A passage through the Canal planned for Valentine’s Day !

 

Our schedule for passage through the Canal is confirmed Ruth II will go with the very first "nest" of Oyster boats tomorrow alongside our Irish pals on Irene IV ( my cousin Louis !) and Irish Blessing from Chicago .
We leave here at 9 am tomorrow and head towards a holding pen to await our pilots . Then in early afternoon we all approach the canal and before entering we nest the three boats together ( Ruth II will be on one of the sides ) and we will  have two line handlers working on each of the side boats . We have three locks  to go through tomorrow before entering Lake Gatun a man made made lake where we travel for approx 30 miles and then anchor for the night . The following morning Tuesday we repeat the process with another three locks and then head to a marina on the other side at Fernando .Liam and I will then leave for home and the boat will prepare for the passage to the Galapagos!
We welcomed Mary Andre Eibhe and Jeanne on Friday time and spent yesterday on prep / food shopping and a sixtieth  birthday party for Dubra from Poland .
This morning the fleet did a badly needed rubbish clean up of the Jungle!
Tonight it's a BBQ with Irene IV and an early night for our adventures tomorrow!
Will be flooding the blog with photos!