This weekend we were line handlers on*friends' 42 foot sailboat*through the Panama Canal.** Here are a few details:
*
Every recreational vessel is required to have 4 line handlers, each equipped with a 1"x125' line.* Prior to the passage, there are many forms*to be filled out and money deposited in the bank.* The vessel is also officially measured.* Saturday*morning,*the day of the transit,*we picked up our Canal Advisor (pretty much the same as a pilot) at 6 am.* He directs all activities on the vessel as we go through the locks.* There are 3 different sets of locks in the canal.* First is*a 2-step flight*at Miraflores, and then a single flight*at Pedro Miguel; these*locks lift ships from the Pacific up to Lake Gatun.** You then cross the lake, about 21 miles,*to the*triple flight at Gatun that lowers you down to the Atlantic.* Each*lock chamber is*110*ft*wide by*1050*ft long, with a usable length of*1000*ft.* The total lift up is about 85' and then 85' down.*
*
On the way up we "rafted" with two other recreational boats;*we were on one side and a 40 catamaran was on the other with a power boat in the middle.**We went about 3/4 of the way on Saturday then we tied to a mooring buoy in the lake early afternoon (the catamaran and power boat made it all the way through but we were too slow).* The advisor departed and we spent the night there.* This morning, another advisor arrived to take us down to the Atlantic.** We were the only recreational boat this morning and we center tied in the lock in front of*an empty*bulk carrier.* As the water was drained from the lock, we slowly and evenly let lines out to*stay in the center.* There is quite a bit of turbulence so it does get a little exciting.* Each lock dropped or raised us about 28 feet (which means they*either add or remove ~433,000 gallons of water).* It look us 1 hour and 15 minutes Sunday* morning to get down the three locks to the Atlantic.*
Currently the canal is*slow do to the world economy.* In 2007, the canal was generating ~$7 million/day vs ~$4 million today (according to our advisor).**Even though the canal is technically opened 24 hours per day they are locking boats up and or*down in groups.* Saturday the last lock down at Gatun was 12:30 pm.* The next lock down was at*9:30 am Sunday morning.
They are pouring concrete for the canal expansion*and*are hoping to open the new locks in 2013, the 100 year anniversary of the canal.
I'll post more pictures later.* Ihave limitd bandwidth this morning.
-- Edited by Larry M on Monday 25th of July 2011 07:05:44 AM
-- Edited by Larry M on Monday 25th of July 2011 07:07:45 AM
-- Edited by Larry M on Wednesday 27th of July 2011 03:04:26 PM
*
Every recreational vessel is required to have 4 line handlers, each equipped with a 1"x125' line.* Prior to the passage, there are many forms*to be filled out and money deposited in the bank.* The vessel is also officially measured.* Saturday*morning,*the day of the transit,*we picked up our Canal Advisor (pretty much the same as a pilot) at 6 am.* He directs all activities on the vessel as we go through the locks.* There are 3 different sets of locks in the canal.* First is*a 2-step flight*at Miraflores, and then a single flight*at Pedro Miguel; these*locks lift ships from the Pacific up to Lake Gatun.** You then cross the lake, about 21 miles,*to the*triple flight at Gatun that lowers you down to the Atlantic.* Each*lock chamber is*110*ft*wide by*1050*ft long, with a usable length of*1000*ft.* The total lift up is about 85' and then 85' down.*
*
On the way up we "rafted" with two other recreational boats;*we were on one side and a 40 catamaran was on the other with a power boat in the middle.**We went about 3/4 of the way on Saturday then we tied to a mooring buoy in the lake early afternoon (the catamaran and power boat made it all the way through but we were too slow).* The advisor departed and we spent the night there.* This morning, another advisor arrived to take us down to the Atlantic.** We were the only recreational boat this morning and we center tied in the lock in front of*an empty*bulk carrier.* As the water was drained from the lock, we slowly and evenly let lines out to*stay in the center.* There is quite a bit of turbulence so it does get a little exciting.* Each lock dropped or raised us about 28 feet (which means they*either add or remove ~433,000 gallons of water).* It look us 1 hour and 15 minutes Sunday* morning to get down the three locks to the Atlantic.*
Currently the canal is*slow do to the world economy.* In 2007, the canal was generating ~$7 million/day vs ~$4 million today (according to our advisor).**Even though the canal is technically opened 24 hours per day they are locking boats up and or*down in groups.* Saturday the last lock down at Gatun was 12:30 pm.* The next lock down was at*9:30 am Sunday morning.
They are pouring concrete for the canal expansion*and*are hoping to open the new locks in 2013, the 100 year anniversary of the canal.
I'll post more pictures later.* Ihave limitd bandwidth this morning.
-- Edited by Larry M on Monday 25th of July 2011 07:05:44 AM
-- Edited by Larry M on Monday 25th of July 2011 07:07:45 AM
-- Edited by Larry M on Wednesday 27th of July 2011 03:04:26 PM