Note : for previous reports, see our Report Archive.

OFF ON THE LONGEST LEG OF THE RALLY

Following their fantastic experiences on Galapagos, crews started leaving the islands on 3rd March, heading south and west out of the equatorial calms into the SE Trades. The next leg to Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands is over 3000 miles - for most crews a journey of around 21 to 25 days. The Marquesas are amongst the remotest inhabited islands in the world, being some 4000 miles from the nearest continental mainland. However, the magic of the South Pacific starts here!

Our yacht crews are kept together by a daily "roll call" over their HF SSB radios and positions are passed to the Rally organizers and posted on individual yacht websites - a special service provided through YachtPlot for the benefit of families and friends. A mean position for the fleet will be posted here on a regular basis.

THE BLUE WATER RALLY VISITS THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT OF THE VOYAGE

Following a trouble-free and timely transit of the Panama Canal, the next destination for the Blue Water Rally are the Galapagos Islands – Darwin’s Enchanted Isles. Everyone we suppose will know of Charles Darwin and his book, The Origin of Species, and his theory of evolution, which has affected our thinking on the subject since his journey to the Galapagos in 1835. The Blue Water Rally crews will be brought face-to-face with Darwin’s experience and observations as they visit the Islands.

Some of Darwin’s Observations

What especially attracted Darwin's attention were the diversely-shaped beaks of the 13 species of finch, each adapted to its own food supply, yet all evidently descended from a single ancestral species. The Woodpecker Finch, for example, uses cactus thorns to extract insects or worms from holes and crevices inaccessible to its beak - one of very few birds in the world known to use a tool. Many plants and animals, too, have adapted. Not least of these are the famous Galapagos tortoises, some of which have developed saddle-back shells so that they can reach vegetation higher up the plants than other tortoises can.

The Galapagos Islands have retained this fascinating evidence of evolution because of their unique position, isolated from the mainland of South America. However, these ecosystems and species remain in a fragile state given the impact of human visitations over recent centuries.

The Blue Water Rally Visit

This will be the 7th such visit by the Blue Water Rally to the Galapagos Islands and will, as ever, be a major highlight of the circumnavigation. Rally yachts will have to remain at anchor in the port of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and undertake their explorations from small cruise vessels with specialist guides. Routes for each cruise vessel are pre-determined and this is aimed at reducing the impact on the ecosystem of each island when humans land on it.

Puerto Ayora is in a small bay, home to the smaller cruise vessels and is a minor commercial centre where everything arrives by sea. There are restaurants, bars, small hotels and tourist shops. There are dive schools and everywhere you are reminded of the special environment that is the Galapagos. Sealions abound in the bay and are even found relaxing in our yacht tenders! The waters are full of marine life and attract pelicans and other birds, which are everywhere diving around the yachts. Crews will encounter marine iguanas almost everywhere, also around their yachts.

The Rally Programme

A benefit of being on the Blue Water Rally is that most crews have been helped to book cruises well in advance to coincide with their planned visit. At least two cruise vessels have been booked by Rally crews, who can therefore share the amazing experience of exploring the islands. The main cruise vessel being used is the Coral I (see it at www.gogalapagos.com/coral), which will be taking Rally crews on 4- and 5-day voyages during the stopover. Others will be taking day trips and some will be enjoying the amazing diving conditions of the Galapagos Islands on specialist dive vessels.

As ever, there will be support from our Manager, Richard Bolt, who flew to Galapagos on 19 February. Richard has now supported the Rally in Galapagos on two previous occasions and, together with our local agent, will look after the many varied needs of the Rally. Firstly, crews will be assisted in the complex arrival arrangements, which include a special tax for visitors to the Islands and immigration and customs procedures. There will be refuelling whilst yachts are at anchor and yachts will need supervision whilst crews are away. There will, undoubtedly, be some social events and an expedition to the interior of the island to see something of the amazing volcanic landscape and even tortoises in the wild. All in all one of the greatest experiences of the voyage and a unique destination for the Blue Water Rally.

