Panama
BARONESS
Jim & Christine Lister
Fri 1 Apr 2011 14:01
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We have now been through the canal. It was an
interesting experience, made better for the fact that Baroness was our second
trip through in a few days. Our present location is 08.55.19N
79.31.82W.
We went as line handlers for a friend on Freebase,
and the arrival in Balboa on Sunday 20 March, coincided with son Mark
arriving at the airport. So, from the mooring field, off we went to the airport,
met Mark, and took a taxi back to Shelter Bay Marina. We had two volunteers
in Ian and Tom to go through with us, and to get experience before they went
through. On Wednesday 23 March we set off to be met by our adviser for the first
part of the trip. It was, we are pleased to state, quite uneventful. The weather
was good and we arrived at our mooring ball in the lake in late evening. The
adviser had been fed and watered and said his farewell, we would have another
adviser at first light for the second part of the trip. We settled down, had
something to eat and drink, and a reasonable night. Howler monkeys woke us just
before dawn, and our adviser arrived to take us down the locks at
Miraflores.
The motor through the lake and the dropping down in
the locks went fine. Our adviser left us at the pilot station near the Bridge of
the Americas. We found a mooring ball, ate, drank, and then arranged a taxi back
to Shelter Bay for Ian and Tom. As Mark had limited time we decided to move to
the Las Perlas islands the following morning, which we did early morning. The
sail - or motor - there was pleasant, with calm seas. We picked up a free
mooring at Contradora, and spent a couple of nights there before going to the
anchorage east of Isla Casaya. We were the only boat there, and it was quiet and
peaceful. We walked, swam and did a dive. The water visibility was poor, but we
still saw a lot during those few days. We left there to return to Panama City on
29 March. On our way back we sighted three whales, one quite close to us; what a
sight that was, and a great memory to end the trip. We anchored on the east side
of the Amador Causeway, just in time for torrential rain to fall.
The following day we went shopping; restocking on
needed supplies. Then 31 March, we went with Mark to the airport for his early
morning flight back to Gatwick, with wife Cheryl and daughter Evie no doubt
keenly awaiting his arrival. We went back to the boat and worked hard at
slobbing for the rest of the day. It has been a great little period for
us.
We now need to sort out a few things on Baroness,
and get ready for the Pacific Ocean.
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