Once again we tried our best to get under way but Panama had better plans for us today. To begin Adam and I went to shore after filling our diesel tanks up from the fuel cans we carry onboard. As we arrived we were informed that we had to pay $28 dollars for the use of the dingy dock. So we paid and spent the next hour filling up our 12 gallons of fuel. Only issue is that the fuel spout was bigger then the hole in our fuel cans so it took a long time to fill them. Next we ventured back unloaded the fuel and had lunch. I then spent a few hours plotting out our course to the Galapagos and finished a few other little tasks. We then decided that our Gasoline cans need to be topped off, but the gasoline is sold in a different place then the Diesel fuel. So being the smart crew that we are we decided to land our dinghy along a rock break wall that was right next to the gas station so we didn’t have to carry the two cans a ½ mile by hand. The landing went great, but when I got to the gas station they where just filling up the fuel tanks so I had to wait an hour before I could get my 10 gallons. My dad not knowing what was taking me so long dropped Adam off to see if I need help, nope I said this is PANAMA I am waiting! After fueling up we waved for my dad to come pick us up. As he approached the break wall the ocean swell lifted up the dinghy and then dropped the front end on a sharp rock and popped it. As we raced back to the boat I had my hand over the 4 inch  hole trying to contain as much air in the dingy as we sank into the ocean. We made it just in time to unload the fuel, outboard motor, and other items. Now we have a dinghy with a 4 inch whole, a pound of glue, patch material and a hard lesson on why you never to take your rubber dinghy to a rock break wall.

Thanks,

Jacques

You know,  I left for a trip around the world thinking to myself  of all the wonderful places I will see, and the adventures I will experience. I never gave any thought to the overwhelming difficulty with language barriers and finding simple repair parts. For example our autopilot has not worked sense we left Annapolis Maryland five long months and 5000 miles ago. Three weeks ago we identified the issue and had to replace a part from the USA. I ordered it right away and it arrived in Panama a few days ago. Being used to UPS service in the USA I thought the part would be easy to get and we would be saved, NOPE! I found a very interesting phase “ THIS IS PANAMA!” Which means anything goes, I drank beers in cars, watched police walk around with M16 guns, motorcycles that drive everywhere but on the road legally, and that the UPS carrier doesn’t know there head from there asshole! To make a very long story short I finally received the package that was only 1.18 lbs after driving from one end of Panama City to the other over the course of 2 days $100 less money in my pocket “note the part is only $60  bucks”. The good news is that I improved on my Spanish and if anybody would like to play a game of charades I will kick your butt! The good news is that we have fixed the autopilot, but the bad news is that my new air compressor for filling scuba tanks arrived with a broken valve and now I have a 100 pound paper weight. So I will wait 1 month to get that part so I can fill my scuba tanks, o well at least the sun came up today! I guess its back to skin diving to wash the bottom of Dragonsbane. I tried that today but the Jellyfish stung a little to much so I gave up and will try another day. But at least I have a Cuba Libre Ron & Cola to wash down the stress and cool off in the hot sun.

Yup, taste just as good as you think it does!

Cheers! Enjoy life you only get one!

Jacques

The last two days have been very busy and I am glad to share a few photos of our transit through the Gatun Locks to the Pacific Ocean where we will prepare for our passage to the Galapagos Islands. The passage will take 9 days if we can keep our speed of 6 knots. This should be interesting because it will be my friend Adam first time out at sea. It will also be the longest time I have been at sea and I am hoping  it will be as wonderful as people say. I have been watching the wind reports and it sounds like we should have 10 to 15 knots all the way to the Galapagos and I am hoping for 20 to 25 because we will not make good distance at 10 to 15 knots, so wish us good luck. My mom will be flying out of Panama tomorrow and will rejoin us sometime later on.

We put tires and bummers on both side of Dragonsbane to protect her from the lock walls, Tug boats, and Pilot boats.

We had to raft with 2 other boats before we went through the locks.

The Panama Canal Line handlers tossing there lines to us so we could tie our heavy rope lines to them. They would drag in our rope lines and tie us off to the canal walls.

The target is for the line handlers that walk the walls of the Canal. They practice throwing there monkey balls at the target and over the top pole.