PANAMA - A RALLIERS VIEW

Richard Bolt, brings these images from Panama, courtesy of David & Jennie Kerr of Zipadedoda

NEARLY READY FOR THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Rally Director Tony Diment reports from Panama

Having now been in either Flamenco Marina, the nearby Balboa moorings or La Playita anchorage for nearly a week, rally yachts are now nearly ready to venture forth into the Pacific Ocean. There is much to do and re-provisioning is high on most yacht's priorities. Maintenance is another important task which is occupying people as Panama offers a last chance getting jobs done before venturing into the more primitive ocean islands that lay ahead. Most people have also had the chance to visit the rainforest at Gamboa and the rally has organised trips there over the past two days. Today a group have returned to Colon by rally transport to collect repaired sails. The five-day carnival has also been an attraction for those brave enough to visit the crowded, hot streets of Panama City, but everyone is now looking forward to visiting the more tranquil Perlas Islands and getting back to sea again.

Richard Bolt, my support team colleague, has the following description of rally experiences in Panama:

"Panama is always a very busy stopover, and 2008 has proved no exception. The administration for arrivals, departures (at both ends of the canal) and for canal transits triples the normal amount of paperwork, and the approach taken by local officials can be hard for westerners to understand. On top of that, there are some early starts and finishes as nearly everyone has to do two canal transits, once in their own yacht and once as a line-handler on someone else's. So we have some very tired ralliers currently recuperating in 3 locations around the Amador end of Panama City. "Recuperation" is, perhaps, a misnomer. There is a lot of socializing going on and the opportunities for re-provisioning and repairing have been condensed into a very few days as a result of the Panama Carnival. This celebration of Mardi Gras goes on for 5 days here. Most shops close for the duration. Plus, of course, there are likely to be a few more late nights as one goes downtown to see what all the celebrating is like! We had an excellent Rally Supper, last Thursday, at "Pencas", a local restaurant which did us proud. A delicious buffet of local dishes, a good portion of Sangria and wine, made for a very lively event.

To top the occasion, we had an exquisite and colourful demonstration of local "Pollera" dancing, with ladies in flowing lace dresses and the men in smart tunics and hats. The dancers did not let us just sit back and enjoy it; we were whisked to our feet and made to join in. We might have looked silly, but we thoroughly enjoyed it! At last we are able to take some time to explore a part of this little-known country. Yesterday (Saturday) and today, parties of rally people have made trips up to the lake-land area of Gamboa. Here the countryside is scenic and lush. On the edge of a lake we had lunch and watched a mother Moorhen try to shoo her fledgling away from a lurking crocodile. Luckily, the drama had a happy ending ... it was too hot for the croc to get energetic! Everyone made a cable-car ride, with a guide, over the rainforest and up an observation tower. The jungle life teemed all around and we were treated to sightings of Capuchin and Howler Monkeys, a type of Raccoon, Toucans and many other animals, not to mention the spectacular flora and fabulous scenery.

Tomorrow, the first of our yachts will start to trickle away towards Galapagos. They will stop along the way at the white sandy beaches of Las Perlas (The Pearl) Islands, and perhaps visit a river or two along the mainland coast of Panama. As Pam, on Kaimin was heard to say: "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to relax and get bored for once!" We wish them a gentle time, lots of fun, and hopefully a little bit of wind to push them across the doldrums to Galapagos."

Panama Highlights

Tony Diment has sent us these pictures in advance of his report from Panama

San Blas Islands	Arrival in Porvenir	Shelter Bay Marina	Waiting to start the crossing
via the Panama Canal
			Flamenco Marina, Balboa
Pacific first night party	with local dancers in	traditional costume!

WEDNESDAY 30th January : The second group passes through the Panama Canal

Unfortunately communications difficulties prevented the webmaster from compiling the same number of images, but these are taken from the webcams at Miraflores Locks as the fleet passed through the lower lock into the Pacific.

MONDAY 28th January : The first group passes through the Panama Canal

These screen shots taken from the Panama Canal webcam at Miraflores Lock

and enter the Pacific Ocean!

EXCEPTIONAL HELP FOR THE BLUE WATER RALLY

As of midday Saturday 26th January, all yachts were measured and crews processed, ready for transit. This can be a frustrating time for yachtsmen, as the processes of immigration, customs, and transit paperwork are a bit of a black art and requirements can vary dependent on the whim of the officer in charge on the day. Having had some difficulties at the administration offices because the processing of 29 yachts in one day was overwhelming the system, Blue Water Rallies managed to arrange an exceptional facility whereby the staff involved came to the Shelter Bay Marina to do the necessary work. All skippers and crew had to attend the processing session.

