Tina Jones, co-captain aboard Grey Pearl, a Nordhavn 62 provides a summary of Grey Pearl's transit of the Panama Canal and the cruise: Transiting the Panama Canal was quite an experience. We got word that in less than 24 hours we were cleared to transit and advised to meet our pilot at the entrance to the Canal at 1700hrs, March 20th. There was one problem, we had additional crew (friends) flying in to help handle lines, a critical job while making the transit. Fellow Nordhavn buddy Wayne Davis was already on board. Reliable crewmate Jose Gutierrez arrived from the USA a half hour before we shoved off the dock...but sadly, Steve Kellenberger rushing from San Francisco could not arrive until 2100, four hours after we left the dock. What to do?! Poor Steve...a day late and, well..you know the rest. We anchored in the area they call the "Flats" and waited for our pilot to board, being advised they are on Central Am. time which means they will be late (min. 1-2 hrs.) He finally showed up - We had dinner and set off for the Gatun Locks around 2245. The Canal was lit like day as it operates 24x7. After much discussion, we had a "center tie" in the lock chamber with a 36 foot sport fish boat rafted to our starboard side. Having this smaller boat rafted alongside of us created a potentially dangerous situation. We were warned that the water 'boils' and causes much turbulence when filling the locks - the sport fish boat rocking back and forth with its tuna tower and outriggers could smash into the Pearls upper deck. Heavily fendered and wary, we moved in tandem as the water rose 28 feet in each lock while our respective line-handlers synchronously took in the lines to keep the boats centered in the lock. The boats rocked and rolled but didn't bash - no problema. The Canal is 50 miles long from the Atlantic to the Pacific; three locks up each at 28' and three locks down each at 28'; each Canal lock (chamber) is 110' wide and 1,000' long. Our US Navy sizes its ships, carriers, etc. to these dimensions and yes - they have priority passage as per the 'turnover treaty'. We were told a US Navy nuclear submarine passed the night before and none of the canal personal knew about it until they saw it exiting the canal to the sea...cool. What I found especially intriguing is when you've completed the "lock up" and you're the last boat in the chamber as we were during the first 3 locks, you are staring at bridge height at the 950' freighter in the chamber behind you, 28' lower. Or across and up the way at the "lock up" chamber and the humongous Cruise ship 28' higher than you! Yes as they say - a truly a modern marvel. Well, by 2am we were crossing the Gatun Lake through which the Canal passes the Continental Divide in the rugged mountainous range. Our pilot advised us to anchor at Gamboa and wait until later in the morning (9am, Central Am. time again) to transit the Pacific side locks (Pedro Miguel & Miraflores). The crew welcomed this idea as we were pretty bushed once we cleared the locks (high on excitement and anxiety). The pilot boarded the boat at 11:30am and we entered the Pedro Miguel locks at 1300hrs. This time we were "nested"/rafted up to a small Panama Canal Cruise ship loaded with touristas. We would enter each lock under our own power and then throw lines over and raft up alongside of the cruise ship who was tied to the wall. This procedure went very smoothly...and, as we've heard from many of you...you could see us on the Canal webcams. Once we entered the last of the locks at Miraflores, we saw our buddy Steve on the observation deck snapping photos of us...so close! In earnest, we tried so hard to get him on board. We were told for security purposes that there's paperwork that has to be completed in advance, fees to the Port Captain(duh), officious documents to be filed, blah, blah and, oh yeah, it was Semana Santa - Good Friday so a big 'forget it'. Before we could catch our breath the Pearl and crew were in Pacific waters! An hour later, with the very cosmopolitan Panama City backdrop, we were tied up at the Flamenco marina celebrating with ALL the crew on board. After a few days of exploring Panama City, and a promising weather window, me & the boys, I call the "Dream Team":) set off for Golfito, Costa Rica (330 miles). We had a terrific passage with lots of fish - at least 20+ strikes on the fishing rods. Some managed to escape but we landed 9 blackfin tuna and now have steaks/sushi in the frig. Braun's father, Commander Bill Jones served as a young US Naval officer in the Canal Zone in the early 1940's. He alerted us to the bounty of fish to be had on the Pacific side...he wasn't kidding. He said to look for where the birds were...and, that's exactly what we did. Early afternoon after some 20 hours of cruising, we (the Admiral) decided to stop and anchor at Isla Coiba, the largest island in the Pacific Americas and the last of the tropical marine rainforest in the Eastern Pacific...claims a the status of a UNESCO World Hertitage site. Why not enjoy one last tropical island anchorage (no palm trees in Alaska, kimosabe), one last swim off the back of the boat, make up some tuna tartar and chill? It all sounded good...until several hours into our peaceful stay the "park rangers" in their panga showed up. Evidently, two months ago a law was passed and our anchorage is now a National Park that claims to have the same status as the Galapagos Islands(??) - that their fees are $20.00 per person and $300.00 for the boat(over 60')but they'll refrain from charging a fee for the Captain & his wife...grand total, $360.00. Yessiree, anchor up right after dinner...it cost us a beer & coca-cola and their apologies...whatever. Those mooring fees are right up there with Nantucket! Long and short - we made it to lush and beautiful former Banana Republic, Golfito, Costa Rica where we are comfortably tied up at Banana Bay Marina. The crew will set off for home in the next few days and Braun & I will make for San Jose(my birth place) for a few days visit before setting off for home in Alexandria, VA. We are expecting the Yacht Path freighter scheduled to ship our boat to arrive later in April, as well as fellow Nordhavn friends Roberta & Ken Williams - N68 'Sans Souci'. Best, Tina & Braun aboard the Nordhavn 62 Grey Pearl