4/30/10 to 5/1/10

Our first stop was the Rio Chagres located 6 miles southwest of the Panama Canal. It was exciting to approach the outer anchorage for the Canal Zone & zigzag between the numerous tankers & freighters lying at anchor. As luck would have it, a thunderstorm developed just as we approached the area, so in addition to tracking shipping activity, we were trying to avoid the lightening. Once we passed the Canal, the shipping traffic thinned out & the storm dissipated.

The river’s entrance poses the only navigational difficulty with shallow depths and a reef lying at its center. Once past these obstacles, the river runs deep and shallows only near its banks or at bends. We motored the river’s entire length (6 miles) to look for possible anchorages, as well as take in the beauty of the tropical jungle. The Gatun Dam is located at the terminal end of the river & is the only aspect of the Panama Canal you can see from your boat.

Together with Tara Vana, we anchored at a bend in the river to take advantage of any potential breeze. We spent the remainder of the afternoon & evening on deck watching the sun set, a full moon rise & listening to the sounds of the jungle. What a magical experience!

The next morning, we woke at 5:15 AM to the call of howler monkeys – the jungle’s alarm clock. As we weighed anchor, the predawn colors illuminated the clouds & reflected beautifully on the still water. With a full moon still overhead, we motored toward the river’s entrance, just listening & watching the jungle.