The water rushing into the locks to raise us up to the next lock of 3

The lock has finished filling and I am now 50 feet higher looking out over the Caribbean Sea

After we went through the first 3 locks we spent the night on the fresh water lake and tired to a mooring ball for a freighter, enough room for two sailboats. We awoke at 6:30am and motored 5 hours to the Pacific locks on the lake. We then went through 3 more locks and dropped 150 feet to Pacific sea level.

Jacques and Adam talking about something important as we motored through the lake !

One of the load ships on the lake between the two locks of the Pacific and Caribbean Sea

Tug pushing a Freighter throw the Lake

After we finished our Transit a dingy tender came along side Dragonsbane and took all our tires and ropes for $10.

Thanks,

Jacques

We made it through the Panama Canal and we are now anchored right off of Panama City. We enjoyed some beers and when I get the internet issue worked out I will post some pictures. But for now I am working on my beer!

Thanks,

Jacques

Tomorrow we are scheduled to Transit the Panama Canal in the Gatun Locks  at 3:30pm 4/5/13. If you check the Camera link: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html you will see Dragonsbane hopefully if the Schedule is not changed. We will then spend the night in the fresh water Gatun lake between the Caribbean  Sea locks and Pacific locks. We will then motor 5 hours to the next lock and hopefully pass through the last three locks at around 12:30pm 4/6/13. I will fly our Dragonsbane Flag so it will make us stand out more. Hope you see us all, look for the blue sailboat. Also my friend Adam will be joining us tongiht and hopefully for the next year or so of the trip.

Our Panama Canal Transit Number

Our Colors for Dragonsbane AKA: our Flag

Thanks,

Jacques

I am still waiting to transit the Panama Canal but I am staying busy finishing up all the task I really do not want to do. On Tuesday my dad and I will help out a friend to transit the canal with there sailboat before we go through. I am excited to see how the transit process works and by doing so I know I will have much more confidence when it comes time to bring Dragonsbane through the locks. Anyway hope you are all enjoying your friends and family this holiday. I look forward to getting out on the Pacific Ocean and blogging daily once we are underway again.

Take Care,

Jacques

You know its funny that when I read books on adventure and watched movies about people traveling around the world they always included someone getting sick. I never thought about it nor did I think that I could get sick but I was wrong twice. I guess after getting out of the Jungle and then sailing for 3 days I was hit by a bug pretty hard or something. I thought that it may be the onset of malaria but I am just about 100% normal haha.  I hope that I continue to feel better and I am looking forward to our transit through the Panama Canal in April. I just wish that it was not so hot here, its 90 degrees with very high humidity and no wind. At night it gets down in the mid 80’s but the mosquito’s come out and you have to stay in the cabin where its hotter. I just can’t win the heat battle here.

The marina we are in is full of cruisers making their way through the canal and working hard on thier sailboats for the next leg of their trip. My dad has been busy scrubbing and working on the boat the last few days as I have been laying around sick however I rather be scrubbing. We have also been working hard with all the paper work and red tap it takes to get through the canal. The rules here in Panama are very difficult and there are a lot of things set up in ways to make you pay more money than you should have too. But the great thing about traveling is the struggle of the journey. One day I may make it all the way home and look back at this and laugh.

Our Marina, Kinda nice to see all sailboats and only one motorboat on our dock!

Thanks,

Jacques

Arriving into Panama Canal

Just wanted to let everybody know that we made it into Panama and my mom was waiting at the dock. We are going to start doing some repairs and arranging our trip through the canal. It should take us about two weeks to get through the canal and I will let you all know how it goes.

Thanks,

Jacques

Not to much to report today only that the wind is falling off and we may have to fire up the motor to get the rest of the way to Panama. The wind is about 10 knots, waves 3 feet, and sky is cloudy. I am seeing a lot of ships now and that should make for a interesting night sail.

Current location: 10deg 29.68min North, 77deg 40.23min West

Thanks,

Jacques

We are making good speed at 8 knots to Panama. I m hoping that we will get to the Panama Canal during the day but its not looking good. Anyway i thought I would let you all know we are doing good and enjoying the wind 25kts, and the waves 7ft.

Current Location: 11deg 3.9min North, 75deg 31.0min West

Thanks,

Jacques