams and traffic lights! The island is mainly famous for its’ liqueur and for the Queen Emma floating pedestrian bridge that spans the two sides of Willemstad, the capital. Originally built in 1888 and subsequently upgraded, at 548 ft it’s the longest bridge of its kind in the world. Considering that Willemstad is a busy industrial port, it’s particularly bizarre that all vessels have to enter via this bridge, which swings open on demand, powered by two diesel engines! We got to experience this first-hand when we went to Curacao Marine in the harbour, but more on that later.. Continue reading “The Bridge – Curacao”
