We were supposed to fuel up at Shelter Bay at about 1 pm in order to make it to the flats by 2:30 pm. At noon, in awe, we watched the fuel barge leave Shelter Bay. Gary had pre-paid for his fuel at the Shelter Bay office a few hours prior so he was a little confused to hear that the fuel barge left but would return by 2:00 pm. Typical of this country; it's whatever, whenever. They can run an international shipping channel and canal but can't organize a reliable fuelling system. That wasn't the first or the last I've hear about fuelling problems at Shelter Bay. There was talk of fuelling out in the shipping lanes on the way to the flats but, not surprisingly, it all fell through. Shelter Bay promised a refund on his credit card for the pre-paid fuel. They also promised to find me the stove that Gary left us that magically disappeared. Haven't heard a peep.
We left the flats around 4 pm with our first advisor Guillermo, went through the Gatun Locks and arrived at the mooring buouy on Gatun Lake about 1/2 hour before sunset. Gary and Tara provide a wonderful meal of BBQ'd steak and chicken, salad and baked beans accompanied by Balboas and fine wine in a box.
Our second advisor, Roy, arrived at 6:30 am just as the sun was rising. One of the catamaran's that was with our group took the short cut through the submerged forest but Roy thought that with Pursuit's draft and
the navigational markers having changed, it would be better to take the conventional route. Just as we approached the chanel, the engine began to fail. It turned out to be the primary filter which was too fine and was clogged. After changing the filter we were back on course but too close to catch the other two boats in our group. In the end it worked out fine. After a wonderful breakfast(actually it was lunch by then - we didn't have breakfast) of fried egg sandwiches (Roy loved them so much he asked for second and Tara was running out of eggs! I guess she hadn't planned on a hungry crew), we made the last two locks, San Pedro and Miraflores with a huge commercial freighter and I was on board SV Effie visiting Mac and Alan by 4 pm!
Isais, from Shelter Bay picked me up in his grey Nissan Centra (the national car it seems) just after 5 to cross back to Shelter Bay by land on the fairly new toll highway. He charges $60 with a surcharge for extra passengers but I guess it's worth it. Other than asking me for a photo that he can put on his computer (which creeps me out but Randy will rectify), he's a good guy. Trained in mechanical engineering in Santa Barbara he is intelligent, presents well and speaks excellent English.
