Day 122, Year 1: We Are In The Pacific!!!
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2006
Weather: Perfect Passage Day, Sunny, Warm and Calm
Latitude: 08 degrees 56 minutes
Longitude: 79 degrees 33 minutes
Location: Balboa Yacht Club, Balboa, Panama
It is just a little hard for us to comprehend, but here we are in the Pacific. Today’s Panama Canal Transit went so smoothly and we had fantastic crew. Victor, from Barcelona, Spain, spent the night with us and we got up at 0245. Kim from Australia, and Lee Ann and David from Canada, joined up at 0300 and off we went. We waited in the anchorage until about 0400 when our advisor, Jorge, arrived. We then motored to the Gatun Locks and were rafted up with Encore from Detroit, Michigan (middle position), and Aqua Magic from Portsmouth, England (starboard). We were in the port position. We transited the Gatun Locks, traveled the ~25 miles to the next set of locks and then entered the Miraflores Locks at about 1230. We arrived here-in the Pacific Ocean-around 1400. After all of the preparation and fear of Canal transiting, today was a real treat. Thanks to a great advisor and crews, we transited with no problems. Thanks to all.
We had dinner on Aqua Magic tonight, and tomorrow we start planning our trip from here to the Galapagos. I’ll write more detail tomorrow, but tonight it is important to get some rest.
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| 060216 Day 122a Panama Canal to Centinnial Bridge |
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| 060216 Day 122b Panama Canal Centennial Bridge to Balboa |
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| 060216 Day 122c Panama Canal Crossing Videos |
Of course today of all days was the day that the website for the video cameras of the Panama canal crashed! Their cameras froze up in the middle of the night, so it wasn’t possible to catch any video of Windbird going through the locks. Bummer! Oh well – I am so proud of you guys.
Love,
Justin
I was at BMS yesterday morning to see The Gift with our very own Zachary dancing and singing his little heart out in the “School’s Out” scene. Obviously great talent runs in our family. Anyway Maureen said, “Hey Teresa, today is the day that Mark and Judy sail through the canal!” “Make sure and check it out!”
So I did, and you guys did it, and I am so happy for you! Hip Hip Hooray, the Handleys are on their way!
We want a picture of a turtle when you get to the Galapagos please. Love, Teresa and the Speigel Boys