The theme for the 2017 Peterson Cup Cruising Rally (PCCR) is “Panama Canal”! Why? Because, once again, Ken visited the theme location earlier this year, and you all keep appointing him as organizer.

The Theme Voyage

Let us think in terms of preparation for a Canal passage. The voyage is from Shelter Bay Marina past the unmarked reefs, and South to Amador to get our exit ZARPA, and then SW to Costa Rica at Gulfito.  Once there,  you get your boat onto a ship transport home. Calgary education watch member Steve Colleaux has been doing this since March 6, and holding his breath right now, in fact he hopes to see his boat arrive in Victoria in late June.

We begin in the Caribbean… could be San Blas Islands, could be Bocas Del Toro. But we all collect at Shelter Bay Marina, as it is near where we get measured by a Canal Authority. Also, your Line Handler Agent will deliver the tires and the fat green lines, and four unknown hungry people for a fee of $2000.  A freighter would cost $50,000.

Or we find 4 Line Handlers ourselves, and get a lot of the big old Taxi Tires and 4 twisted 125 ft long nylon 1 1/4’ lines.  We are then sent a Canal Advisor, like a pilot, employed by the Canal. Our trip begins at 1700h.  We are then assigned to nesting partners.  Three boats rafted, will proceed through each lock at a walking pace. Lines on the outer two boats will be ready for staff to pull up to the Canal wall and they will loop it on a bollard. Any boat under 34 ft will be tied to a tug or tour boat.  An ideal local location for this practice would be the Second Narrows bridge Burnaby. However due to my lack of desire to argue with the Harbour Master, we will pick another place.

Maybe two tons of force pulls this like a steel bar, controlled from your hand to HornCleat.

The Actual Peterson Cup Cruising Rally

We will see all of you who want to join in at the Dinghy Dock Pub on Protection Island, on Saturday, July 29 at 1600h, Sunday, July 30, we all exit from Protection Bay to Jessie Island (or somewhere) at 0900h (or thereabouts…). We then sail away and we always anchor and cook one apple pie on each passage. Then we have A’ppy Hour on the first boat to arrive.

We return on Thursday, August 3, by 1600h for dinner at Gina’s Mexican Cafe in Nanaimo.  You’d better be early for prime anchoring spots.

The PCCR trophy award and celebration will take place on Sunday, right after the rendezvous pot luck dinner – which includes all of us in music & cruising songs.