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Updates and Panama Canal

This Just In…Transiting The Panama Canal and Computer Updates

We’ve been running around like chickens with our heads cut off recently.  It’s exciting times and while we don’t have our regular Sunday video to share, we do have some news!

For anyone with limited internet who couldn’t watch the video:

The computer woes are over, so we hope.

Jason has his new, insanely bulky computer in hand and was able to retrieve the files from the broken laptop.  Yeah!  For those interested in all the detailed specs, here is the exact computer he ordered:  https://bhpho.to/2i5sbAN   It’s an Alienware and it’s still on Holiday discount (he got $650 off plus a $100 gift card, free mouse and some free video game that we’ll never play).  Granted we haven’t even turned it on yet, but on paper it should be a screamin’ editing machine. Of course he’ll blow through $100 in data to update and install programs…but that’s half the fun…right?

We’re transiting the Panama Canal this week! 

If you want to follow us through the Panama Canal we’ll be sharing live updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can also watch on the Panama Canal webcams here: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/multimedia/index.html

The general plan for our canal transit (we can’t control the times, that’s up to the canal authority):

  • Tuesday Morning 11/28/2016 – Arrive to Flats Anchorage in Colon
  • Tuesday Afternoon – Evening – Gatun Locks
  • Tuesday Night – Anchor overnight in Gatun Lake
  • Wednesday early Morning Depart Gatun Lake
  • Wednesday late Morning Begin Miraflores Locks
  • Wednesday afternoon Final Lock and arrive in the Pacific Ocean

Our Crew/Line Handlers

We’re super excited to have Jason’s Mom (Mary) and our long time RV friends Peter and John of TheRVgeeks on board this week.  The Geeks are posting lots of updates to their Instagram account too: @RVGeeks

Best part about having friends on boards…they can be our pack mules!  HA, HA. Seriously though, getting packages here is expensive and tricky. Having them bring much needed supplies, parts and toys is a huge bonus.  I’m sure our canal transit will be a blast, and of course we’ll be filming the entire experience to share in the near future.  It’s wild to think we will be rising up, over and floating our way through the middle of a country.  From the Caribbean to the Pacific ocean, simply incredible!

Patreons, don’t forget you can follow our tracks in real time through our InReach map (check the patron feed for the link if you don’t have it).

Once we’re through the canal we’ll get back to our regularly scheduled Sunday adventures.  The next episode picks back up in Bocas for a sweet chocolate farm tour then we’re on our final sailing adventure with Dale, Justin and Dan as we head for Portobelo.

Thanks for being a part of the adventure!

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (52)

  • Okay, The Ghostmaker??? I need that!

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  • Jason and Nikki:

    Really enjoy your postings, an encouragement and a motivator for me as I close the gap to 60 years old, arriving in February 2018. I live in Lewisville, so we were neighbors here at one time.

    I am making some decisions after the first of the year, as I was like you both many years ago, then got sucked into corporate America, and am fed up with it.

    Be safe, take care of each other – I have you on PayPal auto pay once per month for $50 – hope this helps you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

    KV

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  • Lee

    WTG Jason. We know you got the new laptop so you could get the free Destiny 2 game. Dell has been good to me, but I think a laptop that big is going to be hot. I have only had Dell desktops in the past and they were all good computers. They lasted many years.

    I hope you get many years of use from the new laptop. I always prefer to have a desktop and a laptop. My current laptop that I use daily is small enough to carry in a backpack.

    Currently I am looking into building my own computer in a tower case with the new coffee lake cpu. It will be cheaper than your laptop, be cooler and do video editing at breakneck speeds. Laptops are overpriced, but one day when people are able to build their own laptops the same way they can build a desktop in a tower case prices will come down.

    To all on board, have a safe transit of the canal.

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    • Hey, Lee – I have a one year old home built which might meet your needs – please send me an email at [email protected], and I will send you the specs – it is juiced as they say.

      Thanks!

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  • loking forward to your passage videos. we are finally off to go boat shopping in Hawaii over xmas. if shes our boat it will all work out . we are excited to bring her back to the usa and do our prep in our yard. the meet up we came to in fort lauderdale got me crystal clear , get boat sooner than later store rv. so i look forward to prep unfortunately all my dehydrating experiments will have to wait until we get back to Florida unless i get a sudden erge to get another dehydrater cheap in hawaii and dry several dozen avacados picked from my friends farm. next experiment ius waxing eggs.

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  • Hi Guys, just seen you in the Highfield Promo vid for 2018 – very cool! Equal air time with the Vendee Globe winners! I think it is fair to say you have arrived !!! Many congrats and fair winds on your next ‘larks and adventures’!

