We went through the Gatun locks in the dark in a raft of three boats, we then anchored

overnight in the Gatun lake ready to pick up our pilot again at 6.30am.

The trip to the next set of locks was 28 miles passing various commercial shipping along the way.

You can see the line throwers along the edge of the lock, they throw a ‘monkeys fist’ to each corner of the

raft and you secure your line to this so that they can pull it ashore and tie it off.

 Here you can see the line handlers next to the lock when it is

 full as we arrive and when it is empty, as we leave.

We rafted up next to Miss Tippy.

Sheila and Brian with Charlie and Annie next to us

On their Oyster 56 Miss Tippy.

John took his line handling very seriously whilst the girls all put on their dresses to

 wave at the web cam in The Mileflores Lock. The visitors centre overlooks the lock

 and was full of tourists who waved back enthusiastically !