Page 31 of The Hitchhiker in Panama
“It costs time and money to go around South America, so unless the ship is too big, it will be going through here.”
“How big is too big?”
Jonas shook his head. “They build ships specifically to fit in the Panama Canal. I do not remember how big. Hundreds of meters, maybe.” Jonas pulled back on the throttle and shouted at the rest of the crew on deck. “Time to anchor!”
We approached the rear of a small cluster of sailboats. Eivind gave Jonas the okay and walked to the bow of the boat. Elayna came to the gate at the lifelines and watched Jonas.
Jonas carefully steered the boat to approach the back of the catamaranStarry Horizons,which had been at the marina too. I’d met the owners, David and Amy, a young American couple, while walking the docks with Edith.
Eivind and Jonas worked together to drop our anchor. When we were set, the brothers gave each other another okay, and Jonas shut off the engine.
“Wow, you make it look easy.”
Jonas smiled. “Lots of practice.”
The crew all came back to the cockpit, and we settled in to wait. It was 2:20, and Jonas said he expected the advisor to be late.
“Lila,” Elayna said, “I understand you have been playing dominoes at the marina. Would you teach us?”
Fourteen
I taught them how to play Mexican Train dominoes. Jonas played but stayed near the radio. He talked to the other boats waiting, who confirmed they had not heard from the canal yet.
Finally a call came for one of the other boats. We listened in as they were told the pilot boat was en route to their location with the advisor on board. We watched as the pilot boat came up to the sailboat and an advisor hopped onto the deck.
The pilot boat came our way, so Jonas opened the gate. The advisor stepped on board. Jonas shook hands with him, and they retreated to the cockpit where the rest of us sat.
The advisor introduced himself and shook our hands. “I am Manny,” he said. “We’re going to have a great passage today, yes?”
“Yeah!” Eivind threw out a fist, and we all chuckled.
“It’s easy, so easy today. I know the guys on the tugboat—they are a great crew. We will make sure that everyone is safe, yes? We will take good care of the boat.” He clapped Jonas on the shoulder, and Jonas smiled nervously.
“Let’s go talk about your setup.” Manny and Jonas walked out onto the deck of the boat. The rest of us trailed behind. “This side you will tie up to the tugboat. You need three lines: bow, stern, and spring.” Elayna walked over to where the dock lines had been stored when we left the marina and picked out three lines.
“Who will be on this side?” Manny asked Jonas.
“Eivind and Elayna,” Jonas said, pointing.
“You two will pass the looped end over to the tugboat, and when the crew of the tug has secured the lines, then you cleat off on your side. Okay?”
Eivind and Elayna nodded.
“When you are done, come over here.” Manny led us to the other side of the boat. “You will fend off the next sailboat on this side. You two”—he pointed to me and Marcella—“you will catch the lines from the other sailboat and put them on your cleats. Yes?”
I nodded, but glanced at Eivind. He smiled encouragingly.
Manny clapped Jonas on the shoulder again. “The sailboat next to you will take care of themselves. Any questions?” We shook our heads.
With a radio clipped onto his shoulder, he called the canal and told them we were ready. “It will be a little while,” he said apologetically. “Let’s wait in the shade.”
We were going to be doing a lot of waiting.
Jonas and Manny talked strategy a bit, and Eivind listened in. Manny’s radio went off occasionally, and he’d listen to the Spanish chatter and then return to our conversation, picking right back up where he’d left off. I fidgeted with the hem of my shorts. Opened my book. Put it down. Walked the length of the boat to the bow, looking at the anchor chain angling down into the sludge of the harbor.
Eivind came up to join me. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
“Manny said we put the lines around the cleat. Can we practice that again?”
