S/V Aspen – February 7, 2010 – Log #27
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
Aspen, along with Steve and Maria, will be going through the Panama Canal beginning today, Sunday, February 7, 2010 and ending on Monday, February 8, 2010.
We will be at the first locks (Gatun) at about 6:00 pm EST or later on Sunday.
Then on Monday we will be at Mira Flores locks at about 1pm or later.
To see us live you can click on this web site:
http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html
Then select which camera you want to view and look for us. If you can take pictures of us from the screen please do so! We would like any copies you can get.
Sail on sail on Aspen …
Steve and Maria
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Panama Canal - Practice
Knowing that we will go through the Panama Canal in less than 2 weeks, we decided that it might be wise to see what actually happens when a sailboat goes through the Canal from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
We met a nice Dutch couple in Trinidad who also arrived in Panama and were going through the canal last week on their boat. So we volunteered to be their line handlers for the journey.
Every sailboat that goes through the canal must have 4 line handlers, 4 very long and thick dock lines and numerous tires dangling from all parts of the boat to protect it from an accidental crash against the huge lock walls.
At 2 pm we motored out of Shelter Bay Marina and met our advisor who would ride along and tell us what to do for the first part of our journey. The boat we were on was a 53 foot sailboat named De Ware Jacob and it carried a Dutch flag because it is from Rotterdam, Holland. Of course everyone we would see assumed that all of the crew on the boat were Dutch so we always surprised them when we spoke English. We don’t speak a word of Dutch!
A swimming iguana in Lake Gatun!
We motored into the first lock called Gatun Lock in the dark at 7 pm. It was pitch black all around us. Only the flashing lights marking the channel could be seen beside us. There is a nice web camera at the lock but because it was so dark it was difficult to see us. Even though there are huge lights illuminating the lock chambers, the darkness still pervades everything. We entered the lock behind an 800 foot ship that was locking through with us.
Out of the blackness we heard the zip zip zip zip of the 4 monkey fists that were thrown down onto our boat and the smaller sailboat that was rafted next to us in the center of the lock (center tie). It was our job to retrieve the monkey fist, tie our large line to it and send the big line back up to the canal worker high above us on the side of the locks. This process must be done very quickly because the lock doors are closing right behind us.
Up went our lines where they were secured onto huge bollards at the top of the lock walls. Whew, our job was done, or so we thought. But not really! As the huge lock quickly filled with water we started our journey upward for 28 feet to the top of the first lock. As we rocketed skyward (well, it was not really that fast but it felt like it from all the work we had to do) we had to pull in the slack in our ropes so that we stayed in the middle of the lock. We pulled the lines quickly and that kept us in position against the swirling waters. Then there was silence.
Getting the line ready
We were at the top of the lock now and the lock doors at the far end opened allowing the 800-foot ship to churn up the water right in front of us as it exited the first chamber. We followed behind him into the 2nd chamber and repeated the same procedure. There were a total of 3 chambers pushing us upward a total of 85 feet before the final doors opened and we entered Gatun Lake. We were pretty tired after all this.
Gatun Lake is the largest man-made lake in the world. It is used only to provide water for the locks. It is here that we made the mandatory over-night stop, tied to a huge ship buoy to wait for daylight and the final part of the journey into the Pacific Ocean the next day.
Our advisor departed and left us in the quiet of the jungle that engulfs Gatun Lake. The stars looked like a painting over our heads as barely a ripple disturbed the calm of the lake.
Rafted to another boat in Lake Gatun
The next day, as daylight peeked through the jungle, our Dutch hosts began serving a breakfast of soft boiled eggs, croissants, coffee and fruit in the cockpit. Just as we started eating the roar of a pilot boat disturbed our peaceful breakfast.
Our advisor was coming toward us at 15 knots and was onboard De Ware Jacob in a flash, ready to go. Lines were quickly disconnected from the mooring buoy and we headed through the Banana Cut on our way toward the final 3 locks that lie at the entrance to the Pacific Ocean.
