CANAL CROSSING NOTES
CANAL CROSSING NOTES
Many Ocean Posse members cross the Panama Canal at some point on their journey. When this time comes people often wonder about the actual logistics of the transit, what food and beverages make for an easy day and happy line handlers, etc...
SV BRIGADOON III recently crossed the Panama Canal and is sharing the notes they shared of their experience to "give some friends a feel for what to expect and see it from my perspective".
The night before the transit, the four line-handlers arrived with the fenders and lines. One of the line-handlers was (Posse Sponsor and Canal Agent) Erick (Galvarez)’s son, Juan and another was Juan’s uncle “Junior”. Junior seemed to be the head line handler and gave the others direction. They slept one on each salon sofa, one in the aft quarter berth and Junior slept in the cockpit because, as he said, he snores.
The line-handlers arrived on time, as planned, at 6:30 pm and we had dinner ready for them -Spanish style meatballs in a roasted pepper sauce on Orzo, bean-corn salad and grapes for dessert. They devoured everything and all wanted to know what orzo was. They also drank water and Coke. I had read that they like Coke; regular not diet.
We had dinner before they arrived to simplify things. After dinner, they took off and Junior stayed and went to bed. Doug and I also went to bed and didn’t hear a peep from anyone.
We got up at 2:30 am and left the marina at 3:15 am to travel to a point between markers 2 and 4 to pick up our advisor. This area is just outside of Playita Marina. It took a while for Carlos, our advisor, to show up in the big pilot boat but eventually did and readied himself in the rocky seas for a very heroic leap to our boat. Once the advisor was aboard, all the line-handlers, except uncle Junior, went back to bed and we travelled in the dark under the Bridge of the Americas to the first lock which is about 7.5 miles from where we had picked up Carlos at about 4:15 am.
It was just getting light when we entered the first lock. The advisor gave us instructions and explanations for everything we needed to know as we went along, such as what to expect in the lock and that it takes 8 minutes for the water to fill the lock. He also explained how and when we would raft up to the other sailboat we were travelling with.
Because we were up-locking, we would travel behind the commercial ship. At the other end we would be down-locking and would be in front of the commercial ship.
We cleared the third lock at about 8 am so I got the coffee on and had oranges and muffins for everyone to tide them over while I made breakfast - rice and beans, eggs, avocado and salsa plus orange juice and more oranges. They love rice and beans.
As expected, the three younger line handlers went below to bed or rest and we carried on through Gatun Lake passing huge freighters going the opposite way.
At 12 noon and before we got to the Gatun locks, I made lunch - Chicken Chorizo Paella, grapes and watermelon. They also had water, coke and orange juice. Again, they gobbled it all up and helped with the dishes. Phew, no more dinners. We continued through the Gatun locks and about 20 minutes later the pilot boat showed up for Carlos the advisor. The three line-handlers continued on with us to Shelter Bay and Erick was waiting for them to transport them back home.
I want to add a comment on the line-handlers. Generally, when they are not needed, they are happy to hang out inside the boat. They were professional, tidy and kept their bags away and out of sight. They seemed to have a sixth sense of when they were needed as they would appear topsides, ready to work, out of nowhere. I suspect Erick has coached them because they were quiet, pleasant and thanked me for every meal. As for food, they liked the rice dishes and fruit. They had seconds of these dishes and they can pack away the food. They were not too interested in sweets such as muffins but did eat a bit of the chocolate that I had. According to Erick, they also like pasta. Remember, lunch is their main meal of the day. They appreciate water and Coke and enjoyed the orange juice I had.
SV SUMMERBREEZE followed in the wake of SV BRIGADOON III and found the notes super helpful.
SY BRIGADOON III Doug & Patty – Saga 43’ & MV SUMMERBREEZE 🇺🇸 Sam & Kurtis - Bestway 46'
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR NOTES AND YOUR COMMUNITY SPIRIT WITH ONE ANOTHER!
ADVENTURES IN PANAMA ABOUND PART 1
ADVENTURES IN PANAMA ABOUND
PART 1: ISLA TABOGA
Cruisers visiting Panama find adventures on land and out on the water. Over the years Posse members have collectively seen so much of what the country has to offer. There are so many great adventures to chose from. A quick list includes: Isla Taboga, the mountain towns of Boquette and El Valle, the Canal Museum in Casco Viejo, the sloth sanctuary in the Gamboa Reserve, cruising the Coiba group, cruising the Perlas Islands, walking up Ancon hill overlooking Panama City, touring the Miraflores Lochs....and many many more. Part 1 of ADVENTURES IN PANAMA ABOUND will explore the interesting history and adventure opportunities at Isla Taboga, Panama.
