10 December 1999 - Tuesday

Too much optimism did we have hoping we would pass the canal on the day set with the authorities. Something was messed up in the papers and eventually the crew didn't see the first Miraflores lock before December, 12th. We were among the first victims of the administration change in the canal.

The very passing of the canal took part in two stages. On the first day we crossed Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks definitively ending this way the Pacific part of the expedition. We spent the night on the buoy on the lake called Gatun and the following day by passing the three-stage locks we stepped down to the level of sea and two hours later we anchored in Panama Canal Yacht Club in Colon. After 10 months of not being on Atlantic we welcomed the ocean again feeling much closer to our homes.

The next morning to our great surprise we saw a long awaited "Lady B" which had arrived here at night and anchored near us. The very same morning captain Krzysztof Baranowski (sailing alone around the world) led his yacht to the club haven where we met him. He was absorbed with the matters concerned with passing the canal. Rafał engaged himself into installing a new broadcasting station on "Lady B". Together with Wojtek we organised the food supplies for two forthcoming weeks of the voyage. It was only in the evening that we could meet captain Baranowski. We invited him to Antica where we had a delicious dinner, a bottle of good wine and a long talk about sailing. As early as today we are leaving for San Blas.

Capt. Jerzy Wąsowicz

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