Panama Canal David Clark 75 years old sailing solo around the world. dclark.com captainclark.com sellmer.com

Hoteltrade.com
by Andy Graham

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes-and ships-and sealing wax-
Of cabbages-and kings-
And why the sea is boiling hot-
and whether pigs have wings."

-Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass
and What Alice Found There, 1872)

I cannot begin to understand what happens to a man, that one day he wakes up, and wants to sail a boat around the world,
Alone....

By age 75 most people, would think that that the battle is over, or not possible to win. Resigned to some station in life, and that all other stations are taken, or held by someone else. To think, to hold the concept, to make a commitment of this magnitude is beyond my comprehension. But he did, and I was talking to an ordinary man, not special, Kind, nice, and worried about having enough food, on the boat, and whether we needed paper plates.

I had to literally talk my way on the boat, by promising to take a lot of pictures, and to do anything. I was not needed.

The boat was a 42 foot, homemade boat, no bragging rights here. Unlike most of my sailor friends, that would constantly be telling me the draft, the length, how it compared to other sailboats, and the reasons they made the decision to buy their boat. He never talked of his boat, other than strictly pragmatic needs. The goal superceded the lesser concern. Focus in such a simple way on his objective.

He was going through the canal the next day, and he had a few things to do. He was not talking about the future, or what could happen, solely making the plan. I ask what happened to you? What make you special. We laughed and joked and finally define the word as:

TENACITY....

He was not going to stop. I am not sure whether the other people on the boat even understood what he was doing. He was just an old man with a boat, and they were happy to go through the canal. I took over 160 digital pictures of the event. Not one person ask me for my email address, I collect the ones that I wished, but I felt that maybe, I was the only one who looked at it as a small piece of history. I want to capture all of it, I tried my best, climbing up and down, jumping and running to take pictures of everything. Afraid that I would miss the moment, or the perfect shot. I wanted to get out of the boat, at the locks and run along side to take pictures. As it turned out, I manned one corner or one line of the boat. I had to take pictures in between doing my line handling job.

Funny. as I travel the world, I find so few people that can look at the wonder of the world. There is a constant minimizing of the spectacular, and a constant glorification of themselves. Like somehow any of us are that important. I hope that I endeavor one such accomplishment in my life.

I think I met a hero. An ordinary person doing a something extraordinary
.
A passion...
The thought scares me, ALONE around the world.

Double Click on pictures to make large!! Any of the links will give you more pictures about, different phases of the trip.
The canal finished in 1914, and given to the Panama people December 31, 1999 12 noon See my page of the event!

Started at the Panama Canal Yacht Club. Located at Colon, on the Atlantic side. He looks better when he has his hat on....
Not pretty, but very ordinary in many ways, doing this extraordinary event. "What the mind of man can conceive and believe he can achieve"
Mollie Millar David Quoted: "Named after my mother, she lived to be 94, because she ate grits and fatback"
This canal was started 20 years before the United States took over in 1904, and finished in 1914. NO Fax, No Telephone, BIG dreams.
Opening of the gate to the Gatun lock
Small lead weights attached to a small rope are thrown to all 4 corners of the boat. The boat is than secure to the walls, so that it does not move when lowered or raised.
We are waiting her in the Gatun lock to enter. This boat has entered the lock. The water raised it up, the gate on the other side will open, and it will leave, and we will enter. Note: That boat is not us, we are entering at the same time with another boat.
The one thing I am sure we had in common. We both like coffee in the morning! I had to sleep on the deck outside the cabin....
David. We would hurry up, and wait. Hurry up and wait. The canal trip started at 4:30 am and I arrived home at 6:30 p.m.
Mickey. What a life, free roam of the ship and no chores
She was a good sport, helped me... be a better photographer
Large, REALLY BIG. I did not take one picture that explains how big these boats are.
There are 2 lock area, and a large lake, and canals in between. 5 hours of sun. The blanket is mine... My place to soak up the rays.
OK, your right. I like to take pictures of her. Guapa!
Everyone dreams of being the Captain.
Captain Clark and the Panama Canal administrative person that went with us through the canal. It cost 500 dollars US, and a 800 dollar deposit. A cruise ship will pay as much as 100,000 dollars.
Marcos called one of his friends to meet us at Gamboa. They are passing a cooler full of ice and drinks.
The Miraflores Locks on the Atlantic side
Miraflores Locks It appears to be the only location, whereby a person can come by land and watch boats go through the locks. I believe it is about 1/2 hour from Panama City.
A rain followed us slowly out of the locks.
Miramar Hotel. David had a free slip for his boat in front of the Hotel. A truly first class hotel. I stayed at the Voyager Hostel, not as luxurious, but lots of other benefits....

Please give me your opinion!