The advisor giving instructions to Maria
One of our neighbors through the Canal
After motoring all morning, we arrived at the first lock. Here we started our downward trip in each lock. Knowing the line drill quite well things were easier since we only had to let more line out – no more pulling! The first lock, Pedro Miguel, was followed by the dual Mira Flores locks.
As the last lock at Mira Flores opened we stared directly at the Bridge of the Americas – the gateway to the Pacific!
My sister Vicki took this screen capture. That is us rafted to another sailboat - way back there on the right side. See the 2 masts?
We will get to repeat this process aboard Aspen. Aspen is scheduled to transit the Panama Canal sometime between February 10-13th. We will keep you posted when we get an exact date and time and give you a website where, if you are lucky, you can see us in the locks!
Sail on sail on Aspen…
We met a nice Dutch couple in Trinidad who also arrived in Panama and were going through the canal last week on their boat. So we volunteered to be their line handlers for the journey.
Every sailboat that goes through the canal must have 4 line handlers, 4 very long and thick dock lines and numerous tires dangling from all parts of the boat to protect it from an accidental crash against the huge lock walls.
At 2 pm we motored out of Shelter Bay Marina and met our advisor who would ride along and tell us what to do for the first part of our journey. The boat we were on was a 53 foot sailboat named De Ware Jacob and it carried a Dutch flag because it is from Rotterdam, Holland. Of course everyone we would see assumed that all of the crew on the boat were Dutch so we always surprised them when we spoke English. We don’t speak a word of Dutch!
A swimming iguana in Lake Gatun!We motored into the first lock called Gatun Lock in the dark at 7 pm. It was pitch black all around us. Only the flashing lights marking the channel could be seen beside us. There is a nice web camera at the lock but because it was so dark it was difficult to see us. Even though there are huge lights illuminating the lock chambers, the darkness still pervades everything. We entered the lock behind an 800 foot ship that was locking through with us.
Out of the blackness we heard the zip zip zip zip of the 4 monkey fists that were thrown down onto our boat and the smaller sailboat that was rafted next to us in the center of the lock (center tie). It was our job to retrieve the monkey fist, tie our large line to it and send the big line back up to the canal worker high above us on the side of the locks. This process must be done very quickly because the lock doors are closing right behind us.
Up went our lines where they were secured onto huge bollards at the top of the lock walls. Whew, our job was done, or so we thought. But not really! As the huge lock quickly filled with water we started our journey upward for 28 feet to the top of the first lock. As we rocketed skyward (well, it was not really that fast but it felt like it from all the work we had to do) we had to pull in the slack in our ropes so that we stayed in the middle of the lock. We pulled the lines quickly and that kept us in position against the swirling waters. Then there was silence.
Getting the line readyWe were at the top of the lock now and the lock doors at the far end opened allowing the 800-foot ship to churn up the water right in front of us as it exited the first chamber. We followed behind him into the 2nd chamber and repeated the same procedure. There were a total of 3 chambers pushing us upward a total of 85 feet before the final doors opened and we entered Gatun Lake. We were pretty tired after all this.
Gatun Lake is the largest man-made lake in the world. It is used only to provide water for the locks. It is here that we made the mandatory over-night stop, tied to a huge ship buoy to wait for daylight and the final part of the journey into the Pacific Ocean the next day.
Our advisor departed and left us in the quiet of the jungle that engulfs Gatun Lake. The stars looked like a painting over our heads as barely a ripple disturbed the calm of the lake.
Rafted to another boat in Lake GatunThe next day, as daylight peeked through the jungle, our Dutch hosts began serving a breakfast of soft boiled eggs, croissants, coffee and fruit in the cockpit. Just as we started eating the roar of a pilot boat disturbed our peaceful breakfast.
Our advisor was coming toward us at 15 knots and was onboard De Ware Jacob in a flash, ready to go. Lines were quickly disconnected from the mooring buoy and we headed through the Banana Cut on our way toward the final 3 locks that lie at the entrance to the Pacific Ocean.