Rich in historical significance and boasting a relaxed getaway charm, Isla Taboga is an excellent place to visit near Panama City. The island is so close to the city that there are multiple daily 30 minute ferries that bring people to and from the island for $17 round trip. People visit to enjoy the beach, restaurants, hotels, multiple hiking trails, and the history.
Isla Taboga was discovered in 1513 by the Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. Many subsequent explorers who crossed the Atlantic from Seville, Spain would disembark in what is now Portobello on the Caribbean coast of Panama, cross the isthmus of Panama on foot or by horseback until they reached Panama City. They would then board canoes to the galleons anchored off Taboga. Deep waters with good holding surround the island and made it an excellent place for large vessels to find safe harbor from which to explore and conquer new lands near and far.
Like the ships of old the same anchorage is used today by modern transporters awaiting passage through the Panama Canal.
Going back 500 years again: By 1524 Father Hernando de Luque founded a church in the center of town and christened the town San Pedro. The Church, while noted for being one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere, is still standing and well cared for.
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In the late 1500’s the island was renamed Taboga. “Aboga” means “abundant fish” in the indigenous language of Taboga’s early inhabitants. In the 1500’s many of Taboga’s inhabitants on record were slaves from Venezuela and Nicaragua. The first Catholic saint of the Americas is said to have been born on the Island. There is a cross in her honor on a hilltop with a beautiful view. Today many people think of Taboga as the ”Island of Flowers” for all the flowers cascading over walls (from the most well maintained to the ancient, crumbling ones) and growing in the jungle. The island is 12 square km; town itself, like many on the nearby islands, is quite densely packed and surrounded by wild jungle.
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Today, one can travel along all the residential footpaths or in golf carts on the narrow streets in an afternoon and could spend days and days meandering through the jungle in search of treasure, wildlife, or relics of the past. |
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Treasure: Early prosperity turned Taboga into a target for piracy. In the 1600’s pirates became a formidable force in the area and Taboga was no stranger to their presence and pillaging. Infamous Pirate Henry Morgan among others is said to have sacked the island and used it as a base while attempting to sack Panama City and other nearby islands. Legend has it that there are ashes of pirates inside the walls of the church and treasures buried on the island. One can walk to a monument called Los Tres Cruzes to see the three graves of pirates that attempted to disturb the peace on Taboga. They lost their lives in the fight and have remained as a symbol to all who visit. Taboga is not to be sacked ever again. Wildlife: Taboga is a volcanic Island that rises above the sea with a dense and healthy tropical forest. While hiking through the forest we were treated to many (74) poison dart frog sightings, the smell of flowers, the sound of rain paddling the canopy overhead, the refreshing cool of mist hanging in the air slowly dripping down to the dark brown forest floor. On the highest peak we enjoyed being at eye level with the largest and smallest of birds, from the black headed vultures to bright green teeny-tiny hummingbirds. Relics of the past: In the 1840’s the Pacific Mail and Steamship Company set up a shipping company on Taboga thinking they would move mail and produce throughout the region. They ended up moving gold and gold diggers to and from California during the Gold Rush. There are remnants of their shipyard operation on Isla Morro which is connected to Taboga by a sand spit. In 1885 a medical center was built on the island while the French were making their attempt at the Panama Canal construction. Many workers would take ill and go to Tabogo for care and quarantine. While convalescing on Taboga, French painter Paul Gauguin, painted a scene of the bay that is appreciated to this day. Additionally, the US military build a base on the island during WWII. A bunker was built on the highest point with a 360 degree view that today offers a welcome breeze and incredible views of Taboga Bay, Panama City, the perlas Islands, and ships awaiting Canal transit. |
CARIBBEAN LAP REPORT SV JUBEL
SV JUBEL'S CARIBBEAN LAP
SV JUBEL just finished their 1 year lap around the Caribbean. BRAVO ZULU! Here they share their story:
We are currently in progress building an HH44 Catamaran in Cebu, Philippines, which will be completed in January 2026. It's our plan to cross the Pacific to meet the boat so we can move aboard directly from JUBEL. But we didn’t come all this way from Vancouver island to skip the Caribbean. Having crossed the (Panama) Canal in September 2023, we spent some time in Bocas del Toro, the San Blas, Panama, and Cartagena, Columbia. Knowing we wanted to see the Caribbean, we decided to do a speed loop of the Windward and Leeward Islands.
