tamotu99
Active Member
interestingly, i think there is a law that a panamanian has to captain any vessel through the locks.
i know we had to order one LOL.
glad you got to go through it as its really a one of a kind experience.
Firstly the captain of the boat (ive now just annoyed a lot of people) does not change, it is the person who is actually in control of the boat that changes.
It is not that uncommon, a lot of harbours have a similar Law, it is to do with these 'areas' being basically unique, so strange tidal currents, 2 foot of clearance, sand bars, things like that, and it is just safer for both the Ship Owner and the infrastructure owner to have someone that is intimately familiar with this area to be the one that is in control.
Dover Cruise terminal (not the ferries as they do it so regualry they are excluded) and Hamburg harbour are two other well known examples of this
And as we all know, shown by the Costa Concordia maps and electronic equipment(depth finders etc) can only help you so much