Sailboats in the Panama Canal

Super Sunday in Shelter Bay Panama - Whilst the group of ten World ARC yachts scheduled to transit today are making themselves ready, the marina has laid on a great program to keep the crew entertained during Sunday. We've had the equivalent of a car boot sale from 9am to midday with a Nautical Sweep Out on the terrace - a chance to clean out bilges of old charts, widgets, and all manner of bits and bobs.

By 3pm the patio space was being used for a Sunday barbecue. The sailors were encouraged to bring their own meat to cook as well as a dish to share. Although many of the UK crews were following the 6 Nations rugby online, it's American Football that has the bigger following here, so out came the big screen for the seemingly endless marathon that is a Super Bowl game.

Gerrie Boshoff's yacht, the Simonis 56, Wizard, gained an extra feature en-route from St.Lucia to Panama. Around 5" above the waterline a small piece of wood has penetrated the bow. Perhaps this explains why Wizard's best 24 hour run was a mere 230 miles. Certainly, it's unusual to see something akin to a softwood plug inserted from the outside.

Today's transits: Andante of Mersey, Annemare, Asolare, Cleone, Ideal, Lady Kay, Northern Sky, Nutella, Viva, and Williwaw II. This leaves the final six yachts to transit on Tuesday 5th February.

It's been a busy day on both sides of the Panama Canal. The first yachts to complete the transit are now berthed at Flamenco Marina on the Pacific side, whilst on the Atlantic side, the third group to make the transit will leave Shelter Bay Marina at around 2pm local time. They'll proceed to an area off the port of Cristobal, know locally as 'The Flats', from where they pick up either an advisor (for yachts under 20 metres) or a pilot (for yachts over 20m). The next stage is deciding whether the yachts will form into rafts of three, or if they'll go alongside a larger ship. Last night, Whitbread went alongside a larger fishing boat as she ascended through Gatun Locks. Once through the locks and into the freshwater Gatun Lake, the boats will go to anchor overnight before completing the transit the following day. Arrival at Flamenco Marina is usually early afternoon.

Yachts scheduled for transits: Kealoha 8, Far Out, Into the Blue, Faraway, Calli Due, Talulah Ruby II, Chantelle, and Windflower III. Sunday 2nd February will be an even busier day, with a total of ten World ARC yachts currently scheduled to transit. These are, Northern Sky, Williwaw II, Annemare, Nutella, Viva, Lady Kay, Ideal, Cleone, Andante, & Asolare.

In Shelter Bay Marina we've had the final arrivals with, in order, Graptolite, Wizard, Kasuje, and Quasar V. The admeasurers have completed their job, ensuring the yachts are adhering to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) requirements. Our agent, Matchship, delivered sets of 125 feet lines which are used to keep the yachts in position whilst inside the locks, and crews have been mixing around in order to ensure each yacht has the required five persons onboard.

If you'd like to see the World ARC yachts progressing through the canal, please use this link: Panama Canal WebCam
You may not be able to pick out much from the Gatun Locks as it's likely to be dusk or darkness when the yachts ascend, however the descent through Miraflores locks will be around 17:00 GMT, on Sunday 2nd, Monday 3rd, and Tuesday 4th February.

World ARC Photo: Asolare - "Asolare"