Through the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is one of the world’s great engineering projects. Spanning the Isthmus of Panama, it connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and is 77km long. Construction began in 1881 by the French, who later abandoned the project due to engineering difficulties and disease among the workers. The Americans took over in 1904 and completed the project a few weeks before the outbreak of World War I. Since then hundreds of thousands of ships have passed along its length… and now it’s my turn.
Three months ago I left the UK to realise a dream – to sail around the world. I didn’t have my own boat, so I’d used an online crewing website to get in touch with owners. First, I crossed the Atlantic on board a 50ft ketch, then in Antigua I met Jan, the Finnish owner of a Jeanneau 45, who was heading to New Zealand.
Together with Jan and his three American crew – Paul, Steve and Sean – we criss-crossed the Caribbean, having a very hedonistic time. Next, we headed for the Pacific, arriving at Shelter Bay Marina in Panama.
Shelter Bay Marina is an odd place. Although it’s now the main staging post for yachts passing through the canal, it was originally an American military base built to protect the canal zone and was later used as a jungle warfare school. The remains of the barracks are slowly being reclaimed by the jungle and the whole complex is ringed with a 3m fence topped with razor wire.
The entrance still has its sentry post, which is quite useful as the immediate