The trip started from Cartagena, Colombia and we set off for Puerto Rico, or maybe the DR, on March 26th, 2024. We didn’t know where we would end up. We had heard this passage was notoriously bad, and that we may have to divert westward. So loaded with 8 extra jerry cans of diesel, we set off, along with our friends on SV VIA, a Caliber 40LRC (that holds 400+ gallons of diesel!) This trip was exactly what they say it was. We motored for 700 miles, into the wind and the waves. At times doing 3 knots. We broke our davits due to the constant slamming into the waves. We also had some flat calm days. Overall, we sailed about 10 hours out of the entire 6 days.
We ended up in Boquerón, Puerto Rico. We spent time cruising Puerto Rico for a month along the southern side of Puerto Rico, and flew home in (to Canada) in May. Our highlights are Isla Caja De Muertos, where you can hike up to the top of an abandoned lighthouse, and Isla Culebra for its snorkeling and coral farms, and of course, Costco in San Juan.
With our boat loaded with a years worth of Costco supplies in Puerto Rico we made our way to the USVI’s where it was a surprise that they drive on the opposite side of the road. We spent a few days in St. Thomas, of course, stopping at the pizza boat where we attended a massive memorial day party hosted on a catamaran while we floated in the water.
A few days on the northern side of St. Johns before making our way to the BVIs. We have a dog on board so this was pretty difficult to sort out, as you have to have a lot of paperwork and health check proofs. We met the vet in Soper’s hole where he had to inspect Ricky, our dog, in person. Once that was dealt with we made our way to pussers for a rum! This was the first island we considered “the Caribbean”, and we made it!
We spent three weeks bouncing around the BVIs including Norman Island (and the infamous Willy Ts, where we floated behind it in our Sunchill, met friends, and had beers thrown into our pool!
Anchoring at the Baths, (where our engine died coming into the anchorage, that turned out to be ricky leaning on the shutoff button!), and spending time in Virgin Gorda was also great. Our favorite anchorages were Savannah bay, and the north side of Prickly Pear Island. Having the Rum Runner bring us blended cocktails right to our boat was (also) a highlight, along with visits to Saba Rock.
From The BVIs we checked out and headed to St. Martin, stopping at the French side first. The beaches here were phenomenal. While a little run down, its very pretty, and the French food supply is amazing. We had FKG rigging come out to the boat by dinghy to give us an estimate for the standing rigging replacement that we needed. They gave us a very, very reasonable estimate and we headed over to their dock on the dutch side to have the work done. A week later, everything was brand new. Highly recommend them! We also had a new generator motor shipped here and replaced that, as our previous one had water ingress due to a manufacturing defect. St. Maarten is an amazing location for boat work and supply, especially since its all tax free. There are also great restaurants here, where we met up with some other Young Cruisers and talked shop, so we will definitely come back at some point. St. Maarten is a hit on our list!
Our next stop was Guadeloupe. It was here that we rode out hurricane Beryl. On the west side of the island behind the mountain, we set out a 10-1 scope in 20 feet of water. Luckily (for us, certainly not the islands south of us) it headed south. We were hit with 35 knots of wind and a ton of rain, but otherwise, unscathed. After the weather cleared, the view was beautiful.
We worked our way down Guadeloupe, and anchored in some very rolly anchorages - There is not much for protection on this side of the island. We stopped in several hot springs and enjoyed the natural hot water that comes out all over the island. After an absolutely brutal sail crossing from Guadeloupe to Terre-de-Haut, a group of small islands south of Guadeloupe, we went to explore and island and old fort. There is a really cute little town (but not much for food available) that you can explore.
From there we made our way to the jewel of the Caribbean, Dominica. I can not say enough about this place. It is, by far, our favourite locale in the caribbean. Absolutely untouched and unspoiled. There were no tourists, the locals were the friendliest people we have ever met, and would do anything for you. The natural beauty of this island is absolutely stunning.Waterfalls, valleys, hot springs, gorges - It has it all.
