Panama - Linton Bay Marina, 1 month on the Hard

 Our past month has been very busy with bottom work. A few photos;

On Thursday 1 September we splashed. Once again a very professional service by Jim the Hard Manager

Of interest, next to us on the Hard is the Whitbread yacht ‘La Post’. Unfortunately she looks a bit worse for wear, and we believe she’s been ‘For Sale’ for a number of years now.

We’re now in a Slip on the Marina for a few weeks. I’ve got a lot of cleaning to do, and Nicholas has maintenance chores and some repairs to catch up on.

Panama - Linton Bay Marina, Week 3

We’ve been on the Hard for 3 weeks.

Generally it’s been hot and humid, often raining at night with thunder and lightning. Today is unusual with heavy downpours, grey skies, lots of wind and the obligatory thunder and lightning. 

So we’re inside catching up on household chores and resting. 

A few work photos;

Me, with my mask and goggles, to protect me from the paint particles as I’m sanding the hull, and the paint has copper in it, which is not healthy for your lungs. It’s tiring work, and I can only get one side of one hull done in a day  

Nicholas fiberglassing the extension to the Rudder

We’re raising our water-line, and I’ve sanded the old water-line ridge away so that there won’t be a tell-tailing line.

The props have been sanded, cleaned with acid, taken off and serviced, and has new PropOne Primer and Paint on them, and new Anodes. Bagged to prevent Anti-fouling paint from the hulls splashing onto them. 

This week we’re into the final stretch with a short jobbing list of items to complete, and then we can start with Epoxy Primer on the new waterline area, fiber-glassed areas and any other spots needing Primer. 

After that it’s Anti-Fouling.

Other than that, we waiting for a Grounding Plate we ordered from USA, one of ours ‘blew off’ when the lighting strike wave hit us, a month ago.

Of interest, we watched the Ocean Innovations Sea Pod being launched.

This is the Base which gets anchored to the Sea Bed, and floats

This is the Sea Pod. This one is an apartment consisting of a Living Room, Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom.

The Pod being placed onto the Base

The Pod floating on its base. The Pod will also have Solar Panels, a Water Maker, and a Jacuzzi.

Ocean Innovations hope to sell these as Homes. I don’t really see that happening, but would make a fabulous Eco Friendly Vacation Accommodation.

Panama - Linton Bay Marina, On the Hard, Week 1

A week has passed and we’ve been busy.

Plus, it’s Hot, Humid and Rains most of the Time.

And the Mossies are Rife. Huge and Blood Thirsty.

Most urgently and importantly I made new Hatch Screen cover for the front four hatches, and Unrolled the big one I have over the Cockpit sliding doors. I also installed the Mossie Net over our bed.

Forward hatches covered with a new Mossie net covering

Mosquito Net over our bed

Otherwise, it’s been normal bottom work

Our table and rest setup under Meshugga

Nicholas grinding the areas of the keel which needs work 

Nicholas has grinded the Port Rudder and added new foam to start the fixing of the rudder

Removing Through-Hull Fittings (there’s plenty to do) …..

I’ve been removing the rust from Stainless steel fitting, and acid washing the hulls. Whilst Hi-pressure washing the Guard Rail, Stanchions etc, I lost concentration for a second and the water bit my foot. Ouch!

Not fun when you’re working with Acid, which stings like a Bitch !!!!

Panama - Linton Bay Marina, Goodbye Jenny, and Hauling Out

We left Shelter Bay Marina and did a tour of the Colon Bay, looking to see if there were any other anchorages, as we might be returning here next year.

Cargo ships in the Bay

Looking toward one of the two openings in the Breakwater

One one corner it seemed to be a Graveyard for ships

We arrived back at Linton Bay, and Jenny made arrangements to leave us, after being aboard Meshugga for 7 + 1/2 months.

We made arrangements to Haul Out, and on a windy Saturday morning 30 July, we Hauled with Jim and his team for a Very Professional Haul 

Jim, the Hard Manager, and Crane Driver, Nicholas and the Diver who checked the straps were all the in the correct position

Meshugga hauling in the bay

Slowly moving to our spot

By the time we were Chocked, it was 11.30am. The marina staff Hi-Pressure Hosed us for an half hour then packed up and left! And did not come back after lunch!

We took out our small Hi-Pressure hose, and soon thereafter Jim came to apologize that they’d run out of time, and lent us the Marinas Big Hi-Pressure Machine.  Whilst not ideal, we had their machine for the whole weekend, and was able to give Meshugga a fabulous once over, thus reducing the amount of sanding we’d have to do 

One very Blue, and dirty Nicholas

Panama - Colon, Shelter Bay Marina

We sailed 80 miles from East Lemon to Colon, overnighting in a bay at Puerto Linton. Most of the way we had nice winds, sometimes a little light, but we kept moving well and only started the motors when we approached the Very Busy entrance to Colon (which is also the entrance to the Panama Canal).

These are all the ships at anchor waiting their slot for transiting the Canal. Jenny visually counted 45 ships at anchor at sea.

We headed to the northern side of the Colon Bay (where the red square is), which is Shelter Bay Marina.

We had 6 months ago, ordered from them Antifouling Paint, and we headed there to overnight in the Marina and collect our Paint.

Ducking in through one of the two entrances of the Breakwater with this Ro-Ro bearing down on us

Tied side on at shelter Bay Marina

Checking into the marina, we were surprised at the costs. 

Diesel, which we are sort of getting ready to need, $5.98 a Gallon

Berths, are not cheap either; at $2.31 per foot per night for Meshugga. That $144 just for tying up. No electricity or water either, that’s extra.

Maybe the rates are justified by this beautiful pool

Or an area where the vendors hang out, and the Live-aboard Cruisers have a BBQ on Sunday nights

Or that they have a very small Chandlery which have limited stock, and most has to be ordered (like our paint)

However, after a month in the San Blas, we treated ourselves to a dinner night out. Great meal, which I did not have to cook, and Jenny did not have to do dishes