April 5, 2009 Panama
Day 3 of the cayuco race, a day spent performing more launching,, recovering, trailering, and staging the boats than actually paddling them Since we are not to be allowed to transit the locks of Pedro Miguel or Miraflores, some slight modifications are made to the race. This is to maintain the integrity of the original race distance when “locking” has been allowed. Additionally, it will truly legitimize the name, “Ocean to Ocean”
Our boat is launched at Gamboa, and we must paddle North for 2 miles, towards the lake, a stretch we already paddled yesterday. This will facilitate a 2 mile sprint, thereby duplicating the water distance between the two sets of locks we will not be passing through.
After much waiting, the sprint is started, and we have another very respectable start and finish. This leads us to more recovering and then trailering the heavy vessels.
With much joyfulness, our water incursion problems seem to have been resolved. We do not appear to be taking on any additional water as Ralph has made more canvas repairs to the stern cover this morning attempting to assure a water tight seal.
We wait on the water for today’s 2nd stretch of race to be commenced. As the youth category is assembled to start, we raft with the cayuco Moab (Bucyrus) under the angled bow of a fuel barge. It is one of the only refuge’s from the searing sun.
Today’s 2nd stretch is through the “cut” which is a straight section transiting the original “Galliard or Culebra” cut, a very historic excavation during the building of the Panama Canal. It is also a miraculous feat to have created this man-made miracle.
The open category is finally started, and we are off to another strong and stellar start. We again fall into our efficient “power” pace, and pass some ships through the “cut.” We pass the new bridge over the canal which is roughly located North of the town of Paraiso.
This section is shorter than the lake, and our crew happily performs a 1 hour 23 min. “Cut”
We have lunch at the Las Cruces landing just North of Pedro Miguel locks. Marian, our “Boat Queen” has really helped out today, moving cars, photographing NIC, and now bringing us lunch. We could not have performed today without her selfless efforts.
After lunch, our boat is towed with the 100 plus others to an open field on the South side of the Miraflores locks, where we wait for a frustrating few hours in the mid-day tropical sun anticipating the final leg of the race.
We finally launch the boat, and paddle to the lock, start area attempting to maintain position to start amongst the eddies of the currents from the lock drainage.
We barely hear the start signal, and it becomes our only poor start of the 3 days as we jockey for position and have multiple collisions with the Slave Galley. We paddle for all we are worth to catch up and sprint to the Diablo Spinning club, however, we are not quite able to reach our most efficient pace in the “zone.” However, we make the final sprint across the finish line to the deafening roar of the spectators at Diablo Point.
Once we hoist the boats through the throngs of spectators, the air filled with excitement and sounds of the local mugda band, we retire to the Tiblier “shed”. It is a home built on the point facing the canal. Mr. Tiblier has made some ceviche for the ensuing party from fresh catch, rooster tail grouper. It is without a doubt the finest I have ever had, and I am able to cajole his recipe from him. The party is like a mini-reunion for the CZers and the racers bask in satisfaction of another Ocean to Ocean race completion.
Party for the awards ceremony is held at Mi Pueblito. We stay for awhile, but leave before getting our patch, which Diana retrieves for us.
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