WATCH THE TRANSITS BY LIVE WEBCAMS

The yachts will transit in 2 waves on 27/28 Jan and 29/30 Jan. They will form up in 5 "rafts" of 3 yachts, roped together, to climb the 3 stages of the Gatun Locks. At the top they will undo the rafts and moor up for the night in the Gatun Lake. The Transit Advisor on each yacht will then depart and very early next morning his replacement will arrive to take the yachts, independently, through the glorious lakes which form the middle part of the canal.( See the photos we posted earlier).

Around lunchtime, the yachts will be approaching the downhill locks of Pedro Miguel and Miraflores. They will again form up in threes and descend to the Pacific. As the Pacific waters wash around their hulls, the air will be filled with shouts of jubilation and you can expect that a fair bit of celebrating will ensue! The rafts will break up, the Transit Advisors will depart and the yachts will make their way to moorings, anchorage or the marina at Flamenco, near Panama City

Time : 'Zulu' or 'Z' is the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) which is the local time in the UK and Portugal. Please calculate your own local time on this basis.

First transit Sunday 27January Gatun Locks 2200 - 0100 Z, then through Miraflores (into the Pacific) Monday 28 January 1800 - 2100 Z

1. Fine Fleur, Zipadedoda, Penelope
2. Baccus, Big Blue, Stargazer
3. Rascal, Jenny, Tapestry,
4. Shaula, Hakuna Matata, Paramour de Mer
5. Anahi, Blue Raven, Canopus

Second Transit Tuesday 29 January Gatun Locks 2200 - 0100Z, then through Miraflores (into the Pacific) Wednesday 30 January 1800 - 2100Z

1. Cayuco, Kaimin, Glendora
2. Lousill, Pelle V, Our Island
3. Moonshadow, Talismano,Marianne
4. Miss Styx, Heidenskip
5. Neva, Spectra, Happy Wanderer

Click here to view the live cameras on the Panama Canal

MUTUAL HELP AND CAMARADERIE

The work does not stop there. Many people, from the second wave of yachts, will have acted as line handlers on the first wave. These people will be bussed back the 60 miles of potholed roads to Shelter Bay, to where their own yachts await. The following morning, line handlers from the first wave will do the same journey, to bring the second wave through the same procedure. By the evening of 30 January, all our yachts wil have arrived in the Pacific - a great achievement by all concerned and a tribute to the professionalism and cooperation of the Panama Canal Authority with whom we have worked closely for many years.

THE BLUE WATER RALLY TRANSITS THE CANAL –
SEE THE LIVE ACTION

Our arrangements are finalised
One of the highlights of the Blue Water Rally voyage around the world is always the transit of the Panama Canal. The transition from the Caribbean to the Pacific and the doors (really the lockgates) closing behind them signifies that Rally crews have really begun to “sail the dream”. As previously reported, our yachts have cruised through the Caribbean and for the last few days have been in the San Blas Islands.

A memorable lobster feast was enjoyed by the Rally in the Limon Cays and cruising in the San Blas Islands was a fascinating experience and the first time that most yachts had been navigated amongst coral atolls. On 23rd January most of the fleet made their rendezvous at Portobello, which has been featured as our Home Page photo for some days. Here Rally crews have enjoyed a lunch at Los Canones Restaurant and received an update briefing from Rally Director, Tony Diment, supported by our Manager, Richard Bolt. At the briefing skippers have been given the latest information about the transit arrangements and the unique admeasurement process which is necessary before they and their yachts are allowed to proceed through the Canal.

We are delighted that our special arrangements for the Blue Water Rally have been agreed with the ACP (Panama Canal Authority) and we can now share the details with you.

Shelter Bay Marina and admeasurement
In past years Rally yachts have anchored in the “flats” (an area in the bay at the entrance to the Canal at Colon) or been moored outside the Panama Canal Yacht Club next to the container port. However, our crews and their yachts are this time being hosted by the Shelter Bay Marina – a new facility opposite the town of Colon. Here there are good marina facilities and our crews have already discovered the excellent restaurant and bar.

With the cooperation of the Panama Canal Authority the process of admeasurement will start here for our yachts on 25th and 26th January. There is also the process of immigration to be completed as crews are now entering a new country. The admeasurement officials will need to undertake a measurement of the yachts and check that they are fit to transit the Canal (engines and cleats) and will usually ensure that each yacht carries its mandatory Panama warps. Once this process has been completed the remaining paperwork will be obtained so yachts may be permitted to transit the Canal. As ever, being with the Blue Water Rally ensures that delays are minimised as transit and pilotage fees have been paid in advance.

