I've been back a couple of weeks now and we're only just starting to slow down, it's been flat out. After 45 hours of flying I got an hour and a half taxi to the supermarket where Julie came to meet me. We did a huge shop, stocking up Sunflower for the long haul, if you spend over $500 they give you a free lift to the boat which is also over an hour away so we got off to a good start:) another big job was to replace the bearings in the Profurl N42 Furler. - here's some info for other cruisers that may be handy- bought the bearings in Aus NSK 16010 and Lip seals 80x50x10mm, standard off the shelf for $75 and that was for both the top and bottom swivels. Contact me if you want further details on how to do it, but it is easy.
The next day Julie's dad flew in so we paid a driver for the day as we had a load to do. He turned up in a reasonably small hatchback which was a bit of a worry as the first stop was the tax free zone in Colon to stock up on alcohol. We played a little stupid going through the checkpoint at the entrance, and in the usual Central American way we bribed the guy $10 to not search our car on the way out as you need a permit to buy things, especially alcohol. Alcohol is cheap here (48litres 3 year old Havana Club $240!) so we filled the car with rum, wine and champagne only problem now is we go to leave the massive complex and our mate we had bribed has gone!! If they search your car and you have no permit you get everything confiscated, back to the liquor store we went. No problem matey says, wait here. Another security man turns up and for $5 for every case we bought we follow him in his car, he talks to the security and tells them to let us out, never a dull moment:) try doing that in Aus?!
Anyway was a long day as we also went into Panama City and picked up a new Weber BBQ, bit more shopping and then Elio, Julie's dad from the airport. Problem was the 3 hour drive home there is a LOT of speed bumps which we bottomed out on so we ended up getting out of the car so we didn't scrape as this poor little (new) car was loaded to the gills.
Next day up early and we got fuel at the jetty then had a great sail 5 hours to Colon, the start of the canal. There is a marina there we went to as we had to get officially measured to book an appointment for the canal transit. We met a great West Australian Crayfishing family from Dongara who know a lot of people I know, small world. They were transiting the canal and needed a hand to do the lines so the 3 of us went along for the 2 day trip, it was a blast, good laughs all round. I think the highlight was coming into the second lock, we tied up next to a motorboat and it's always a bit stressful as there's all sorts going on in Spanish and it's a big rush with he officials yelling to do the ropes which we know how to do anyway. Then a big gust of wind funnels down the canal and blows over the empty bucket of cans off the fly bridge that had been consumed in the last couple of hours, it was priceless...... complete look of horror from the officials and the other crew on the motorboat and our heads all down embarrassed but trying not to laugh, was definitely an Australian moment!!
Back on Sunflower we had to go into Colon and Pay for our Transit so we could get a date to go through and we also finished a few more little jobs we had to sort out including welding the mounts for the new BBQ.
6miles SW of Colon there is Rio Chagres, it's amazing. So close to civilisation but yet so removed. At the entrance of the river there is a huge old fort but with nothing else around, then as soon as you enter it is just full on jungle, spectacular. We didn't have waypoints to enter so it was a little hairy to say the least but all was well and then half way up Elio hooked onto a little mackerel which was nice. We went right to the end were it is dammed off as it is connected to the canal, beautiful spot to anchor surrounded by lush jungle and loads of howler monkeys everywhere. We went for a few walks, a little nervous as there are apparently a few bild big cats around but we were fine. Lots of wild bananas and papayas growing but none big enough to pick unfortunately but it's cool to see. Now I'm just hanging here doing jobs and Julie and Elio have gone into Panama City for a few days to explore, good times all round and at this stage our date to go through is the 26th but we are hoping maybe even sooner
Transiting the canal On "Penelope Rose"