What it doesn’t have are services, restaurants, fuel docks, or supply shops. You are on your own. So bring what you need, and stay as long as you can. We grabbed a mooring ball in Portsmouth bay for $10 a night, where the PAY (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services) will come out to the boat and give you anything you need, and help you check in. We rented a car from a local company (that we had to swap out three times because they were not in great shape - Old cars imported from Japan), they also drive on the British side of the road (in Dominica). Its like driving in the game “crazy taxi”. We drove all over the island over 5 days.
We went to visit Titou gorge where they filmed parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean
Overall, Dominica gets a 10/10 for us. We will be back to this island before our cruising career is over. Its got so much to offer, and so much that we haven’t seen, for a small island. Our provisions were running low so it was time to carry on. We made our way to Martinique from here, where we knew we could provision. And provision we did. Wine, cheese, butter, oh my. The French have food nailed down. We were here during a summer festival and I have never seen so many boats on the move, ever.
Martinique was the busiest place we’d ever been. The bays were full, with hundreds if not thousands of boats. It was way too busy for us. And they’re very not dog friendly. So after we provisioned, we carried on down to Grenada. We skipped St. Lucia for safety concerns, and therefore had to skip St. Vincent and the Grenadines due to our dog and rabies rules. That, and its been hit hard by Beryl at this point.
Grenada became our home for about a month and a half while we waited for hurricane season to subside slightly. The next stop after this was Bonaire, so hurricanes weren’t a big concern. We met up with friends, enjoyed copious wing nights, went snorkeling, and hauled out because we had won a free haul out from Spice Island Marine at the Young Cruisers Association Cruisers Awards. We were here for Carnival which was amazing.
We had tried out all the anchorages and there was a weather window coming. It was September at this point, so it was time to carry on to Bonaire. After a sporty 3 day sail downwind (oh how nice it was to go downwind finally, after beating our way east all the way to Dominica), we arrived in Bonaire. The water clarity blew our minds.
However, the lack of Starlink was frustrating after having it for so long. So back to a cell phone data plan we went, we spent our days snorkeling and swimming. We rented a car and drove around the whole island, stopping to feed the roadside donkeys apples and carrots.
Bonaire was definitely another highlight. The freediving and snorkeling is amazing. Its everything its cracked up to be.
We skipped Curacao and headed to Aruba to meet friends and for my parents to fly in. We loved Aruba - Dove on a shipwreck, swam with turtles, went out to fantastic restaurants, played some slot machines, had some pool days at the Hyatt pool, and even found a Canadian bar that had Poutine and took Canadian money!
Now here we are in Cartagena once again, having crossed our track when we left 8 months ago, so very happy we traveled where we did and saw what we saw. The experiences will stick with us forever, and we hope to go back to some of the islands once again in the future. Now, its time to go back to San Blas one more time before we prepare for our grand adventure across the Pacific!
SY JUBEL 🇨🇦 Leah & Kyle - Gulfstar 44'
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR 8 MONTH CARIBBEAN LOOP
PANAMA CANAL
Seven Wonders of the Modern World
The earth and rubble removed between Colon and Balboa was enough to bury Manhattan to a depth of 12 feet. It connects the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama, via 6 locks facilitating international maritime trade. The maximum vessel dimensions are:
15.2 m /49.8 ft draft
51.25 m / 168 ft width
366 m / 1201 ft length
57.91 m / 190 ft height ( 205′ possible at MLW )
FEES
Transit Tolls. $1,935.00 up to 64.99ft (As of January 1st, 2024)
$2,130.00 up to 64.99ft (As of January 1st, 2025)
Transit inspection $120.00
Transit Security fee $165.00
Canal EDCS $75.00
Fenders & lines rental $125.00
Bank charges $90.00 3% Visa/Mastercard
Agent service Fee $450.00 up to 65ft
$75.00 General Discount
STEPS
1) CONTACT AGENT TO GET ADDED TO THE SYSTEM AND SUBMIT VIRTUAL MEASUREMENTS ( or do it your self with cash with the Panama Canal Authority )
2) PAY THE FEES TO AGENT
3) SUBMIT MEASUREMENT ( submit virtually )
4) GET YOUR DATE
5) VOLUNTEER AS A LINE HANDLER ON ANOTHER YACHT
6) PLAN OUT YOUR TRANSIT NEEDS 4 LINE HANDLERS / FENDERS AND LINES / FOOD / WATER ETC ( watch video )
7) ON THE DAY OF TRANSIT BE READY AND TAKE ON THE ADVISOR AT THE DESIGNATED LOCATION ( usually near a buoy )
8) TRANSIT
9) DROP OFF ADVISOR
