Friday, September 30, 2011

USS Pickens heads for Panama Canal

As the Pickens steamed south in February winter was left behind.  As we traveled past Costa Rica a strong, pleasant smell of flowers and greenery contrasted with the sea.  We reached Panama City, the Pacific entrance to the canal and spent several days there.  I served as a temporary shore patrolman in Colon, the city on the Atlantic side, but I can't remember if I did in Panama City.  I did go on liberty but I remember nothing about it.

The Pacific ocean is some 8 inches higher than the Atlantic at this point, which makes locks necessary.  We proceeded through the  locks and on to Colon, where we also spent a few days.   It was here while I was on shore patrol duty that I saved three seamen from being locked up in a Panama jail.  They were in a bar but did not socialize with  the girls working there.  When they got up to leave the barman insisted they pay some high prices for drinks the girls had consumed.  They refused and a paddy wagon was called.  I had become acquainted with a policeman and got the police to agree not to jail the guys if they would pay for those drinks.  One refused, standing on his rights that they did not owe anything.  I pleaded, pointing out that they would miss their ship and being jailed in Panama would not be pleasant.  The other two paid for all three and they were freed.  On our ship before we landed at Panama City, we were warned Panamanians did not like us and if we got into trouble the ship would not wait for us.  We were also warned to avoid women. Not bad advice at any time.

No comments:

Post a Comment