Panama Transits promoted!

On Saturday, 6th February, the rally regrouped at Portobelo for a transit briefing and lunch. Eleven yachts joined the rally in Panama making it a very sociable occasion, with new faces to meet and new tales to tell of adventures sailing to Panama and around the San Blas Islands. The sun shone, the beer was cold and the frigate birds put on a display of aerobatic flying next to the sea wall.

We have also received the good news that Island Kea now has a new mast and is on her way from Antigua and Scott Free left Bonaire with a new autopilot a couple of days ago. They should be here in time to transit at the end of the week.

The rally is upbeat with the news that the main transits start today, Sunday, and are forecast to finish on Friday or Saturday….just in time for Carnival. Peter Pan was called forward on Friday and is now enjoying the delights of Balboa.

The boats to go through the Gatun Locks today are: Moonshiner, Simanderel and Aspen. You can see them transit at around 1800 to 2000 hrs local time (+5 hrs GMT).

In the second raft will be Aqualuna and Bionic Un. They will go through approximately one hour later.

The rest of the transits will probably be around the same time each day but are yet to be notified and are as follows:

Monday 8th Feb: Mercury Rising, Fai Tira, Enchantress and Peregrina

Tuesday 9th Feb: Norsa, Spirit of Nina, Lucy Alice, Briet and Angel V

Wednesday 10th Feb: Camomile, Natibou, Chsalonina, Blue Magic, Gaultine III and Miss Tippy

Thursday 11th Feb: Bali Blue, Jackamy, Raylah, Roundabout and Lorrigray

Friday 12th Feb: Scott Free, Island Kea and Serengeti

Click here to view the Panama Canal webcams

Keep looking at the website; there will be more on the transits.

Written by Richard Bolt, Director Sunday, 07 February 2010 15:46