Our planned transits of the Canal
Tony has confirmed that the PCA have agreed that our yachts will transit in 2 groups as follows:
• 27 January. First group of 15 (in 5 “rafts” of 3) enters Gatun Locks between 1300 and 1600 UK time. Overnight in Gatun Lake.
• 28 January. First group completes transit of Canal and exits at Balboa into Pacific early afternoon.
• 29 January. Second group of 15 (in 5 “rafts” of 3) enters Gatun Locks between 1300 and 1600 UK time. Overnight in Gatun Lake.
• 30 January. Second group completes transit of Canal and exits at Balboa into Pacific early afternoon.

The list of yachts forming each group will be published as soon as possible.

As always, our transits of the Canal are subject to commercial ship movements (70000 ton vessels have priority and pay more money!!) and these plans may have to change at short notice. However, we shall do our best to keep families and friends updated on this website. Watch this space…………….

Seeing the transits “live”
It is always interesting to watch live events and the Blue Water Rally transit of the Panama Canal is no exception. The Canal Authority has webcams sited on the Gatun Locks (our entry point) and at the Miraflores Locks (the last set of locks) where our yachts enter the Pacific. Along the way it may also be possible to see them pass under the magnificent new Centennial Bridge about halfway through. We hope that you will see our yachts at these various points and perhaps the crews waving – “Hello Mum”!

Click here to visit the Live Camera page on the web site of the Panama Canal Authority ………..

HOW YACHTS GO THROUGH THE CANAL

We felt that you might wish to know how our yachts will transit the Canal and we are illustrating this with pictures from our last Rally two years ago.

The Panama Canal
The Canal is one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century. It is 50 miles long and consists of lakes linked by the Chagres River. A stretch of 8 miles through a gorge known as the Gaillard Cut is the exception. The locks are 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide and a ship that fills the lock completely is known as a Panamax. A ship is raised (or lowered) 85 feet above sea level during the transit.

As with commercial ships each yacht must carry a pilot or, more accurately, a Transit Advisor. Additionally there must be 4 “line-handlers” plus the skipper on board each yacht, even if they are in a raft of three.

A transit with the Blue Water Rally means close cooperation and mutual assistance.
Meeting the requirements of the Panama Canal Authority is not easy, but we always cooperate to the full and have an excellent reputation for organisation built up over many years. As so many of our crews now sail 2-up and have fewer than the mandatory skipper + 4 acting as line-handlers, Blue Water Rally crews “borrow” from each other to ensure that each transiting group has sufficient numbers on board. The Support Team has already planned the numerous crew changes that will have to take place between the 2 groups and will be kept very busy acting as “taxi-drivers” to take crews from the Pacific end back to the Caribbean. (We hope you can understand this – it really is as complicated as it looks, but it does work!)

Going through the locks
Each group of 3 yachts will be pre-planned and form up and tie up in their rafts as they approach a lock. Under the instructions of the Transit Advisor the raft motors into the lock and the Canal staff on each side of the lock will throw “messenger lines” from the shore to the outer yachts. The Panama warps are then heaved ashore by the Canal staff, who walk forward along the lock side until the raft is in the correct position. Once the Transit Advisor is satisfied, warps are tied to bollards on the wall and lines are secured on board.

Line-handlers on board the rafts will adjust their warps as the locks are filled (or emptied). The process is repeated at the Gatun (the “up” locks) and Pedro Miguel and Miraflores (the “down” locks). Sounds easy, doesn’t it!?

Instead of line-handlers on board yachts such as ours large commercial vessels have the services of a “mule” each side fore and aft, which keeps the ship positioned safely in the lock whilst it fills or empties. (It is a misconception that the mules act as tugs – ships and yachts are always controlled by their own engines.)

CRUISING ON TO PANAMA AND THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS

San Blas – Off the beaten track
By early January Blue Water yachts had all departed from their Christmas and New Year ports of call and are now heading for Panama and the San Blas Islands. The San Blas Islands are home to the pygmy Kuna Indians, famed for their colourful mola embroidery and distinctive culture. This will be the first of many very special experiences for Rally crews as they sail around the world. Despite the arrival of “civilisation” the Kunas have retained most of their traditions, far removed from the western way of life. Rally crews will definitely be “sailing off the beaten track” through a series of coral atolls covered with palm trees and small Kuna settlements.

