[p]pjr4728
[s]
pos: 08 54.573n 079 31.512w
sp: 0.0
h: 0m
w: overcast
d: 29/05/20 17.27 GMT-0500
Well, we are here...Back in the same ocean we started in 2 years ago (if still a little way from NZ!). The transit through the Canal went pretty smoothly, if a little later than planned. Moira and Windchase had it relatively easy, being rafted either side of Spacegrazer...We were thus only responsible for handling two of the four lines to the dock side that secured the entire raft of 3. Having said that, in one lock we did come within inches (no exageration!) of squishing our freshly serviced and polished windvane when something went wrong with a line on the far side and the whole raft skewed perilously close to the lock side. Thankfuly we had brought a 2nd hand mega teardrop fender in Shelter Bay that was close at hand to save the day (and windvane!)

Whilst we were originally scheduled to make the transit in a day, in the event we were held up by the ship with which our raft shared the first 3 ('up) locks with, and would thus ultimately miss the ship we should have accompanied through the final 3 (down) locks. We all felt this a blessing, as it gave us the chance to relax at the S end of Lake Gatun which separates the up and down locks, as well as enjoy the view on both days raher than doing some in the dark as would be the case for most yachts in more-normal times).

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