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  • cindy

    Fun times!!!!
    Look like Santa delivered early!!! Safe travels

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  • Michael Algermissen

    To track Curiosity real time go to the Marine Traffic AIS web site http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/. Click on Sign In at top right corner, create an account (free) at bottom of sign in box. Once signed in go back to live map and type in vessel name Curiosity (top right again). You may have to zoom in and click on vessels until Curiosity is displayed (showed up as a round pink circle on my map). With the vessel box open select the option to add to your fleet. Now you can find the Wynns wherever they may be.

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  • Marc & Sean

    Through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific? I’m nervous and excited for y’all! You may have said so already but are you going to the Barrier Reef by chance eventually???

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  • Diane Sanderbeck

    I keep getting this message when I go to the canal webcam for a trial run this evening:
    “Note: Several of our webcams have equipment problems. Once resolved, the images will be available.”
    Eek! I sure hope it’s working tomorrow. Anyway, y’all just be safe and enjoy the trip. What an awesome milestone for SV Curiosity & crew! ❤️

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  • Shirley Joiner

    I tried the link to the Panama Canal live cams, but I just get a message that the cameras are not working. Has anyone else tried the link?

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    • Curious Minion

      Lots of people are reporting that they’re not working so it’s not just you. You can follow their location with an app like Vessel Finder or Marine Traffic.

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      • Shirley Joiner

        Curious Minion, thank you.

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  • Deborah Kerr

    Awesome, 2 of my 3 most favorite traveling bloggers all together on one giant adventure!! Thank you for letting us know in “real-time” – I for one did not want to miss this!! Imagine, from the Caribbean to the Pacific!! It is an engineering marvel!!

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    • It is so exciting and we’re so glad to have you along with us!

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  • Bill

    Hey!!!!! What happened to your Canadian Crew and the new Guy ? Sudden exit….Stage left… I haven’t seen any mention of their departure, Have I missed something?

    We all know youz are busy so take it easy , eh?

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    • Curious Minion

      All the old crew departs in the next video – they just couldn’t get that finished before the transit and knew you would all want to know when they were going through. You can keep up with Dale & Justin on their channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DaleOnolack

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    • I know it is a little confusing, sorry about that. This is a real-time update. Our videos are always behind real time. At the end of this post we said this but you might have missed it “Once we’re through the canal we’ll get back to our regularly scheduled Sunday adventures. The next episode picks back up in Bocas for a sweet chocolate farm tour then we’re on our final sailing adventure with Dale, Justin and Dan as we head for Portobelo”.

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  • ernie le roux

    just read all comments on panama canal wehave sailed 25 yrs [thats one or two trips a yr with msc on south africa coast now live in u.s.a. being 6 times thro Seuz canal so now need a change already booked for Panama canal trip 4-1-2019 so any interesting points will gadly be taken thanks ernie and dawn le roux

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    • Wow, we would love to have sundowners and exchange stories with you! The Seuz Canal is on our wish list. We’ve been documenting the whole canal process and will have detailed videos soon. Thanks for following along!

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  • Caroline

    We live in the US but we are originally from Switzerland and that cheese is called” tête de Moine “ that means a “monk’s head “ when my kids were little they use to ask for a cheese flower ?

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    • So cool, we love that thing. It makes cheese so beautiful and fun! Monks Head, I am going to have to google that.

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  • I can’t wait to see you cruise through the Panama Canal! I’m also wondering how you decided on what new computer to get for video editing. What were your “Must haves” in the system you needed? I’m shopping! Maybe that could be your next “gear” video?

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    • Oh, good question. I will have to get Jason to answer that because he did have a list of wants and needs.

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  • Brett McFarlane & Paul Uphoff

    Cannot wait to see all of this..and say HI for us to Peter and John for us!! Love those guys and know you will all have a great time!!! We are down in Palm Springs for Thanksgiving so said hi to the place for you.

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    • Awe, thanks guys! The Geeks are waving at you as I type this.

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  • Peggy

    Looking forward to seeing your experience. Your new crew looks nice and friendly. You haven’t mentioned the other couple you had with you for so long but I don’t miss them. Just saying. 😉

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  • Nikki, In your post, you said the final sailing adventure with Dale, Justin & Dan. Are they leaving Curiosity after this crossing?

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    • Curious Minion

      They’re all already gone. It will be in the next video – they just couldn’t get that finished before the transit and knew you would all want to know when they were going through. You can keep up with Dale & Justin on their channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DaleOnolack

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  • Lloyd Perkins

    One tiny correction: From the Gatun Locks, you’ll be going through the Pedro Miguel Locks, and the last locks before entering the Pacific Ocean is the Miraflores Locks.
    Have fun and enjoy your transit through this engineering wonder.

