Although we have not yet seen much of Panama but for the little bit of what we have seen, it is true! On Wednesday in the morning we arrived after a fairly busy crossing with lots of wind and waves here. For the 733 miles took us five and a half days. Posted by Curacao us has first obtained the bad weather and we have a brief lull after the first rain and then had four days of strong winds with more than 30 knots and 45 knots in lace and six feet wave. A large wave has put our entire cockpit under water and some found their way under the deck. Cabin John, that hatches go into the cockpit and, unfortunately, have been open, and large parts of the boat were completely soaked. On the second day with us is our mainsail to about 4 - 5 yards from the leech to pre-torn completely. Thus, we were for the rest of the passage depends on our headsail and always busy with the question of the optimum sail configuration. Most of the time we were only small jib on the way, what a strong wind was usually sufficient. Only on the last day, the wind at 20-30 knots and then 15 - 25 knots subsided and we could use our large jib. Unfortunately our plan, on Tuesday evening to arrive in the brightness, lack of mainsail not quite risen and we have been until midnight before the colon. Almost everything that swims, from the Atlantic in the Pacific or the other way would be constrained by the Panmakanal here, so really all hell broke loose. The bright lights on the horizon that we have actually held for the city, have been found to be hundreds of freighters and tankers at anchor in the harbor or inside and go out and wait for their channel passage. come down here at night was more than just an adrenaline rush. Our AIS (Automatic Identification System), which we can see ships on the sea chart on digital computers, has numerous displays of ships in the form of little green triangles and us in the middle. The message of the 300-meter long cargo ship next to us "Hey little sailboat, I am gonna swing to your side, please keep clear "has us been informed but could not calm really. The entrance to the harbor was really exciting and we were really glad when we at 4 clock in the morning inside and thus were outside the line of fire of other ships. Unfortunately, the entrance to drive to the marina, which lies within the large dock, not illuminated and thus riskannt, in the dark through the verriffte driveway. Actually, we had been looking forward to sleep after the busy crossing at last, but that night we had before the port of our turn around and wait until the sun rises to go into port. Once there was einklarieren first and then look sailmaker announced. Relatively fast we have found out that there is no sail maker in the whole colon, but over ten corners we've come to David, who has a great sewing machine and has meant that he can repair the tear and sew some dilapidated parts of the sail. After a short negotiation price we were looking at a bargain, even if what will. Today we
were still in Colon, initial information for our channel passage and to possibly get an appointment for the measurement of the ship. So officials Marathon. First to the Canal Authority, we put on the waiting list for the survey can be. "Normally you wait about two days for the measurement, but at the moment is carnival ..." So visit us when we will be measured. Since we are tomorrow want to sail or not later than the day after tomorrow for a few days in San Blas, we probably measured only when we are back again. Then we went to the Maritime Authority to request our Cruising Permit for Panama. Really no one here feels responsible, which means that all official visits very interesting. The mood of the officials is from "absolutely not in the mood" to "hey man, it's carnival" to "I have no idea". Well, definitely we get our cruising permit and then even at the Immigartion our visas.
the afternoon was then the great joy as family Johannes arrived. The next ten days we will be sailing on board five of our Ivalu. Tomorrow we provided we get our rechtzeigig mainsail, the San Bals Islands, an archipelago of 365 islands, which is completely managed by the Kuna Indian and Dern. are internet and mobile phone network, it hardly, the Kuna live traditionally as a hundred years. We look forward to it already!
Greetings!
Martin, John Heinz, and Jeanette Lea
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