The advisor giving instructions to Maria
One of our neighbors through the CanalAs the last lock at Mira Flores opened we stared directly at the Bridge of the Americas – the gateway to the Pacific!
My sister Vicki took this screen capture. That is us rafted to another sailboat - way back there on the right side. See the 2 masts?We will get to repeat this process aboard Aspen. Aspen is scheduled to transit the Panama Canal sometime between February 10-13th. We will keep you posted when we get an exact date and time and give you a website where, if you are lucky, you can see us in the locks!
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Monday, January 18, 2010
Mysterious Panama – Another Running Adventure
Bologna, mustard, salmon and chips with cheese sauce for lunch!Log #25 - It's a Mystery
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
Remember my run to Fort Lorenzo, the Spanish fort that was built to guard the mighty Chagres River and the riches that flowed down it?
On the running route to the fort there are many side trails that can be seen. I have run down several of these trails and have found nice deserted beaches and some WWI and WWII ruins in the jungle. I have to be careful though because of the crawly things that hide under the leaves or hang from the trees on these trails!
This area is also where the US trained troops in jungle warfare to fight in the Vietnam War. There is unexploded ordnance scattered throughout the jungle so I never get off the trails to avoid blowing something up – me!
So, I ran to Fort Lorenzo again and on the way back I saw a new road that I had not noticed before, probably because of all the sweat in my eyes from the heat and humidity. The road was old and appeared to be just another abandoned jeep trail.
After running nearly a mile down the road through the jungle I saw a huge fence that was topped with shinny razor wire. The wire was not rusted at all and appeared to be pretty new. Hmmmm, I wonder what that is for? Running further I came to a gate that was attached to the huge fence. The gate had a nice big lock on it but the gate was ajar with the lock hanging open.
I did what I normally do, I ran through the open gate of course. What could happen to an innocent gringo runner?
Once inside I stared at an open area with no jungle at all but just a huge mound covered in well-trimmed grass that covered about 5 acres of land. The shiny razor wire fence surrounded the entire area.
There was a set of stairs that led to the top of the mound so instinctively I ran up the stairs. Stairs are always a good workout! The stairs ended at the top at an elevation of about 100 feet. Now I ran across the top of the mound and right over a concrete helicopter platform. That is odd, I thought.
Right then it occurred to me that whoever left the gate unlocked might decide to close it and lock me inside, since they didn’t know someone was here. So I ran down the other side of the mound so I could get a longer run inside of the nicely trimmed area. That is how runners think, instead of going back the same way I came.
I was now running on a jeep trail that traversed around the big mound. Suddenly, you knew this was coming, I heard a generator running. Looking at the mound there was a huge generator station along with air-conditioning units and other black boxes standing against the side of the mound. Life!
My pace quickened now and I nearly flew around the rest of the mound and toward the still-open gate. As I looked toward the mound once more I saw a name, Battery Pratt etched in concrete on what I now knew was a military bunker.
Once out of the secure area I felt much better and continued my run back to Aspen.
Once I cooled down, I went to the computer. Luckily the internet was working so I searched the internet and found all the information I could on Battery Pratt.
Battery Pratt was a communications center used during WWII and up until the time that the canal was given to Panama in 1980. Then it was shut down.
However, as I discovered, the communications center is not shut down. It is very active now! But what is it communicating with???
I think that pirates are involved, Arrrrrrrrrrh!!!
But back to reality:
The World Arc around-the-world sailboats are arriving today at the marina. It is pretty busy here with the docks alive with activity.
Maria fixed a great lunch for us. She is enjoying salmon while I get baloney and mustard! (see the attached photo)
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
Remember my run to Fort Lorenzo, the Spanish fort that was built to guard the mighty Chagres River and the riches that flowed down it?
On the running route to the fort there are many side trails that can be seen. I have run down several of these trails and have found nice deserted beaches and some WWI and WWII ruins in the jungle. I have to be careful though because of the crawly things that hide under the leaves or hang from the trees on these trails!
