On the way to the canal, difficult to describe what its like being passed by such massive ships!
Mark and our Pilot, Miguel.
Oscar and I on the bow. We had three linehandlers to assist with the transit. Between my little Spanish and Oscar's no English, we still had a great time.
Five minutes later and in line waiting to go through, the heavens opened and remained open for the next 5 hours!
The large cargo vessel in front of us in the chamber. We went up the three chambers of the Gatun locks on the first day.
Large sail boat behind us, Mustang. We were also tied up with four lines to the sidewalls. Once the gates close, the chamber fills quickly with water and the vessels are raised up in that way.
Our friend Victor from Colon on another yacht. We anchored overnight on Lake Gatun and started early the morning with the passage down the canals. First we had to cross the Gatun Lake which is a beautiful expanse of forested islands.
Mark and our second Pilot in the early morning passage across Gatun Lake.
As a smaller vessel, we could take a shortcut across the lake through the "Banana Cut" which was really beautiful!
Sunrise on Gatun Lake!
Large markers lead the way...
Beacons to line up to keep a straight course.
Centinnial Bridge
Lead line with monkey fist at the end (filled with lead weights) that gets thrown to the boat (four of them), you tie your line on and they pull the line back to attach you to the side wall. Pretty fun!
Distance that the boat drops as water drains out of the chambers on our way down in the Pedro Miguel Lock.
Water levels going down...
Coming out of the Pedro Miguel Lock.
Cool floating machine - drill I think.
Erir hooking us up to the mooring bouy whilst we waited to go down the Miraflores Locks.
Large vessel also waiting to go through the locks.
Except they have bigger mooring bouys!
View as we entered Miraflores locks onto the Pacific beyond, with the chamber we will lower into below.
Flying South African flag proudly, with Panamanian flag on the right.
Erir on the bow as the gates open and we leave the last of the Panama Canal.
Captain Mark navigating our way into the Pacific through the notoriously strong undercurrents and turbulance (freshwater meeting saltwater), with a smile on his face!
Mark and Theo bringing in a tuna on the handline which was a delicious dinner! One day we managed to catch two and a third tuna in less than an hour - the third we brought in was probably the largest of the tuna with two massive bite marks that took the most of it! Can only imagine what took the nibbles..
A very laid back lifestyle and everything closes over lunch for a few hours for a siesta.
Fresh fruit from mainland Venezuela we stocked up on for our trip to Panama. 
