After
enjoying the calm serenity of San Blas the World ARC fleet are making their way
towards Shelter Bay Marina in preparation for the upcoming Panama Canal
transits. Shelter Bay Marina is located on the Caribbean side of the Panama
Canal and will be home to the fleet for the next few days as they enjoy the
natural beauty, historical interest and diverse cultural experience of Panama. Fourteen
yachts have already arrived to take advantage of the excellent facilities here
as well as a lively programme of events put up by the Dock Bar & Restaurant.
The
Panama Canal joins the Atlantic and Caribbean seas to the Pacific Ocean, and
for cruising sailors represents a major milestone in their circumnavigation.
The fleet will be split into two transit groups with the first group commencing
their transit on 30th January and the second group following on the 1st
of February. Each transit group will lock-up through the Gatun Locks (Caribbean
Sea side) in the afternoon before anchoring overnight in Gatun Lake, and then
locking-down through the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks on the Pacific Side
the following morning.
Preparations
for the transits is handled by a Canal Transit Agent on behalf of the fleet and
part of the process is the admeasure procedure. During admeasurements, yachts
will be assessed by the Panama Canal Authority including measurement of length
overall and a number of other specifics taken for each vessel. Skippers will
also be fully briefed with the expertise and experience of Rally
Control.
In
between boat works and provisioning, crews get the chance to visit the Gatun
Locks Visitors Centre and the Panama Canal Expansion Observation Centre. An
excellent facility where skippers and crews can observe first-hand the
operations and procedures of the lock movements before taking their own vessels
through.
Participants
will also make a visit to the local Embera tribe, a traditional village on the
banks of the Chagres River deep in the rainforest of Panama. Crews will join
the Embera tribe for a traditional lunch and appreciate their customs and way
of life.