Many tks to everyone who sent screen captures and video clips of my ship transiting the Panama Canal today. Although I've been sailing for a long time, this was my first time through the canal and a very exciting day for me. (Remember when this area was KZ5, now a deleted DXCC country?)
Plus I was able to put a couple new grid squares into a bunch of logs to boot, so win-win! I operated the FO29 pass at 23/2126Z and AO51 pass a few minutes later from the middle lock at Gatun Locks in FJ09; the ship was literally going down at the time, but only by virtue of the water level being lowered as we approached the Atlantic side of the canal.
We've since cleared the canal and are now fully into the Caribbean. Our route to Jacksonville will be around the western end of Cuba so that we can pick up the Gulf Stream near the Florida Keys; the Stream will push us along by adding about 15 percent to our speed. Since we're on a fixed ETA, we'll ease back on the engines a bit so that they don't have to work quite as hard, not to mention not burn as much fuel.
We're due into Jacksonville next Tuesday, 29/3.
On an unrelated note, congrats to Allen, N5AFV on making his 50,000th satellite contact early this morning; that's quite an accomplishment!
Our course over the next 24 hours will be almost due north, so we'll cross into a new grid square about every five hours.
Here's my planned op sked for tonight and tomorrow:
Planned
VO52 - 24/0208Z - FK00 - only pass this grid
FO29 - 24/0904Z - FK01
AO51 - 24/0951Z - FK01
FO29 - 24/2216Z - FK04
AO51 - 24/2229Z - FK04
AO7 - 24/2256Z - FK04
VO52 - 25/0052Z FK04
VO52 - 25/0228Z - FK05 - only pass this grid
Probable, but not certain
AO7 - 24/1216Z - FK02 - probably the only pass this grid
AO27 - 24/1916Z - FK03 - Approx turn on time; 3-minute window starting at 16 degrees & going down
FO29 - 24/2030Z - FK03 or FK04
AO51 - 24/2049Z - FK03 or FK04