Panama Canal To Galapagos Cruising Report 2005

Created by doina. Last modified on 2005-07-12 21:56:46
Countries: Galapagos, Panama

Dear Noonsite,

Blue Marine is a 53' AMEL monohull sailing boat, French flag. We are presently on our passage between Galapagos and Marquises and have some time to sum up our past months in San Blas, Panama and Galapagos. Having heard and read so many things so different from our experience, not only on your site, but also, we think it could be interesting for other cruisers to let you know ours between January and June 2005.

Coming from Cartagena, we arrived in San Blas just before new years eve and spent two months there, sailing to and fro between sandy and uninhabited outside islands and islands closer to the coast and inhabited by very friendly Kuna Indians. One of our favourites with Brazil since we left France four years ago. We entered in San Blas at the eastern part and sailed slowly to the only port of entry: Porvenir which we reached for the first time two weeks after arrival. We had to pay 70 $ for the 3 months cruising permit for the boat and 20 $ for the two of us. At each village we had to pay 5/6 $ to the Sahila (chief of the village), valid for one month. Since the Zydler is a good guide, nothing more to tell.

We then sailed to Colon to get prepared for the transit of the Canal. We didn't appoint any agent and went on our own to meet the "Autoridad del Canal de Panama"(ACP) : Opening of file and appointment with admeasurer, measurement of the boat, payment to the bank (only credit card accepted by City Bank is VISA, otherwise cash), schedulers. No hustle, no trouble, only very nice and helpful people. With our 53', we paid, in cash, 850$ for the transit (600 under 50') and a deposit (buffer) of the same amount to be returned one month after transit. All other charges mentioned in the ACP documents are in case something gets wrong with your boat and disturb the rest of the traffic; but we know people having had big problems, (e.g. with engine) and the advisor made every effort to help them and avoid to pay for that. In March 2005 you had to wait 3 weeks, but many boats in a hurry managed to be put forward, depending on the availability of the advisors (pilots). As to us, since Marie-Christine was flying back to France, we had plenty of time and transited on April 4th.

The transit is anything but an adventure; You just have to follow the directives of the advisor, enjoy the cruise on the lake and admire the technology of the locks system. To avoid any surprises, we previously made a transit on friend's boat to help them as line handlers. Its easy to find other boats looking for cruisers and find the other way round. If you appoint so called "professional" line handlers you must pay each one of them 100$ per day+++. Four lines of 125' each are required by ACP; you can either have your own or rent them for 15 $ each, preferably from the PCYC dock master (Roger). We rented them, but unfortunately not from the dock master. They suffer rather less than in an ordinary swelly marina. As to the protection of the boat, since you can ask not to be alongside the walls but nested with other sailing boats, ordinary fenders are quite ok. Just buy (6$ each) old tires if you feel a bit short; don't believe the sellers who said 12 for our boat, I had to resell 8 after my first experience with friends. And you may have to pay to get rid of them at Balboa yacht club!! But we didn't, we brought them to Flamingo anchorage, near the garbage place, like many people do quite officialy. We had friends as line handlers, had a very good time with french food and wine with them, and never paid anything else to anybody, not even tips, in relation with the transit which took place, as organised by ACP at that time, from 4th at 5:00p.m. to 5th at 2:00p.m. with an overnight stop tied to a normally well maintained buoy in Gatun Lake. As to the refund of buffer, it takes longer than announced to send a check to France, but since then I have found out they can pay by bank transfer which may be the best option.

Since we stayed in the state of Panama longer than allowed by our cruising permit, we had to renew it with the Capitania in Balboa (The only awful woman we met in Panama; she is also doing the Check out Zarpe). And, before that, to get a resident permit from immigration, downtown, av. Cuba. No real problem, you just have to know which documents they need and come normally dressed with trousers.

The sail to Galapagos was calm, but took 8 days with wind and strong current on the nose. Only to make a daylight landing we chose Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. This choice revealed to be the right one for us: more alive than Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal , easier place to find a cruise on motor boats to visit other islands, fairly good provisioning. The only drawback being a swell which enters the bay, obliging us to have a stern anchor. After our tour we found the stern line cut by rubbing against rocks in the bottom at low tide (we were far from being the only ones). It took us 3 days diving to find it covered by very fine sand. Next time we put a buoy! The 8 days tour was gorgeous, another favourite, and we now can very well understand why they are so strict (even with locals) in order to protect the islands' wild life.

As to the formalities, we had not planned anything and went straight to the Capitania. We were given (sold according to the weight of the boat) straightforwardly a 20 days permit to stay there. They were very friendly, but didn't allow us to move the boat. In fact, it seems that you can insist on getting an internal Zarpe to move between Puerto Villamil (Isabela), Puerto Baquerizo Moreno(San Cristobal) and Puerto Ayora, but no other places (we didn't try, but have seen other boats moving). Talking directly with the Port Captain, we even got two more days (be prepared to say yes when he asks if it is a case of "fuerza mayor", but he didn't ask any further explanation). We even stopped two days in Floreana island for final preparations like cleaning the hull.; no problem as long as you don't go ashore without having an official guide with you.

Cordially,

Marie-Christine & Yves MARTIN d'AIGUEPERSE

SV "BLUE MARINE "