This area is also where the US trained troops in jungle warfare to fight in the Vietnam War. There is unexploded ordnance scattered throughout the jungle so I never get off the trails to avoid blowing something up – me!
So, I ran to Fort Lorenzo again and on the way back I saw a new road that I had not noticed before, probably because of all the sweat in my eyes from the heat and humidity. The road was old and appeared to be just another abandoned jeep trail.
After running nearly a mile down the road through the jungle I saw a huge fence that was topped with shinny razor wire. The wire was not rusted at all and appeared to be pretty new. Hmmmm, I wonder what that is for? Running further I came to a gate that was attached to the huge fence. The gate had a nice big lock on it but the gate was ajar with the lock hanging open.
I did what I normally do, I ran through the open gate of course. What could happen to an innocent gringo runner?
Once inside I stared at an open area with no jungle at all but just a huge mound covered in well-trimmed grass that covered about 5 acres of land. The shiny razor wire fence surrounded the entire area.
There was a set of stairs that led to the top of the mound so instinctively I ran up the stairs. Stairs are always a good workout! The stairs ended at the top at an elevation of about 100 feet. Now I ran across the top of the mound and right over a concrete helicopter platform. That is odd, I thought.
Right then it occurred to me that whoever left the gate unlocked might decide to close it and lock me inside, since they didn’t know someone was here. So I ran down the other side of the mound so I could get a longer run inside of the nicely trimmed area. That is how runners think, instead of going back the same way I came.
I was now running on a jeep trail that traversed around the big mound. Suddenly, you knew this was coming, I heard a generator running. Looking at the mound there was a huge generator station along with air-conditioning units and other black boxes standing against the side of the mound. Life!
My pace quickened now and I nearly flew around the rest of the mound and toward the still-open gate. As I looked toward the mound once more I saw a name, Battery Pratt etched in concrete on what I now knew was a military bunker.
Once out of the secure area I felt much better and continued my run back to Aspen.
Once I cooled down, I went to the computer. Luckily the internet was working so I searched the internet and found all the information I could on Battery Pratt.
Battery Pratt was a communications center used during WWII and up until the time that the canal was given to Panama in 1980. Then it was shut down.
However, as I discovered, the communications center is not shut down. It is very active now! But what is it communicating with???
I think that pirates are involved, Arrrrrrrrrrh!!!
But back to reality:
The World Arc around-the-world sailboats are arriving today at the marina. It is pretty busy here with the docks alive with activity.
Maria fixed a great lunch for us. She is enjoying salmon while I get baloney and mustard! (see the attached photo)
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Panama City
This is the mall. Notice the full-sized car for scale!
Panama City is in the background
A view of the anchorage and Panama City
Maria shopping!Mysterious Panama - Today
S/V Aspen – January 11, 2010 – Log #24
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
After following in the footsteps of the conquistadors and pirates from so long ago, we decided to rent a car and see what present day Panama is like.
It took Balboa several months of hiking and hacking through impenetrable jungle while fighting fierce Indian tribes along the way before he became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. But for us, we drove from Colon on the Caribbean side of Panama to Panama City on the Pacific side in 1.5 hours! We didn’t have to fight any Indians either! It is only 50 miles on a nice new toll road.
Luckily we had a GPS in the car because it seems that they don’t like street signs here. Now, picture gridlock traffic, streets filled with pedestrians because there are no cross-walks, busses that stop in the middle of the road to pick people up, and drivers who have junker cars who don’t care about who or what they might run into. Ah, driving in Latin countries is always an experience. But we did live to tell about it!
We visited the old part of Panama where the pirate Captain Henry Morgan attacked the Spanish, sacked, pillaged, plundered and stole all the women from the 2nd largest city in the Western Hemisphere at that time with his band of pirates. Well, not much is left of that place!
After that Spanish debacle, Panama City was rebuilt a mile or so north at a much better place. This is where over half of the population lives - nearly 2 million people.