10) DROP OF LINE HANDLERS
11) RETURN LINES AND FENDERS
PANAMA POSSE CANAL AGENTS
To arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact our dedicated Panama Canal agents and sponsors of the Panama Posse and the Pacific Posse
CENTENARIO CONSULTING
Erick Gálvez
info@centenarioconsulting.com
www.centenarioconsulting.com
Cellphone +507 6676-1376
WhatsApp +507 6676-1376
WAYPOINT YACHT SERVICES
www.waypointyacht.com
The Panama Canal—Atlantic Approach
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The Atlantic Entrance to the Panama Canal leads from the Caribbean Sea, close N of the Cristobal breakwater entrance, passing through the length of Bahia Limon, which is protected by two breakwaters known as East Breakwater and West Breakwater, extending across its N end. This entrance has been recently (2016) widened to 520m and lies in the middle of the bay between the seaward ends of the breakwaters, marked by 6 buoys. Winds—Weather.—The climatological year in the canal area is customarily divided into a wet season (April through December) and a dry season (December through April). Average rainfall during the dry season is about 110mm, whereas that of the wet season is about 1,690mm, with the maximum precipitation occurring during daylight hours in both seasons. Uniformly high temperature and humidity make the climate oppressive. Regulations.—An IMO-approved TSS has been established in the approaches to Puerto Cristobal. The TSS, best seen on the chart in the outer approaches to Puerto Cristobal, is composed of the traffic separation scheme, several inshore traffic zones, and a precautionary area.
Puerto Cristobal 09° 21’N 079° 55’W Tides—Currents.—The greatest variation in range is 0.6m. The range is frequently more affected by the direction of the wind than by any other factor. Fresh NW winds may cause some current setting SE in Bahia Limon. An E set across the channel outside the entrance is normally encountered. Shallow water effect frequently causes vessels to respond adversely
Depths—Limitations
From the 20m curve N of the breakwater entrance, the depths gradually decrease to about 16m between the breakwaters, 16.5m in the charted channel, and 16.2m between a 40m standoff from the W breakwater coastline and a standoff distance from the E breakwater coastline, and to a least depth in the dredged entrance channel of 13m. The S part of Bahia Limon is shallow; this area is also used as a spoil area. A shoal area here uncovers. Several wrecks lie in this part of the bay. The harbor has depths of 7.9 to 11.3m.
Pilotage
Pilotage is compulsory for the Panama Canal, including Puerto Cristobal. Pilots board either on arriving inside the breakwaters or at the anchorage. Pilots leave outbound vessels after passing the lighted beacon W of Muelle Cristobal and when the vessel is steadied on its course; however, pilots will accompany vessels to a position just inside the breakwater entrance if desired. An ETA is required to be sent at least 96 hours in advance. Vessels approaching the canal from the Atlantic must report 12 hours before arrival at Puerto Cristobal any change of 1 hour or more in their ETA on VHF channel 12. Pilots do not operate outside the breakwater. For Panama Canal Pilot Contact Information, see table titled Panama Canal Pilots—Contact Information, in paragraph Regulations.—All vessels must hoist their designator signals during daylight when approaching and entering Bahia Limon. Vessels must call the signal station on VHF channel 12. Vessels shall, until a pilot boards, maintain a continuous watch on VHF channels 12 and 16. Vessels approaching the Panama Canal shall communicate by radio with the Navigation Division not less than 48 hours in advance of arrival. No vessel may approach within 1 mile of the breakwater entrance until it has identified itself. Anchorage.— At all times large deep-draft vessels and/or any vessel so directed may anchor outside the breakwater in the approved area. Vessels will be given a definite time to enter the breakwater, where the vessel will be met by transit pilots and boarding officials. Anchorage Area F at Puerto Cristobal has been resurveyed. Depths are approximately 1.3m less than charted. Anchorage is prohibited in or near the axis of the dredged channel.
Caution.—A submarine telephone cable, which may best be seen on the chart, lies W of the approved anchorage areas. Mariners anchoring W of the approved anchorages should keep clear of this cable. Battery Pratt is no longer available and Cristobal Signal Station VHF channel 12 provides no additional information. Vessels required to remain underway outside Bahia Limon are cautioned to keep N of the breakwaters until it is clear to enter before departing the lower chamber. Pilots board in position 9°24.5’N, 79°53.8’W. Regulations.—The Panama Canal Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) covers the approaches to Colon and its terminals.