Portobello and the Spanish Main
Next our yachts will rendezvous at Portobello – famed as the fortress sacked by Henry Morgan and Sir Francis Drake in the 16th century. Portobello has a beautiful anchorage and to each side there are the restored forts which guarded it many years ago. It was to Portobello that the Spanish transported silver and gold from their mines in Peru to wait in Portobello for fleets to carry the bullion to Spain. Ralliers will celebrate their arrival in Panama at Portobello with a special lunch and have their first briefing about their transit of the Panama Canal.

Transits of the Panama Canal
Our Support Team of Tony Diment and Richard Bolt will soon arrive in Panama and we shall have more news in the coming week or so of our plans for the transit of the Panama Canal by our Blue Water Rally fleet. Much work has already gone into our arrangements with the Panama Canal Authority, who have been extremely supportive on the previous 6 occasions our fleets have made the transit. There will also be special berthing arrangements at the new Shelter Bay Marina and assistance by our team in making the administrative arrangements for each yacht at this crucial stage of the Rally – all part of the service we provide.

Watch this space for more news …………………..

All safely arrived in Antigua

With the arrival of Big Blue ( Mike and Lorraine Evans) all Blue Water Rally yachts have safely arrived in Antigua. Rally yachts greeted them and took their lines as they arrived in Nelson's Dockyard and Mike reported that "the first beer was great" - What about the rest of them, Mike?!

Big Blue will have the company of several other Rally yachts for the New Year Celebrations in Antigua - always great fun. We have also heard from other participants who have already set off on their Caribbean cruising. They are planning a rendezvous in Bequia for New Year - sounds a lot of fun,too!

Antigua 2007 - The build up to Christmas!

First arrival in Antigua - Heidenskip	The arrival of Pank with Kemel and Neserine from Turkey (rum punches and fruit presented on arrival)	Renihard Baildon (Blue Raven)– Relaxing on galleon Beach after his Atlantic Crossing	Looking out over Freeman’s Bay English Harbour with Ralliers in foreground	The bottle walking competition	Christine Diment presents Blue Raven with their welcome fruit on arrival Jolly Harbour
The beach BBQ gets under way at Galleon Beach	Gianfranco (Shaula 3) tries on his Chef’s apron at Galleon Beach	Fine Fleur’s Arrival	Anahi’s Arrival	Dolphins mid Atlantic	The Hakuna Matatas and Glendoras at Shirley Heights
Hakuna Matata at sea	Hakuna Matata’s Arrival

Arrival in the West Indies and the start of Caribbean Cruising

All Blue Water Rally yachts except Cayuco, Big Blue and Aqua Libre have now safely arrived in the the Caribbean. `Cayuco' is expecting to arrive in Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua on Sunday 16th December and `Big Blue' is now making good progress in mid Atlantic. Aqua Libra has communications difficulties and as yet we do not have an ETA for them. `Kaimin' and `Miss Styx' are in Guadeloupe, `Marianne' is on passage for Curacao (Marianne Plante contracted dengue fever in Antigua and is currently in hospital in Antigua) and Eric has been assisted by Roderick De Boer (from Heidenskip) in crewing the yacht. `Moonshadow' is on passage to Grenada. All other 29 yachts are in Jolly Harbour having a great time. Morale is extremely high and everyone is feeling justifiably proud of their achievement in sailing across the Atlantic.

The Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) kindly hosted a party for the rally at Castaways Beach Bar at Jolly Harbour on Monday 10th December and this set the pattern for some really exhuberant partying ever since! On Wednesday 3 coach loads of rallliers toured the island of Antigua, courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism. They visited Betty's Hope sugar mill, the Devil's Bridge with its blow holes and impressive crashing seas and a guided tour of the historic Nelson's Dockyard in the heart of English Harbour. The tour concluded at OJ's beach restaurant where everyone enjoyed an excellent buffet lunch and a chance to swim. Last night (Thursday 13th Deecmber ) the Rally was hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, La Perla Living International and Jolly Harbour Marina to a party at the Jolly Harbour Golf Club. A steel band, dancers and a DJ got everyone on the dance floor and there were presentations and a sumptuous buffet all to be accompanied by plenty of rum punches!

The rally have now been briefed on the next leg of the rally and already yachts are starting to move off to English Harbour for a few days or to cruise the East coast of Antigua where the anchorages of Nonsuch Bay and Green Island beckon. All this social activity has been against a backdrop of yacht maintenance and repairs, but although extremely hard pressed the local boatyards have been able to cope and four yachts have been hauled for antifouling and a topside polish. Next stop Panama!

ne.