Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I was the one in Panama last winter. I was not able to get to the canal the day it was going through. Now I won't be back there for several months. I don't know if the Navy would get any preferential treatment in scheduling through the canal. With out getting too far into politics I'll just say there is no large reservoir of good will towards the US regarding the canal at this time. Used to be but no more.

1243h EDT Sun. July 5/26
Thanks to July 4 0700 Guest for the appreciative comment about my posts.
Questions…
Can anybody aboard here who has some knowledge of Pan Canal operations tell me if this crane tow will get any preferential treatment in terms of position in the queue to be put thorough? This is a Navy job, right? It is a good size etc. But so much of their traffic is big and important. Any thoughts, folks?
Is anyone on here going to be within sight of this event? I think on the winter ruin through to Seattle that a b’nerd came on to say he thought he might be there and send us pics or video. Can’t recall if that ever came to be. This is a pretty big deal for the folks aboard OT and the company, Dann Towing, right?

Thanks for the update. Appreciate it

0112hEDT Sat. July4/26
Ocean Tower is making 6 kts on a 173 deg. course towards Colon Panama! .Yes, they have arrived at the major turning point in the voyage to Hawaii.They are just hours away. They will likely be sequenced and put in a line awaiting entrance to the Panama Canal for the final leg of this historic voyage.

2333h EDT Tues. June 30/26
Ocean Tower is cruising the Caribbean Sea tonight on a 139 deg. course at 6.1 kts. They must be trying for fuel economy and safety. Safe towing speeds under the setup they have could be as much as 7.5 - 8 kts….especially because the wind at Puerto Barrios, Guatemala airport is just 4 kts from the N. Sea surface condition is a ripple at 0.1m. Seas are approaching from the E. The temperature is 27C. The tow is really deep sea as it is 350 or so nm E and abreast of PB under showery skies.

2334h EDT Sunday, June 28/26
In response to Guest,
You likely read my last post where I made a remark about the good speed theyre making.Yes, speed seems up a bit. BUT…the sea surface this trip has been so much calmer because they haven’t had the huge December winds as they had going way. Up to and around Cape Breton NS. Also they had less mileage because this time they used the Canso Canal as a shortcut to pass Nova Scotia and further south from Chesapeake Bay they got into the Cape Cod Canal which was like a shortcut time saver into NYC. Theyve made quicker progress getting southward to the Panama Canal is the big difference.
Tonight they’re in the middle of theYucatan Channel, halfway between SW Cuba and Cancun, Mexico. Ocean Tower is making 7.9 kts. On a course of 149 deg.The wind is ENE at 8kts and gusting 13. Waves are running from ESE making waves of 1.5m. Rain is possible. Temperature is 27C.

Seems they are making better time than the last tow correct?

230h EST Sat. June 27/26
Ocean Tower is about to leave the Straits of Florida. The tow is about 110 n.m NW of Havana, Cuba. They are making 8.1 kts ….really moving compared to recent checks in the 5-6 kt range. Winds are pretty quiet and steady at 3 kts out of the E. Seas are running from the SE making just a swell of 0.1m….hence the speed increase perhaps? The sky is cloudy with showers falling.

0007h EDT Sat. June 27/26
Ocean Tower is in the midst of the Florida Keys tonight; ENE of Key West. They are making 7kts on a heading of 248 deg. Temp and humidity are respectively 29C with the feeling of 33C…Hope the ac aboard is keeping the crew comfy.
Wind is E steady 9kts. Waves are out the SE creating a swell of 0.6m. It is a cloudy night for sailing.

Nice job keeping us all informed

00:00h EDT Friday June 26/26
On a heading of 189.6 deg; the p-82 crane tow by Ocean Tower is continuing toward her next target, the Panama Canal.
Sailing at 4.1 kts in rain, they are roughly 20 nm north of Hollywood Fla just passing Hillsboro Inlet Light coast guard station. The temp is 29C. The wind is SE steady at 12 kts. Wave action is from the SE but minimal at 0.8m.

2255h EDT Tues. June23/26
Kone p-82 crane tow to Hawaii is coasting about 45-50. nm at sea off the Georgia coast tonight. In another 20-25 miles, Ocean Tower will have them abreast St. Simon’s Island. They have been making a steady speed of just over 6 kts today. Currently they are running in the rain at 6.1 kts. Winds are out of the W at 9kts gusting 18. Waves are from the SW causing just a ripple of 0.40m. The air temp is 29C. Good night for a little a/c, a snack, and sleep.

2255h EDT Tues. June23/26
Kone p-82 crane tow to Hawaii is coasting about 45-50. nm at sea off the Georgia coast tonight. In another 20-25 miles, Ocean Tower will have them abreast St. Simon’s Island. They have been making a steady speed of just over 6 kts today. Currently they are running in the rain at 6.1 kts. Winds are out of the W at 9kts gusting 18. Waves are from the SW causing just a ripple of 0.40m. The air temp is 29C. Good night for a little a/c, a snack, and sleep.

0001h Monday June 22/26
Ocean Tower is about 50nm abreast of Charleston .SC tonight. She is making 5.1 kts….wonder if they’re trying to save on diesel fuel. Speeds this trip seem slower than they were on last winters run to Seattle.
The wind is W at 9 kts gusting 20. The sea remains calm with waves at 0.7m. Skies are partly cloudy.

2355hj EDTnSunday June 21/26
On a course of 224 deg. Ocean Tower continues the south to the Panama Canal. Seas are calm with any waves being in the 0.6- 0.8m ,range. Under clouds they are making 7.1 kts. The temp. is 26C. Winds areSE gusting 9 kts.
Waves are running from the SW.

1127h EDT Sunday June 21/26
Ocean Tower is roughly 60 nm at sea east of Cape Hatteras Light. They are running at 6.1 kts into a SE breeze at 12kts gusting 14. Seas are relatively calm at 0.8 m out of the SW. Skies are a sun-cloud mix.

0020h EDT Sunday, June 21/26
Ocean Tower continues her voyage on a generally southward heading. On this cloudy night she is about 30 nm
at sea off Currituck Beach Light VA. This is located on a very narrow lengthy spit of land for which I cannot find a name. The water is quite calm with wavelets out of the S of around 0.40 m. They are making 6.5 kts. Air temp is 23-25C. Winds are S at 8kts gusting 14. Marine traffic is very sparse in this area tonight.

1235h Sat. June 20/26
The blue crane p-82 and Ocean Tower are on a 208 deg. course at 7.1 kts. Passed Cape May over night.They are about 60 nm at sea off the Virginia coast. My land reference for weather is Richmond Va. Temperature is just near 30 C. Wind is W at 7 kts gusting 11. Skies are broken Sun-cloud. The sea is running E-W at 0.5m. Looks like a calm sailing day so far.

2302h EDT Friday June 19/26
Thanks algowest for your acknowledgement from 0744 h this morning…,
At this time the tow is cruising at 7.1 kts on a 204 heading. The sea is calm ,with 0.6 m wave level. As I posted this noon, they were passing Sandy Hook NY. Now they are about 55 nm at sea approaching Cape May, near the mouth of Delaware Bay. The sailing distance Sandy Hook to Cape May is about 110 nm. Temp is 23C. Wind is WNW at 11 kts gusting 15-17 kts. Wavelets are running out of the SE. The sky is clear. Nice night cruise with hundreds of tons following closely astern.

1052h EDT Friday June 19/26
Ocean Tower is departing NYC as I write. She has passed Sandy Hook, approaching Coney Isand in mid channel seaward bound at 6.5 kts.