Panama
Currency:
US dollar
San Blas to Portobelo
Sunday
December 7, 1600 - I pulled up anchor in the now crowded anchorage of
Chichime (25 yachts) and headed for Portobelo.
Engine
1483.9 hours
The
wind was 8 to 10 knots from the east.
Just
on sunset the winds were 10 to 12 knots northerly. Sadiqi was
romping along at 5 to 6 knots SOG in lumpy seas, with a favourable
current. Nice wind and nice sailing.
By
2200 hours the wind was 10 to 15 knots northerly and a surprisingly
favourable current I reduced sail to slow down. Furling the yankee
completely and setting an equivalent of 2 reefs in the main sail.
Sadiqi
soon encountered the adverse current north of Isla Grande. The seas
were nasty, lumpy and uncomfortable with the shortened sail.
Nothing
untoward happened over night. There were a significant number of
ships on the AIS being so close to the canal.
Monday
December 8, 0715, I dropped anchor in Portobelo, Panama.
Engine:
1485.4 hours.
It
was Mother's Day work free day in Panama.
Portobelo
 |
| Portobelo |
I
had dropped anchor in very brown,
muddy
water. My first few days in Portobelo were fairly dry. When it did
rain it poured! The anchorage again turned muddy brown with a
distinctly earthy smell.
 |
| Muddy brown waters around Sadiqi |
Portobelo is a small sleepy
town with a few small Chinese owned supermarkets, a few restaurants
and of course the Church of the
Nazareno (The Black Christ). Something the town is renowned for.
 |
| Church of the Nazareno |
The
anchorage became very roly after any wind from the west. It was not
untenable but it was very uncomfortable on-board. As far as the
skipper can recall Potobelo was one of the most rolly anchorages since Nosy Komba in Madagascar. However, the skippers recollection
is questionable given the passing of the years and maybe beer o clock.
The
day after I arrived, providence prevailed, I met the infamous Tito at
the town dock. I had planned to call him to use his services for
transiting the Canal. He quickly put me straight with what to do and
what not to do.
Tito
(+507) 6463 5009, email: titongservice@hotmail.com
Any
cruiser wishing to use Tito's canal transit services is advised to
contact him before clearing in. He will advise you on where to go and
what to do etc.
I
had hoped to transit the canal before Christmas. However, I had
placed an order with Marine Warehouse based in Florida for new deep
cycle batteries and new dinghy paddles amongst other things.
It
has been nearly 2 years, other than being hauled out in Trinidad,
since Sadiqi has been in a marina and that was in Cape Town. I had
planned on taking delivery of heavy batteries in Shelter Bay Marina.
Hence I was rolling around Portobelo anchorage saving beer money on
marina fees until closer to the order delivery date.
Mike
on Sturdy Logic sailed into Portobelo and fortunately brought good
weather and calmer waters with him. I had first met Mike in
Cartagena.
Not
much arm bending was required to coax Mike up to Captain Jacks for a
beer after he arrived.
 |
| Portobelo |
I
worked on the engine; servicing, adjusting valve clearance,
realignment and the leaking injector. Thanks to some good information
on the internet I braved pulling the injector out. I cleaned the
injector and seat, made up and annealed a copper washer and reseated
the injector. The leak is vastly improved but is still there very
slightly.
 |
| Portobelo |
On the third
attempt at pulling out the injector, lapping the seat and injector
and using a newly annealed copper washer the leak was fixed.
I
spent a good deal of time at Captain Jacks in Portoblelo – the food
is excellent – not cheap but very good. A very eclectic crowd of
sailors, travellers and backpackers gather there to take charter
boats to the San Blas and Cartagena.
I
grappled with a timing issue with new batteries supposedly arriving
at Shelter Bay on January 7, then getting a transit date for the
canal. I emailed Marine Warehouse and the arrival date became blurred
with dates like January 13 mentioned. The main time for yachts to
transit the canal is around February – mainly due to better
weather. The World ARC was also planned to transit the canal. I had
tangled with World ARC boats before in Richards Bay and had to leave
Zululand Marina to make way for them. I decided to transit the canal
as soon as I could and pick up the new batteries in Balboa. It is
only about 50 miles from Colon to Balboa.
Monday
December 29, at 0810 - I pulled up anchor in Portobelo.
Engine
1489.0 hours
I
sent Tito a text to tell him that I should arrive in Shelter Bay
shortly after midday.
The
Winds were 18 to 20 knots NE.
It
was a fast and great sail downwind with main and poled out yankee.
On
approaching the break water entrance to the Panama canal I called up
“Cristobal Signal Station” of VHF channel 12 to get permission to
enter the breakwater. As you may well imagine there were a lot of
ships around. I followed a ship into the breakwater, then headed to
Shelter Bay Marina. I could have gone and anchored at the Flats for
free. Sadiqi had not been in a marina, other than being hauled out in
Trinidad in may, since Cape Town – nearly two years ago.
I
contacted Shelter Bay Marina on VHF 74 to notifying them of my
arrival. I gave Sadiqi's detail and was allocated a berth E37.
I
was given assistance and my lines were taken by the efficient and
friendly staff.
I
pulled into berth E37 at Shelter Bay Marina at 1215.
Engine
1491.2 hours
In
the afternoon Tito turned up with his son Marcus with lines and
fenders (tires). Tito had contacted the Admeasurer to inspect and
measure Sadiqi the following day.
A
lot of life is spent waiting. A small percentage, probably less than
one percent, is spent sometimes a little too actively
doing something. Well, this has been my experience. Patience has
never been my virtue. I was keen and
anxious to get the canal transit over with.
The
mobile internet access at Shelter Bay is woefully slow.
