1st Panama Canal Transit ✅

Xander

WHAT an adventure!! I got to take a break from Boston’s harsh winter to hang out in the warm Central American sun. After meeting at the International Cruisers Award Ceremony, I made friends with Zack and Becka of Teulu Tribe and they offered to let me come aboard to help bring their boat through the Panama Canal. We had an early start (2:30am alarm) to pick up our pilots at the designated spot around 4:00am. Of course, the engine wouldn’t start. We scrambled to get it running at 3:30, and luckily, we got it going just in time! We greeted the 2 other boats in our “nest” around 4:30am, and all rafted up as we prepared to enter the first lock, together. Just as the sun was rising, we entered lock 1 of 8, and were dwarfed by our freighter neighbor. After 3 locks, We finally rose to the level of Gatun Lake, nearly 80 feet above MSL and everything went smoothly. Besides a close call at the Mira Flores lock system, where miscommunication between the 3 separate pilots, and the line handlers nearly had us bury our bow into the concrete, it was a calm and uneventful trip. Opening the last lock to the Pacific was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to do it on my own boat, very soon 😉🤙🏼