15 October 2017; Pacific Ocean.

Most of the day was over cast with a lot of rain clouds in the vicinity both at sea as well as over the land. Although not the ideal situation for a cruise, it is good for the region as the tropical forest needs it and also the Panama Canal needs it; as it operates on rain water collected in the Lake. Recently the Panama Canal authority has been very cautious with using the new big locks == only for those ships that really need it == as those big lock chambers use a lot of water and there has not been enough of it. It has been raining less recently than in previous periods. So we will see tomorrow what the situation is although we will be only using the old locks.

The distance between Costa Rica and Panama does not look that big but there is that nick at the border and we have to sail around it towards Balboa.

Today we sailed along the coast of Costa Rica and Panama. With the pedal to the metal as we left 4 hours late from Punta Arenas due to the late return of the tours.  As mentioned, the last guest stepped back on board at 10 pm. last night and then we left at once. Some of those on the tours were nearly delayed by six hours in returning to due slow traffic and (at least) one fatal accident.  On board the Lido was kept open until the last tour had returned and for those who did not have the energy to go there, Room Service was on full battle stations as well.

Maybe because of this the morning on board was very slow. I was almost the only one in the Lido Restaurant at 06.30, while normally it is buzzing with early risers and a lot of traffic of gentlemen who have been sent out by their better half to get coffee and rolls. We have the friends of Bill W. on board, and meetings of Service Clubs, maybe there should also be a meeting of “those who suffer from the early morning Roll and Coffee run” it could be quite popular. But only later it got busy with guests trying to get breakfast in before they started to participate in all the activities of the Daily Program.

The crew of the Nieuw Amsterdam was preparing for the Canal Transit and those who would have to make long hours tomorrow were taking it quiet today. I blogged about it in the past that we have nowadays the MLC 2006 labor regulations which govern the working hours of all sailors worldwide. And that means that over a 7 day period there is a maximum. Tomorrow especially the Deck department and the Bar Lounge and Deck stewards will go over those maximum hours and those hours = too many= have to be compensated either before or after. Hence a quiet Sunday at sea for quite a few.

Navigational wise the preparation is about letting the Canal know that we are coming. Which means 72, 48, 24 and 12 hour notifications so that we as a cruise ship we can fit straight into the convoy when we arrive. As a passenger ship we have preference, as long as we arrive on time. If we miss our slot we will be added as the last one in the convoy and then we will always be behind the last slow tanker going through. If we make the time agreed upon between Captain and Panama Canal Authority then it is possible that we end up behind the fast boys (Container ships) and will have a speedy transit.

Just above the N of North, we have to slow down to 12 knots and then sail with that sedate speed towards the Balboa sea buoy. Slow speed gives more time to avoid dangerous situations.

Thus the captain is keeping the pedal to the metal, to be on time and also to have surplus time as the last 25 miles we have to do with a speed of 12 knots. Panama has instigated this on the Pacific side to make things a little bit safer. In the past cargo ships would give full ahead at the sea buoy and race towards the Pacific, sometimes with leaving only a very junior officer on the bridge. The rest were tired and thus left it to Jason to sort things out. At the same time there was all this traffic coming towards the sea-buoy and it resulted sometimes in very scary situations.  With our ships we used to go extra wide to avoid these fast johnnies who were going full speed while not keeping a sufficient look out, and cutting corners wherever they could. Now they all have to behave with a regulated slow speed and the world is the better for it.

We expect to be at the sea buoy tomorrow at 05.30 and then enter the first locks, the Miraflores Locks around 07.30. Expected Weather: Hot and Humid with a fair chance of a big shower. Good news; it is supposed to be overcast all day, which reduces the chance of sunburn.