Boats anchored off Panama City

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wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Boats anchored off Panama Cityt

The waters off of Panama City are shallow and vessels have never anchored close to land here. Even when the Spanish were shipping treasure and other goods in and out of Panama they had to anchor out and have the cargos lightered in. There are still many ships anchored in the roadstead, some several miles out. At least now there is some access at the entrance to the Canal, but still, not much in the way of a deep water port here. The small boat anchorages are not much to brag about either, unprotected and rough, and the shore boats roar through day and night causing lots of rolling and commotion.

We saw this guy ashore, Friendly too!

Casco Viejo

We went to Casco Viejo (the old town) for a night out, and to our surprise, while having a drink on the roof of one restaurant, were treated to a 45 minute fireworks show celebrating the opening of a new highway. It was really grand.

Previous images on this page shot with Samsung Galaxy phone

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Dingy Up

We have a four point lifting bridle made of plastic coated stainless steel wire and joined with carabineers. We shackle a halyard to this bridle and winch the Zodiac dingy up with the big three speed primary winch. This set-up is easy and quick. With the bow of the Zodiac up rainwater can drain out. The smaller line near the stern of the Zodiac keeps it from swinging wildly and helps prevent the wind from blowing it over. We can also lift it a bit more and swing it on deck if we need to get underway quickly.

The lifting bridle also serves as a towing bridle; we disconnect the two forward wires and clip them on to the Zodiac's twin towing eyes and clip the bow line (painter) to the two of them. Our painter is polypropylene and it floats. The small buoy is to keep the bridle from sinking and getting near Wings' propeller.

When we want to lock the Zodiac and motor we bring a strong cable locked to the motor through the gas tank handle and through the zodiac's bow eye, then to Wings and we padlock it to the shroud.

Note: you can see a corner of our spray dodger. It looks brown in the photo. This is what Panama city's smog and soot have done to it. Last year it was snow white. The smog, soot, and dust have coated everything on wings and turned everything to a dark and dingy grey. Washing is not easy since the city is short of fresh water and our watermaker is insufficient to provide washing water.

Merc, viewed from the head.