Day 21 - Arrival in Panama

Sunday, December 9, 2007 - (wx- winds NW 10-12)seas fair predominant south swell on the beam) Occasional rain squalls, staying 3-5 miles off the coast, a little more at night to avoid ling-line fishermen.

Our departure from Barillas was a couple hours later than desired. As a result, our arrival at the sea buoy in the Gulf of Panama became another night-time approach. Trust your radar! Ship traffic from all over the Pacific focus on this one little buoy. The anchorage can accommodate dozens of vessels. It’s all managed by a vessel traffic system called Flamenco Signal Station who operate on CH 12. The Canal operates 24 hrs a day.

A fair amount of paperwork and inspections are necessary for the Canal transit. Flamenco Marina handles some of most exclusive yachts in the world. Take, for example, the 250ft LAUREL, a true mega-yacht by all standards.

Having done this before I made reservations at Flamenco Marina, a small private Marina where we could get fuel, water, and provisions while clearing customs.

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The mighty FREEDOM takes bit of the back seat here. Oh well, we don’t have to spend all day cleaning, waxing, and polishing stainless either.

The Harbor Master and staff at the Marina remembered me from previous deliveries s well as many of the agents and inspectors for the Panama Canal Authority. It was great to see them and the process was subsequently painless and quick. The folks at Flamenco Marina did a fantastic job in making sure all our needs were met. They know me as the Captain who shows up with those funny looking boats. Yet they treat me with the same respect as the “fancy” yacht captains.

Within 72 hours we would be entering the canal. A bittersweet moment for me.