Saturday, December 11, Panama Canal Transit

 

This full transit of the Panama Canal was our third (1970s on Cunard Sun Princess, 11/2011 Regatta), and we’d transit it again tomorrow. It is fascinating and awe-inspiring when one considers its history. The slide rule was developed in the 17th century; what role did that ‘computer’ have in the Canal engineering? As in the past, we had an enrichment lecturer board for our transit from Colon to Panama City. We can’t do the Canal justice with any written description, so here is a link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal we’d encourage you to read and a enjoy few photos from our transit. And a bit of a brain teaser for some: we are sailing from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean (east to west), but our Canal transit was from west to east. How can that be?

 

There are also a few photos of the ‘mules.’ One of the original mules from 100+ years ago you can see in a grassy area. A newer one on a turntable is the newest. The mules do not tow or stop a ship. We had two forward and two aft. They are only used to center the ship in the Canal. I believe our beam was only 2’ less than the width of the Canal. Not much room for error.

 

And sadly, even though we were scheduled to stop in Panama City, we didn’t. Cap first flew (USAF Reserves C-124) to Howard AFB (now closed) in the Canal Zone in the early 1970s. The city architecture from sea is so impressive. And we both wanted to visit the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomuseo.

 


Atlantic Bridge seen from entry point of Gatun locks

 




Auto Carrier exiting Gatun Locks as we enter
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Centennial bridge in the GaillardCut--narrowest part of the river channel. Ir passes through the continental divide, where tugs are required to accompany ships. Note the terracing beyond the bridge, put in place to try to prevent mudslides that clog the channel. See photo below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    
 










                 Entering the Miraflores locks on the Pacific side.

Old mule (top) and new mule (bottom)












Two  catamarans lashed together awaiting a large ship before exiting the locks.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Looking back at the cargo docks at Balboa, just after passing under the Bridge of the Americas. There are massive cargo docks at either end of the Canal, where container ships too large for even the new locks unload their cargo, to be moved by train to the other side, to be reloaded. We could occasionally see a very large container ship passing by in the larger locks.

 
 Panama City's incredible skyline (unfortunately under clouds and haze) with the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo in the foreground.






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