The old part of the 2nd Panama City is still intact with the narrow stone streets and verandas hanging from the dwellings. Small café’s and shops have opened in these old buildings that bring the locals and tourists in to explore them. The presidential palace is located here too. Even General Noriega had many lavish parties along the waterfront next to the Pacific Ocean in Panama Vieja.
But most of Panama City is extremely very poor. There are many no-go areas, some of them right next to these nice areas! We drive with our doors locked and hidden behind our heavily tinted windows.
During our visit to Panama City we got lost – the GPS isn’t always right! We drove through a maze of huge high-rise buildings that we always saw but could not find before. Well, this is where the money is in Panama! We are talking huge money!! It seems that Panama is world renown as the center for money laundering, arms sales, and home to the international drug trade.
There is an enormous new mall in the middle of this maze of wealth. This mall has the most expensive and best stores from throughout the world within its 3 stories. There is even a grocery store called Riba Smith that has every US product you can imagine at cheap prices. We were shocked to say the least. Maria didn’t want to leave!! We even found Taco Bell there, and they had jalapenos!
We managed to find out way back to Colon and the rental car office where we returned out undamaged car, much to the manager’s surprise!
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
After following in the footsteps of the conquistadors and pirates from so long ago, we decided to rent a car and see what present day Panama is like.
It took Balboa several months of hiking and hacking through impenetrable jungle while fighting fierce Indian tribes along the way before he became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. But for us, we drove from Colon on the Caribbean side of Panama to Panama City on the Pacific side in 1.5 hours! We didn’t have to fight any Indians either! It is only 50 miles on a nice new toll road.
Luckily we had a GPS in the car because it seems that they don’t like street signs here. Now, picture gridlock traffic, streets filled with pedestrians because there are no cross-walks, busses that stop in the middle of the road to pick people up, and drivers who have junker cars who don’t care about who or what they might run into. Ah, driving in Latin countries is always an experience. But we did live to tell about it!
We visited the old part of Panama where the pirate Captain Henry Morgan attacked the Spanish, sacked, pillaged, plundered and stole all the women from the 2nd largest city in the Western Hemisphere at that time with his band of pirates. Well, not much is left of that place!
After that Spanish debacle, Panama City was rebuilt a mile or so north at a much better place. This is where over half of the population lives - nearly 2 million people.
The old part of the 2nd Panama City is still intact with the narrow stone streets and verandas hanging from the dwellings. Small café’s and shops have opened in these old buildings that bring the locals and tourists in to explore them. The presidential palace is located here too. Even General Noriega had many lavish parties along the waterfront next to the Pacific Ocean in Panama Vieja.
But most of Panama City is extremely very poor. There are many no-go areas, some of them right next to these nice areas! We drive with our doors locked and hidden behind our heavily tinted windows.
During our visit to Panama City we got lost – the GPS isn’t always right! We drove through a maze of huge high-rise buildings that we always saw but could not find before. Well, this is where the money is in Panama! We are talking huge money!! It seems that Panama is world renown as the center for money laundering, arms sales, and home to the international drug trade.
There is an enormous new mall in the middle of this maze of wealth. This mall has the most expensive and best stores from throughout the world within its 3 stories. There is even a grocery store called Riba Smith that has every US product you can imagine at cheap prices. We were shocked to say the least. Maria didn’t want to leave!! We even found Taco Bell there, and they had jalapenos!
We managed to find out way back to Colon and the rental car office where we returned out undamaged car, much to the manager’s surprise!
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Exploring Panama Pictures
Maria is holding the bark from a tree - notice the nice sharp spikes!
Leaf cutter ants marching with their leaves to who knows where
Wildlife in Panama - why Steve runs fast!
The harbor at Portobelo - where the Spanish loaded their ships with the immense wealth from the new world (and the pirates tried to take it)
A street scene from the once magnificent Portobelo
The cannons are silent at the forts in Portobelo, Panama
One of the Spanish forts at the harbor in Portobelo, Panama
Our friends on S/V Stray Kitty transiting Mira Flores lock at the Panama Canal going toward the Pacific Ocean with the huge Dockwise Yacht Transport ship behind them. The view is looking back towards the Caribbean Sea.
