Crossing the Panama Canal

I crossed the canal on Monday and I am now in the Caribbean. I am in a brand new marina by Colon. It was a very tough weekend leading to the transit. I got bumped from my mooring at BYC while I was getting fuel. I felt it was more important to find a parking place than waste my time paying him. So I had a drunken manager threatening me, my boat - threatening to cancel my transit and no place to park. At one point, they would not let me back on my boat. It was very ugly. Through this, I had to still get lines, go shopping, clean the boat bottom and coordinate my crew.

The transit came together on schedule and it was a normal transit until the last lock. On the last lock, I got clipped in the stern by the boat that I had been nesting with. I got a dent in the rear pulpit and a broken fishing pole holder – minor damage I think. On the next weather window, I am trying to leave for Cartagena. Maybe in Cartagena I will celebrate.

Gary