Balboa Yacht Club

[Jaymes]

Want to write a proper eulogy. And I will, too, someday.

But for now, any of you ever visit this venerable old place? The social elite of the Panama Canal Zone lunching upstairs, in their hats and gloves, elegant white linen dresses and snappy white trousers, dining in cool, elegant air-conditioned comfort. Swank. Expensive colonial living.

While downstairs, in the heat and humidity of the open bar, right by the sea, under rotating ceiling fans, the great unwashed masses passed through on their way to or from a Canal transit.

My God what a place. No one who was ever there ever forgot it.

The upstairs closed soon after the treaty passed -- no more social elite in white linen outfits, I guess. But the downstairs soldiered on, complete with its bulletin board and the postings that read: "Need 2 hands to transit canal on Monday." "Going to Bora Bora, small freighter, need experienced crew." "Schooner headed for Hong Kong, need cook." "Large yacht, skippered by couple from UK, sailing South Pacific, no destination, no schedule, need first mate."

I'm just sure Sydney Greenstreet was waiting there, waiting at that bar, eating ceviche and drinking beer and waiting for a ride, first class cabin of course, on the "Something Or Other Maru."

My God what a place.

It burned down. A few years back. Did you know?

I've never cried for the death of a building. But I did for the Balboa Yacht Club. Of course, maybe it wasn't the building so much. Maybe it was the passing of a way of life that I mourned.

[cdh]

This is the first I've heard of the place, but I'll salute its passing and join in your feelings about the passing of that way of life.

Genteel adventurism-- RIP.

[Beto]

I loved that place... sitting there drinking Cerveza Panama, watching the ships pass as the sun went down.

Did you ever go the the Lakeside "Country Club" on the way to the Summit? I ate plenty of fried shark and patacones there. Good times...

[anil]

  Maybe it was the passing of a way of life that I mourned.

Terrible - I understand what you mean

[Jaymes]

They used to say that there were several "crossroads" in the world where, if you sat long enough, sooner or later you would see everybody you ever knew.

One was the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, back in the days when it was across the street from the train terminal where the trains arrived and departed from China.

And another was the Balboa Yacht Club.

I am privileged to have hung around both, sipping gin and tonic and watching the world passing through on their intriguing way to one adventure or another.

But, Beto, I don't recall the "Country Club." When were you there? I was there from '75-'79 (during the treaty negotiations).

[Beto]

I didn't live in Panama until 1986. I was stationed there with the Army for 3 years. I put the quotation marks around the "Country Club" because it was somewhat of a joke. Essentially, it was a grassy field of about 6 acres that had a 9-hole golf course on it. You would hit the ball from end to end onto the different greens. It was located between Fort Clayton and the Pedro Miguel locks.

On the side of the building there was a little window which opened to the lower level kitchen through which you placed your order. I remember seeing the electric stove with the eyes glowing bright orange and the cook frying up cazon (shark) and patacones in an old cast iron skillet.

The last time that I was there in 2001, it was still there.