The Oyster World Rally continues with the fleet making its way — in formation — through the Panama Canal in mid-February. Have to think Theodore Roosevelt would have gotten a kick out of seeing his big civil engineering project still fulfilling its role 99 years later. Although Teddy probably thought of the ditch as a passage for smoke-spewing U.S. Navy battle wagons and not sailing yachts!
From the press release: Oyster World Rally Event Manager, Debbie Johnson reports that the complex task of organizing 26 yachts through the Panama Canal went effortlessly: “It was an amazing experience but I have never worked as hard in my life as the past few weeks, it was an incredible project.” Commented Debbie. “We have been planning the rally for two years and a considerable amount of time went into getting the logistics in place for a safe passage through the Panama Canal.
“It took four days to get all of the Oyster fleet through but it has all gone so smoothly. We had planned for delays and unexpected problems but it all went so well that we were two days ahead of schedule. Everybody has been so accommodating and getting everyone through to the Pacific has gone like clockwork."
