Mon 11/03-2013 Day 419

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-k6cbO5fYlaI/UT5TfZZV9sI/AAAAAAAATxk/InA_ITCluug/s144-c/P3111852.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage13PanamaBoarderColombiaPacificToBoarderColombiaCaribbean#5854208364486457026″ caption=”Peter, the ship agent for the Panama Canal, and Barkley, the pilot travelling on the ships traversing the canal.” type=”image” alt=”P3111852.JPG” ]

 

Pos: here
Loc: Panama City
Acc: Hennie’s and Ursula’s house

No paddling tomorrow

The day was busy with a visit into town for chasing down some gas cans (not available… 🙁 ), my VHF radio which should be at the Aeronaval base now (not there yet…), a parcel sent from Germany (didn’t arrive yet…), some repair material (we got that!) and an important meeting with Peter, a ship agent dealing with the Panama Canal permits and authorities.

We drove to the Balboa Yacht Club to meet up with Peter, but had first he chance to talk to Barkley, a Canal Pilot who mandatory has to jump on the boats traveling the canal, and has been up and down the canal already x-times. I got valuable information and hints from him, many thanks!

Peter also revealed some details about the processes of the canal, and then promised to make me a date with a responsible guy at the Canal authorities.It’s up to me then to show up the importance of the achievement of a real *complete* first circumnavigation of South America by a bold German woman – from top to toe – from the Panama Canal to Cape Horn! Cape Horn is already done, now it’s the canal…It would be nice to have already a decision by the time of the press conference on Wednesday 2 pm, also at the Balboa Yacht Club. I am confident to find a friendly canal authority person who rewards my sporty achievement with a passage through the Panama Canal in my own kayak! I have grown up close to another very important canal – the “Kiel Canal”!

 

18 comments on “Mon 11/03-2013 Day 419

Matt P.

I just heard about your trip. It sounds so exciting. My wife (German, from Darmstadt) and I became interested in kayaking just the past two years. I am from Panama and used to hang out a lot at the Balboa Yacht Club where the picture was taken. Barkley Hayes is an old friend of mine so say hello to him. Good luck. I look forward to pictures of your passage through the Panama canal.

Edda Post author

Remember the first film we ever saw, The Jungle Book? King Louie complained: “Reached the top and had to stop and that’s what’s bothering me. Oh shuby do…” We all wanna be like youhuhu 😉
Let’s hope you can carry on. Atta girl, it would be such a shame, so lets all keep fingers crossed.

Judith Norback

Freya,
Good luck with convincing the Panama Canal personnel–you can do it!! Remember, besides the points above, you’re providing a source of inspiration for current and future generations all over the world–or kayakers and non-kayakers (I’m one of these.) For women and for men.

Hello Freya,

I have paddled all the North Coast of South America from Panama City to Trinidad. (Except for the 300 kms of The Colombian/Venezuelan Border)

I have all my logs with distances, places to stay, and what went on in my web. http://www.retocaribe.com

If I can be of any help don’t hesitate to contact me!!!

davidbottome@retocaribe.com
cel. +58-414-477-7937

Skype: david.bottome
http://www.retocaribe.com
http://www.manosamigas.org.ve
Facebook: Expedición Reto Caribe
Twitter: @retocaribe

Randall Lackey

I took the time to go back and see the many pictures you have posted of this leg of your trip. They were really enjoyable to see and brought to life the reading about your trip.Thanks for sharing them.

Randall Lackey

Best of Luck and wishes for sucess in talking with the man in charge of the final approval on your passage.surely they will see the importance of it all.I really can’t see what the huge deal about it is for them. You pay your passage fee, as any small craft or yaught would do and carry on.Maybe even be guided by a smaller boat going that way already for your safety, if thats what they feel you need.Best of Luck and safe paddling, if and when you get to.

ja, genau. so ist es!! das hast du sehr gut beschrieben, incl. der erwähnung deiner heimat am nord-ostseekanal. das wird historisch, da bin ich ganz sicher.!!

Hugh

Why can’t you paddle in the P.C…it’s far less treacherous than, say, rounding Cape Horn — just flat water? is it all the big boats/locks or is there another reason kayaks aren’t allowed?

Jörg Hofferbert

Also my best wishes to you on your way back to the Atlantic. By this dimensions it´s only possible to think from pole to pole or from ocean to ocean. It´s gigantic.

Udo Beier

Congratulation Freya!

It was a long way from Cape Hornos to Panama-City and a much longer from Buenos Aires (13.955 Kilometer). Now you have “only” to paddle back to Buenos Aires on the east side of South America.

But before you will start to reach Georgetown, about 3.200 kilometer away from Panama-City, you have to paddle from the Pacific to the Atlantic. I will keep my fingers crossed for you and your permit to paddle the Panama-Canal!

Dear German speaking fans of Freya, if you want to know what happened with Freya the last time, surf to:

http://forum.kanu.de/showpost.php?p=28310&postcount=4

Best wishes from Hamburg: Udo Beier

Pedro Castro

Concerning the Canal crossing permit, if I may suggest, there must be emphasis not only on the extraordinary achievement of the solo paddling circumnavigation in a fragile craft around S,A. stressing that it is not only a proof of Freya’s superb ability to conquer the overwhelming Mother Nature’s perils but it is a also a proof of women to achieve what have been unthinkable goals.
Wishing you good luck on your canal crossing permit pursuit.
P.C.

Barbara G.

Hi Freya, good luck with the permit people! Peter and Barkley look fairly convinced already. Hope the Panama Canal is in better shape than its Kiel colleague (in the news almost daily these days because locks cease to work after 100+ years of service and the canal has to be closed to big ships). Greetings from your home town (rather chilly at -8° this morning…)

Hey Freya, best of luck with the permit. Will be brilliant to achieve the first kayak through the canal & thus the whole trip on water with no exceptions. Have to say, if any can make this work you can!!!!

Ichi

Talking about gas cans, I don’t know which type you use, but I find plenty of them at a supermarket called Super 99 (It’s everywhere). They’re called “camping gas” here and the cans are red, about $2.50 to $3.00 each. If not lucky try Discovery Center, Novey or DoIt Center, they may have other kinds different from the red one.

Karen

Good luck, good fortune, good wishes, good passage, and good space. May the present supporting circumstances, energy, and intention all come together for you paddling the Panama Canal.

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