Another view of Mira Flores locks with the tourist boat Discovery in the foreground and three smaller vessels behind it.
Inside Fort Lorenzo's chambers
Fort Lorenzo (1597) - overlooking the mighty Chagres River
A quick picture of the town - Colon, Panama
The mighty Chagres River from Fort Lorenzo. This is where all the gold and silver were transported by the Spanish and plundered by the pirates.
Where have all the pirates gone,Long long time ago...
The Black Christ at Portobelo, Panama in the golden cage
A local bus in Panama - note the big silver exhausts at the back!
Fins to the left!!!
Our bus that takes us shopping from the marina
El Diablo Beach near the marina in Colon
Aspen at the Dock in Shelter Bay Marina at the Panama CanalExploring Panama
S/V Aspen – January 2, 2010 – Log #23
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
Welcome to 2010 and the continuing saga of the voyage of Aspen! (There are pictures that go with these stories posted on our blog if you are interested.)
Yes, we are still in the same place, tied securely to the dock while the strong Christmas winds and huge sweep across the Caribbean Sea.
Except for the Panama Canal, the riches that were once Panama are no longer. We rode with some new friends and visited the countryside in their jeep. It was great having someone else drive us around!
Our first visit was to Portobelo. Portobelo, the most important port in the new world from the 1500's to the mid 1800's is in ruins. The old forts that lined the harbor are silent, long ago destroyed by pirates and the ever present jungle. In it's heyday gold and silver was literally stacked high along the streets and businesses in this city by the sea. Much of the gold and silver came overland from the Pacific side of Panama and ended up in Portobelo, ready to be loaded on sailing ships to make the long journey to Spain.
Well, the pirates had other ideas and then the fun began. Among the most well-know pirates, Sir Francis Drake sacked Portobelo in the 1600's and Captain Morgan literally flattened the city into oblivion in the 1700's. Yet Portobelo would not die, or at least the Spanish would not let her lie in peace. So today we can see only traces of this fabled yet foreboding place. Arrrrrrrh!
A visit to the Church called San Felipe was something we wanted to do in Portobelo. The church was built in 1814 and is home to the famous wooden statue called the Black Christ. This statue has a very mysterious origin, mostly surrounded in legend. It seems that in the early 1800's a sailing ship, bound for Cartegena, Colombia had the statue on board. The ship decided to leave Portobelo but each time it attempted to leave a huge storm would form and drive the ship back into the harbor. After repeated tries the ship was finally able to sail away from Portobelo. Within days the ship sunk and the statue washed up on the shores of, you guessed it, Portobelo! Today the statue is revered by thousands of pilgrams who think the statue has spared them from cholera epidemics and other nasty things. It is pretty impressive sitting on display in it's golden cage!
Our next stop was Colon. Colon is the city nearest our marina and it is on the Caribbean coast. Colon is considered notoriously dangerous by sailors throughout the world. We quickly went through town on the main street with doors locked and our darkened windows disguising our visit. It is said that if you want to shop anywhere you WILL take a taxi, sprint into the store from the taxi, exit the store and throw yourself back into the taxi while slamming and locking the door after you. You would then repeat this maneuver again at the next store you wanted to visit, even if it was right next door. So we decided not to shop here!
Then it was on to the Panama Canal locks. We watched ships cross from the Caribbean to the Pacific in less than two days. The trip around South America would take months and is a very difficult journey for these huge ships. For small sailboats that same journey is the stuff of legends, if you survive! Hmmmm, it seems like an obvious choice to us!
Finally we headed back to our heavily guarded marina on the old grounds of Fort Sherman. Luckily, Fort Lorenzo lies within the guarded boundaries so it is a great drive through the jungle to this old Spanish Fort that stands guard over the mighty Chagres River. Maria was able to finally see this fort since we drove to it, instead of running with me for many miles through the jungle. Maria enjoyed seeing the tunnels within the fort and the view it offered of the Chagres and Caribbean Sea. As we said before, the history just oozes from this place. No, we didn't find any left over gold unfortunately.
