Bad luck with a loud bang and black smoke
From the Las Perlas we sailed west , back to the mainland dropping anchor behind a rocky island at Benao, supposedly the ‘best surf beach in Panama’. The waves were fun and the little open air restaurant/shelter made a shady place to park and read amongst the many locals who stretched out in hammocks slung from the rafters. Good cheap coffee and a view of the waves.
Unfortunately this is where, on the third day, our cruising plans were upended. Pina Colada was hit by lightening in the early morning just as Nick and I were pulling on our rashies to go surfing. After the sudden stormed had passed we checked over all the electronics and found that 90% of them had been fried. No salt water in the bilges though and all three of us were OK.
The list of damage is unimaginable; it includes the Radar, SSB radio, VHF, Inverter, Charging regular, Alternator, Wind Generator, Sailing instruments, all audio visual equipment, ipod, gauges, some lights, many fuses, perhaps the batteries, perhaps, perhaps perhaps. That is the nature of lightening strikes. Apart from the coursing of 1000’s of volts through anything conductive with blinding speed and light, a second side effect is invisible and is called the Electric Magnetic Pulse (EMP)- a massive, fluctuating magnetic field. Although the EMP only lasts tens of micro seconds, its strength is such that a huge voltage is created in every bit of wiring, every printed circuit and all other electrical components on board. The results are burnt out wiring, dead circuit boards and possible fires. This happens to electronic and electrical equipment regardless of whether they are in use or connected to the batteries or an antenna.
So what now? Months spent back in Panama city trying to reinstate the gear, fighting to claim the substantial cost on insurance and trying not to get too down about all those unexplored trails and unridden waves in Costa Rica and Ecuador.
The edge of the Pacific Ocean
After a busy 4 days at the Balboa yacht club in Panama City, getting ready for some cruising, Nick, Graeme and I set of for Isla Chepillo and found the wave that had been spoken of. Nick surfed constantly on the lovely point break.
Then to the Las Perlas islands, where we kept an eye out for large southerly swells firstly in choosing a safe and flat anchorage and secondly to take any opportunity arising for more surf. Fish, such as mackerel, trevally and snapper, kept biting at our lures as we paid careful attention to our chartlets as there are many isolated rocks. The white sandy beaches were untrodden and hemmed in by thick green jungle foliage. The afternoons were characterised by heavy cold downpours which we collected in buckets for rinsing on deck after snorkelling or swimming. A hammock we purchased in Panama was strung between the radar arch and the cockpit arch; time share arrangements were negotiated. We met a friendly local fisherman, Martin, who showed us a surf beach accessed through the village of Esmeralda on Isla Del Rey, and who arranged for us to see some pearls, for which the islands are named. The pearls were tiny, very pretty but expensive at US$60 + for a 4mm irregular round. Nick taught a swarm of skinny ninos to belly surf..
The Panama Canal Transit
Colon is a dirty dangerous city, Nick and I escaped without being mugged and in this we were more fortunate than half of the other visiting cruisers; we effectively spent the best part of our time avoiding public places. Graeme Douglas arrived on the 18th of September to assist us in the Panama Canal transit and cruise Central America for a time. Two additional ‘line handlers’ were required for the canal transit and were fortunate to have Marty and Celina from the yacht ‘Shoerchita’, volunteer.
The night was dark . In the port of Cristobal a pilot/advisor boarded Pina Colada from the pilot boat at the anchorage. Once underway Nick was given instructions to steer PC close to the edge of the canal whilst the towering sides of a car carrier and a tanker crossed paths beside us. We had no trouble in the three chambers of the Gatun locks and spent the evening on an enormous mooring in the fresh water Gatun Lake, 85 feet higher up. The man made Gatun Lake winds through uninhabited jungle; the numerous islands throughout it are wildlife havens. We motored 31 miles to get to Pedro Miguel Locks.then dropped 31 feet into the mile long Miraflores Lake before entering the 2 chambered Miraflores locks for the final decent into the salt water of the Pacific Ocean. The sniff of home.
As the yacht enters the locks the men on the walls above throw heaving lines armed with monkeys fists to the line handlers on deck. The line handlers tie the heaving line to the boats warps which are then hoisted to bollards on the walls. It’s then up to the line handlers to take up or let out slack to keep the boat under control as the locks are filled or emptied. The most turbulence is created if a ship in the lock creates propeller wash or if a tug boat drives past. Our advisor on the second day was useless; he always had headphones in and would leave the boat whenever we were tied up (a habit that drew the attention of an angry armed security guard). I asked him in loud tones ‘would you like another can of soda and can you give some advice’ to his face and he just kept nodding to the beats. We didn’t need him to be there.