    (Retired, Panama Canal Maintenance Manager, U.S. Gov.)

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  • JOHN SCHRETLEN

    Hope the five of you have a really great time.

    I doubt that people who follow both you two and John & Peter could have hoped for a better transition crew, and we are expecting some great video!

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  • After checking out the headache and cost of entering Peru, I have to say it’s not worth the trip , but that’s up to you , the fruit market is a fun place to visit ?

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  • LIZ (aka you know who)

    Dear N & J,
    As the onlyest mother of P and mother-in-law-love of J, I gave them my permission to go on this trip with you.
    BUT PLEASE, make them wear life jackets and don’t let them fall overboard, I need them for the holidays! : 0
    Hugs and happy sailing

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    • Liz, I will take care of your boys! I’ll tie fenders to each of their limbs. 😉

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  • Steve W

    Don’t know if you got my email, but I suggested Alienware. Been using them since 2003.
    Finally had to replace my Alienware desktop after 14 years. 750-watt power supply finally konked
    out. Still have my 2004 Alienware laptop. But I’ve upgraded both this year. You can never go wrong with Alienware. Super reliable, Super powerful and fast, Best warranty over all other brands. Yeah, that’s the size of my laptop brick also. And you’ll need it. The battery can’t run that fire-breathing dragon for very long. Whoo ray for the 950 watts of lithium you’ve got. You might as well get Nikki one too:)

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  • Dan Helm

    When you get your MSI computer fixed, have them put in one 250gb drive instead of 2×125 raid 0. The raid 0 is faster, but doubles your risk of drive failure, which you have now experienced twice in a short period. (The ssd drives MSI must be using are likely not great drives as most ssd drives have a better track record. But raid 0 is inherently risky anyway.) It should not be a hard project to switch to a single drive. (Notice that a single larger ssd + standard hard drive is the configuration for your Alienware beast. ) MSI should be able to just ship you a 250gb or 500gb ssd which you can install yourself with some bios settings. (MSI should include directions with the drive or walk you through it via support chat. You don’t need to be an expert for that task.)

    If you can, store your computers and such gear in waterproof\tight containers with desiccant packets or rice packets made of cotton. Normal electronics do not like salty humid sea air. Add padding if you can as vibration is also undesirable.

    I have an ASUS ROG like your new rig. Not what I was expecting when I ordered it. I call my Aircraft Carrier

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  • Carla

    Love watching your adventures! Thanks for sharing. Can you share the info on the cheese wheel sliced thingy?

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    • Curious Minion

      It is a Beekman 1802 Ghoastmaker.

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  • Mike

    The locks should be very exciting. I’m just wondering why you brought extra hands for the trip. Are Dale, Justin and Dan still onboard? I would have though 5 of you would be enough for the transit.

    Have fun and stay safe

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    • Curious Minion

      Dale, Justin and Dan are already gone. Jason tried to get that video out before the transit but it just didn’t happen. It’ll be the next video though! And you’re required to have a minimum of 5 people on board for the transit (4 line handlers and the captain) so RVGeeks and mom to the rescue!

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  • So exciting! Have fun!

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  • We’re SO excited to be able to share such a great experience with you, Jason & Nikki. Thanks so much for having us on board. We promise not to drop any lines in the locks. 😉

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  • gayle

    Can’t wait to do the Panama Canal with you! My lifetime dream come true! I could have gone on a cruise ship, but no thanks. I don’t bingo, eat 13 times a day, gamble all day, shuffleboard, etc. I don’t sound like much fun, do I? Bon voyage1

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  • So excited for you guys to all be together! Please pass some hugs around on our behalf!

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    • Thanks! Only thing better would be if you were here too! I’d raft up to you any day ;). Your boat repairs are looking really good!

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  • Connie Woods

    Awe! I love you guys! Yeah all around good news and happy faces, hi guys and Jasons mom! What a great time to be there! Thanks for checking in, was wondering if you had hit the canal yet! Exciting times ahead! Big Love!
    ????⛵??
    Oh and I need a ghost maker…..?

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  • Joe the Computer Guy

    Originally when you said you needed line handlers I was so bummed you didn’t reach out to me! But then I saw who was sitting in the back there and know how good friends you are with the RV Geeks and all was well (LOL in my small little pea brain). I am booking a cruise in the next few months to do the Panama Canal cruise anyway. Hope all goes well and have fun!!

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  • Sue Goetzinger

    Nice to see the RV Geeks with you on the transit of the canal. Safe passage!!

    reply

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