after having lunch the heat started. I think this was our hottest day yet. We huddled
indoors with the air conditioner running as fast as it could. It kept loosing ground to
the persistent heat. On the burning deck of Bella Donna a large bundle of 120 foot white
lines are piled, neatly ready for work in the canal. The line handlers are scheduled to be
here at 4 PM and we are to leave for the canal channel to check in with the controller. It
is 4:20 before they arrive, just as the heat gives way to a breeze. We quickly introduce
ourselves; there are only three; Anthony is going to man one of the 4 lines. One very
large and friendly Panamanian man is named Dracula.
It is hurry up and wait. We check in with the controller who tells us to proceed to the
flats and wait for our pilot. The sun is close to setting and the breeze has become
pleasantly cool and refreshing. Just before the pilot is to arrive John opens the
starboard engine compartment to check out a strange noise. Not every time but often when
the starboard engine is put into reverse a laud clanking noise is heard. After several
successful attempts to repeat, John looks at me asks should we abort the transit. My mind
goes where it always goes when a serious question must be answered. How can I help John
with a difficult decision he must make in minutes? After consideration, I decide I know
too little and I will let John make this difficult decision, after all he has to take
Bella Donna into the Panama Canal without using reverse on the starboard engine. He
decides to go for it and I support his decision.
It is very dark; the moon is just a sliver as it is very new. It is 7:20; we call the
controller to see where the pilot is. The controller acknowledges us and then the pilot
shuttle calls us saying they are looking for us in the dark in the flats. We flash our big
red anchor light at the top of our mast and they immediately spot us and head for us at
high speed. The pilot jumps on and off we go into the channel towards the first Gatun lock
chamber. There are a lot of bright lights and one very small looking slit that obviously
is the first lock chamber; it does not look wide enough for Bella Donna. Once in the
chamber and the 4 lines are connected to men walking on the sides of the chamber, it is
clear that Bella Donna is a wide vessel. There is a very large ship, The Green Chile,
locked with us in front. Admittedly this vessel takes almost all the width of the lock.
There are 3 chambers that make up Gatun locks. In all Bella Donna is raised approximately
87 feet into Gatun Lake where we anchored for the night. The only time we had a problem
with the changing in reverse was backing up while dropping and setting the anchor. Deborah
says she will dive and check the prop at sunrise. We eat a late dinner with the deck hands
and go to bed.
Today the pilot was supposed to arrive at 7 AM. Instead he arrived at 6:45 AM. Later we
found out he had a party to go to later in the day and wanted to get going early so as to
maybe get an earlier schedule at Pedro Miguel Lock. Deborah was unable to dive and look at
the prop. Dracula tells us it is just as well as there are many alligators in the lake and
one way to get them to come close to the boat was to swim in the water.
A small fishing boat, a small monohull sailboat and a medium sized catamaran left the
anchorage before us. We left later and passed them as they were only making about 6 knots.
It turns out all of us made the 25-30 mile journey to Pedro Miguel locks and were locked
together about 11:15 AM. This time we were the big vessel in front. The only problem for
the first vessel out of the locks coming down is current. John and Bella Donna handled it
well. Pedro Miguel is a one chamber lock. About a mile later we entered the Miraflores
lock, a two chamber drop, and suddenly we were in the Pacific. It was all over too soon.
We drop off our deck hands and our pilot so he can go to his party. We anchor off Flamenco
Marina with a panoramic view of Panama City.
During the anchoring process the port engine starts making the clanking sound in reverse.
That is it; John must know what is going on. So John and Andrew jump in with masks and
fins while the rest of us look out for sharks. After one or two dives, John is smiling
from ear to ear. The problem with both prop shafts is a loose anode. There has been no
damage and a screw driver is used to repair it for now. We all are lying quietly in our
cabins getting so well deserved rest with no worries and no drama.
God Bless Bella Donna.
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