For the past few days, we’ve been teasing about our “mystery location” on Instagram. We can now reveal that we’re in Panama! We’re with our friends Nikki & Jason Wynn on their catamaran, Curiosity, for the next week, helping them transit the Panama Canal!
Most of you are probably already familiar with the Wynns, as we’ve appeared briefly in each other’s videos, back in the old days when they were fellow full-time RVers (“old days” as in “the last couple of years” when we spent time with them in British Columbia, Trona Pinnacles, South Joshua, Quartzsite and a couple of other spots, too).
Since then, they have of course made the switch from RVing to boating.
So we’re announcing here for the first time, that we too are making the switch to boating instead of RVing! That’s right… beginning today, we’ll be sailing for a whole week! ;-) Don’t worry… after that, it’s back to RVing. While we love the water, we’re happy to join friends on their boats, and make our home on dry land.
Also joining us this week is Jason’s Mom, Mary. The five us will crew the boat through the canal on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week. Jason & Nikki shot a quick video update this afternoon, announcing to their viewers for the first time that we’re here, and that the canal transit is imminent. We’re embedding that video below so you can check out the latest from them, and see us here on the boat, too.
In the video, Jason provides an update on his computer situation (they experienced some major tech woes), and introduces the motley crew for the canal transit: the two of us, and Jason’s Mom (we’re the motley ones, not her).
If we’re not too busy handling lines in the locks, we’ll probably shoot a video of our own about the canal transit. Either way, be sure to subscribe to the Wynn’s YouTube channel and their blog to see video they’ll be shooting of the canal transit, and their upcoming seagoing adventures.
We flew into Panama City on Friday, and today we sailed from Puerto Lindo to Portobelo, stopping to get some up-close-and-personal time with friendly monkeys hanging in the trees along the waterfront. We’re currently in a lovely protected anchorage, listening to the howler monkeys making a racket out in the jungle. Tomorrow we’ll be sailing to Colón to get ready for Tuesday’s entrance into the canal.
We’re scheduled to begin our transit through the first set of locks (Gatun) on Tuesday afternoon/evening (Eastern Time) 11/28, and pass through the second set of locks (Miraflores) mid-day or early afternoon on Wednesday, 11/29.
We’ll actually be visible on the live Panama Canal web cams as we pass through each lock. You can go to www.pancanal.com and just choose from the “Multimedia” menu option… (or use this link http://www.pancanal.com/eng/multimedia/index.html) and maybe you’ll be able to see us!
Times are VERY approximate, and not under our control, but we’ll try to Instagram a photo when we’re approaching each lock, in case you follow us on Instagram and want to know when to look for us on the cameras. Also, Nikki & Jason (who are far more social media-savvy than we are!) will be making announcements on their Facebook page as we’re about to enter the locks, too.
Stay up to date on all of the Wynns travels, including our visit with them, at GoneWithTheWynns.com and Facebook.com/gonewiththewynns
Thanks so much to Nikki & Jason for inviting us along. We’re having a blast already, and we haven’t even gotten into the canal yet.
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Demaur Cosmetics
Monday 4th of December 2017
What a great adventure! Looking forward to many more. Mary
TheRVgeeks
Monday 4th of December 2017
Hi Mary! It sure was. What a wonderful time we had meeting and sharing it all with you. We know we'll get to do it again in some other wonderful location. Hope you had a good trip home, and are acclimating to being back in the "real world" (the week went by so fast, it seems almost like a dream). Miss you, Peter & John
George
Monday 27th of November 2017
WOW! How exciting! We were in Panama and passed through the New Locks (Agua Clara Locks)on Saturday, on the Carribbean Princess and the Old locks (Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks) to the Pacific on a smaller excursion boat. It is quite a process! Fun to watch, but I bet a lot more fun to participate in. Have fun and document what you can. I will be waiting to see your videos as well as Jason and Nikki"s video of the transition through the Panama Canal! An exciting trip for certain! Wish I could join you. Thanks, George
TheRVgeeks
Monday 27th of November 2017
Wow! That’s so cool that you were just here, George! Can’t wait to experience it ourselves tomorrow. Thanks so much. ?
Deborah Kerr
Monday 27th of November 2017
Awesome, 2 of my 3 most favorite traveling bloggers all together on one giant adventure!! Thank you for letting us know in "real-time" - I for one did not want to miss this!! Imagine, from the Caribbean to the Pacific!! It is an engineering marvel!!
TheRVgeeks
Monday 27th of November 2017
We are SOOOOOOO excited, Deborah! We hope Nikki & Jason don't have to keelhaul us for abandoning our posts while going through the locks... because marveling at the engineering feat is going to be a hard temptation to resist! ;) Hope you get to catch our big moment on the cameras! LOL!
Brett McFarlane/Paul Uphoff
Monday 27th of November 2017
Excited for you all!! What a great team...AND...glad you are not giving up the RV travels!!
TheRVgeeks
Monday 27th of November 2017
Thanks Brett & Paul! We're excited, too! We're geeking out being aboard... and are SOOO looking forward to transiting the locks! We're so grateful to Nikki & Jason for allowing us to come along for this momentous ride. We love 'em to death! And fear not... seeing how much work boat life is, we're VERY happy being landlubbers! LOL!
Steve
Monday 27th of November 2017
How nice! Did you make their crew walk the plank? Have a safe journey.. We'll watch the webcam at the locks!
Thanks to you and the wynns for sll the adventures.
TheRVgeeks
Monday 27th of November 2017
While we may be prone to a couple of "Aaaarrghhh, mateys!" every now and then, we're not actually pirates. LOL! Dale & Justin are safe and sound... but their stint on Curiosity was already over, so Nikki & Jason had the room to invite as aboard.