We lament that it is 95 degrees everyday with 95% humidity here. But hearing about the snow, ice and frigid temperatures back home helps us appreciate our weather! Remember to look at the website show below for the pictures.
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Steve and Maria
Position: 9 degrees 22.1’ N 79 degrees 57.0’ W
(Cristobal/Colon, Panama)
Welcome to 2010 and the continuing saga of the voyage of Aspen! (There are pictures that go with these stories posted on our blog if you are interested.)
Yes, we are still in the same place, tied securely to the dock while the strong Christmas winds and huge sweep across the Caribbean Sea.
Except for the Panama Canal, the riches that were once Panama are no longer. We rode with some new friends and visited the countryside in their jeep. It was great having someone else drive us around!
Our first visit was to Portobelo. Portobelo, the most important port in the new world from the 1500's to the mid 1800's is in ruins. The old forts that lined the harbor are silent, long ago destroyed by pirates and the ever present jungle. In it's heyday gold and silver was literally stacked high along the streets and businesses in this city by the sea. Much of the gold and silver came overland from the Pacific side of Panama and ended up in Portobelo, ready to be loaded on sailing ships to make the long journey to Spain.
Well, the pirates had other ideas and then the fun began. Among the most well-know pirates, Sir Francis Drake sacked Portobelo in the 1600's and Captain Morgan literally flattened the city into oblivion in the 1700's. Yet Portobelo would not die, or at least the Spanish would not let her lie in peace. So today we can see only traces of this fabled yet foreboding place. Arrrrrrrh!
A visit to the Church called San Felipe was something we wanted to do in Portobelo. The church was built in 1814 and is home to the famous wooden statue called the Black Christ. This statue has a very mysterious origin, mostly surrounded in legend. It seems that in the early 1800's a sailing ship, bound for Cartegena, Colombia had the statue on board. The ship decided to leave Portobelo but each time it attempted to leave a huge storm would form and drive the ship back into the harbor. After repeated tries the ship was finally able to sail away from Portobelo. Within days the ship sunk and the statue washed up on the shores of, you guessed it, Portobelo! Today the statue is revered by thousands of pilgrams who think the statue has spared them from cholera epidemics and other nasty things. It is pretty impressive sitting on display in it's golden cage!
Our next stop was Colon. Colon is the city nearest our marina and it is on the Caribbean coast. Colon is considered notoriously dangerous by sailors throughout the world. We quickly went through town on the main street with doors locked and our darkened windows disguising our visit. It is said that if you want to shop anywhere you WILL take a taxi, sprint into the store from the taxi, exit the store and throw yourself back into the taxi while slamming and locking the door after you. You would then repeat this maneuver again at the next store you wanted to visit, even if it was right next door. So we decided not to shop here!
Then it was on to the Panama Canal locks. We watched ships cross from the Caribbean to the Pacific in less than two days. The trip around South America would take months and is a very difficult journey for these huge ships. For small sailboats that same journey is the stuff of legends, if you survive! Hmmmm, it seems like an obvious choice to us!
Finally we headed back to our heavily guarded marina on the old grounds of Fort Sherman. Luckily, Fort Lorenzo lies within the guarded boundaries so it is a great drive through the jungle to this old Spanish Fort that stands guard over the mighty Chagres River. Maria was able to finally see this fort since we drove to it, instead of running with me for many miles through the jungle. Maria enjoyed seeing the tunnels within the fort and the view it offered of the Chagres and Caribbean Sea. As we said before, the history just oozes from this place. No, we didn't find any left over gold unfortunately.
We lament that it is 95 degrees everyday with 95% humidity here. But hearing about the snow, ice and frigid temperatures back home helps us appreciate our weather! Remember to look at the website show below for the pictures.
Sail on sail on Aspen…
Steve and Maria
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