The Pacific Odyssey yachts gathered together at Shelter Bay Marina located at the Caribbean Sea entrance to the Panama Canal, in order to prepare for their transit of the Canal and entry into the Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific Odyssey fleet gathered in Shelter Bay Marina.
Many of them had already met the previous year during the Atlantic or Islands Odyssey and enjoyed meeting again in order to share this new adventure.
The children were especially happy to meet up again, and some fifteen of them profited from the marina swimming-pool while their parents were busy with various tasks including a visit from the Panama Canal inspectors to measure the boats, the obligatory boat fumigation, provisioning, and many last minute repair jobs.
Inspection and measurement of Mercredi Soir by a Panama Canal Authority Inspector..
Fumigation of the catamaran Vivant.
The drought which is currently badly affecting the region (having seen no rain for four months) has caused a lowering of the level of the Gatun Lake which provides the necessary water for the canal locks, and has imposed a restriction on the transits of sailing yachts. Instead of making the transit all at the same time, the Odyssey participants have had to make the transit in groups of 2 or 3 boats at a time.
All will be reunited from 16 April onwards in the Galapagos for a 2 – 3 week stay before making the longer ocean passage across the Pacific bound for the Marquesas.
Excallibur is the first to leave Shelter Bay in order to transit the Panama Canal.
Excallibur goes through the Miraflores Locks with two other boats.
- You can follow the position of the boats on the tracking map.
