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Pedro Miguel Boat Club - Facilities

This is a boat club at one of the most interesting locations in the world. It sits on the eastern side and at the southern (Pacific) end of the Pedro Miguel Locks. The world's shipping passes by 24-hours per day. What an experience to sit on your boat and sip a cool one while watching this incredible panorama. We had heard many cruisers say how great it was to visit this place, and we were not disappointed.

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	The Pedro Miguel Locks, along the left side, and the Pedro Miguel Boat Club (PMBC), to its right, as seen looking north across Lake Miraflores. Lake Miraflores is about 60 ft. above sea level. Some of the heartier cruisers climbed the small mountain behind the club on several occaisions.
	The arrival dock for boats with several vessels hauled out behind it. The draft alongside the dock is about 7-8 ft. The level of Lake Miraflores changes stays quite constant, changing less than 1 ft. due to lock operations.
	Jim paddling the dinghy while dragging mooring lines to attach to incoming boats. Numerous mooring lines are required to keep boats in position against the currents sometimes set up by tugs maneuvering ships into locks. The lines haved to be moved to let a new boat come in or an old one leave.
	The hot sun encourages boaters to install shades to keep their boats cool. Since Panama is in the tropics, the humidity is quite high.
	The club has a large, two story main building with showers and storage rooms on the first floor and the offices, lounge, library, and kitchen on the second floor. The large, screened windows allow the breezes to blow through and cool the building.
	The front of the main building. There are several smaller buildings and sheds on the large property. Mango trees are located in the "back 40". There was a small (3-4 ft.) alligator that used to sun himself on a rock in the lake, but he would swiftly dive into the water when anyone came near. Some others said a larger one lived in Lake Miraflores but we never saw him.
	The PMBC crane can lift boats up to 20,000 lbs. Being lifted out here is SV Lord Jim that had its propeller shaft crack 100 NM into the Pacific after leaving Balboa. It returned and was towed through the Miraflores Locks for repair in PMBC.
	Jim at the controls of the crane while lifting out SV Lord Jim.
	The proximity of PMBC to the Pedro Miguel Locks can be seen by the ship with the orange lifeboat that is just entering the locks. Dalimas (also known as Dale Moore) from SV Karina D is standing in the foreground with a cup of coffee admiring the view across Lake Miraflores. This picture was taken from the flybridge of MV Heather K. and is an example of the great views we had.

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