Contact Information
National Port Authority
Telephone +507-510-5106 +507-510-5227
E-mail dpuertos@amp.gob.pa
Web site http://www.amp.gob.pa
Port Authority Telephone +507-430-9500
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal, a lock-type canal traversing the Isthmus of Panama in a SSE direction for approximately 43 miles, connects Bahia Limon on the Atlantic side with Panama Bay on the Pacific side. The ports of entry for the canal are Cristobal, on the Atlantic side, and Balboa, on the Pacific side. All ships should be familiar with the Panama Canal Authority home page, especially the Maritime Services tab where there are Maritime Regulations. These regulations can be accessed from the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) home page provided below. Vessels should also be familiar with the Notices to Shipping section from the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) home page, most notably the Panama Canal Harbor Operations Requirements and the Panama Canal Vessel Requirements. Vessels should consult these regulations prior to transiting. A brief discussion of some of these regulations and requirements are provided for reference in this paragraph. These regulations apply to all navigable waters in the Atlantic entrance and the Atlantic anchorage areas, the port of Cristobal, and through the canal itself. The Panama Canal is largely made possible by the Gatun Lake watershed, which has a maximum operating level of 27.1m above sea level, and can vary according to the season of the year, or due to prolonged periods of no rainfall, and the Rio Chagres, which lies about in the middle of the Isthmus of Panama. Gatun Lake is reached through three sets of locks, which are arranged in duplicate on either side of the most elevated part of the canal, or through the new Atlantic and Pacific side expansion locks. The canal has recently completed (2016) a multi-year extensive expansion project to accommodate vessels that exceed the old Panamax dimensions. The expansion project has included the following improvements: 1. Widening and deepening of the Gatun Lake navigational channel, 2. Construction of a third set of locks on the Pacific (Cocoli Locks) and Atlantic (Agua Clara Locks) sides. 3. Raising the maximum operational level of Gatun Lake. 4. Widening of channel reaches and the turns in Gatun Lake. 5. Construction of a new Pacific Access channel that will bypass Miraflores Lake and the Miraflores Locks, connecting the new Pacific locks with the Culebra Cut. 6. Deepening of the Culebra Cut. The original Canal lock gates and valves are electrically operated from a central control station. The entire operation is directed by a lock master on the center wall. All of the canal lock chambers are similar in dimensions and method of operation. In transiting the canal, a vessel is raised in three steps, or lockages; first to the level of Gatun Lake through the Gatun Locks, then is subsequently lowered in three steps to sea level on the other side of the isthmus. The flights of locks are in duplicate, enabling vessels to pass in opposite directions simultaneously. Although two-way transit is possible, traffic typically transits the canal in shifts of northbound traffic or southbound traffic, running both channels in the same direction simultaneously. The average canal transit time is 12 hours. Fo Small vessel it may take up to 2 days The Panama Canal Expansion project has added two new sets of locks; one on the Atlantic Ocean side (Agua Clara Locks) and one on the Pacific Ocean side (Cocoli Locks). The new Atlantic side lock complex is situated E of the existing Gatun Locks and the new Pacific side lock complex is located SW of the existing Miraflores Locks.
The actual transit time is advised over VHF channel 12.
All vessels underway in the canal will maintain a continuous watch on VHF channel 13.
Bridge to bridge communications between vessels in the canal will be carried out on VHF channel 13 as well.
During the time when the Canal pilot is on board, VHF channel 13 may only be used by the pilot or at his direction, solely for navigational communications.
All communications between the Signal Station and vessels should be in English.
If any of the following events occur during canal transit, a report must be made to the Marine Traffic Control Unit:
1. Any accident or other incident which may cause delay or require assistance.
2. Discovery of any defect that may interfere with safe navigation.
3. Anchoring or mooring when visibility falls below 305m including during heavy squalls
PANAMA CANAL OVERVIEW
DETAILS
WARNING !!!
09° 21 33.56' N 079° 56.1133' W
Two boats have reported running aground in the area near Shelter Bay Marina, despite charted depths over 4m
(reported depths under 2m). In each case their advisor directed them over the shallows. Caution advised!
PANAMA CANAL CHARTS
DOWNLOAD REFERENCE CHARTS
- PANAMA CANAL Chart 21602 »
- PANAMA CANAL Chart 21604 »
- PANAMA CANAL CHART 26068 >>
- PANAMA CANAL CHART 21603 >>
