TRANSITING THE PANAMA CANAL

Today we are transiting the Panama Canal for our 7^th time.  It is one of my very favorite cruises because of its fascinating history and it is truly amazing engineering marvel.  The French began construction on the canal in 1881 but by 1989 the French company was bankrupt and over 22,000 workers had lost their lives due to yellow fever (from mosquitoes) and accidents.  Back then Panama was a province of Columbia but in 1903 US warships blocked the sea lanes so Columbia could not put down a rebellion.  On November 3, 1903, Panama declared its independence from Columbia.  The United States began construction on the canal in 1904 and the canal opened on August 15, 1914.  The canal celebrated its 100^th anniversary this year.  The US controlled and provided the defense of the Panama Canal Zone until 1977 when a gradual hand over to the Panama Canal Authority was completed in 1999.  (Big mistake in my opinion.  One of many that Jimmy Carter made).   So today the Panama government owns and operates the canal.  The canal employs a work force of 9,000 and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Contrary to what you may think, the canal runs north/south, NOT east/west.  At 8am this morning we entered the Gatun Locks at Limon Bay from the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic side).  The Gatun Locks consists of 3 locks where you enter and the ship is raised totally by water from the lock above it.  Gravity moves the water to equalize the water levels and the ship rises.  Ships are raised 85 feet above sea level this way and then enter Gatun Lake.  This huge lake was formed mostly by damming up the rivers.  The engineers had to make an 8 mile cut in one section of the canal so ship could go through.  This is called the Gaillard Cut.  Over 30 million cubic yards of rock and dirt had to be excavated by steam shovels.  So once in the lake you sail to the other side (Pacific side).  We have to be lowered 85 feet back down to sea level.  The first lock we come to is called the Pedro Migel Lock that takes us down to Miraflores Lake.  The lake is only 1 mile across before we go into the two Miraflores Locks.  Once again we went 85 feet up to lake level and then down 85 feet on other side down to sea level.  Transit of the 48 miles takes 8 to 10 hours.  Each lock is 110 feet wide and 1050 feet long.  This size will accommodate Panamax sized ships but not our aircraft carriers or oil companies’ “super tankers”.  A new lane is under construction now to handle the larger ships.  It was due to open this year but now delayed until 2016.  It will double the capacity of the Panama Canal.  The engineering concept of the canal is very simplistic but requires lots of water.  Each time the bottom lock gate is opened 26 million gallons of water goes into the ocean from the lakes above.  So for a one ship to transit, it requires 52 million gallons of water.  What makes this all work is the amount of rainfall Panama receives to keep the lakes full.  By the way, it is expensive to transit the canal.  Companies pay by the ship’s weight.  It is costing Regent $150,000 today for our transit.  Payment is only by cash!!  Each ship’s company has to have wired the money to Panama before it is allowed to transit.  Ships are lined up to get through the canal and may be days before they can transit.  Cruise ships have priority going through, thankfully!  Small sail boats can also use the canal and may share a lock with another ship.  Our ship is not nearly as big as the large cruise ships that we have also been on during transit.  The larger cruise ships fill the locks with just about a foot to spare on each side.  Cruise ships have traditionally been limited in size so they will pass through the Panama Canal.  Rebecca and I were fortunate to have been invited by the Captain to be on the bridge during a Princess cruise.  We were the only passengers on the bridge.  Don’t tell anyone as this is strictly forbidden!   As an aside, a Hong Kong company will be starting to build a canal through Nicaragua in December of this year and is projected to be complete in 5 years.

                                                       

                             Good profile of how ships are moved from ocean to ocean

     Pulling into the first of the three Gatun Locks.  The three locks will raise us 85 feet to lake level.

This is called a "mule".  It is an electric locomotive that is used to keep ships in the center of the locks.  The do not pull the ships through.  Ships use their own power to move through the locks.  One hundred years ago a mule cost $15,000 but now the price tag is $2 million.

                                                             Tight fit

   A container ship entering the lane beside us.  There are two lanes in use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  A new larger lane is under construction and due to be completed in 2016 now.

Once a ship is in the lock, the gates behind it close.  The lock gates each weigh 662 tons mounted on 17 ton hinges.  They are perfectly balanced as it only takes two 25 horsepower hydraulic motors to open and close them.  The gates are overhauled every couple of years.

                This photo shows a gate in the stowed position in the side of the lock.

 We are being raised inside the lock as water from the lock above is allowed to enter our lock by gravity though 18 foot diameter tunnels in the center portion of the canal locks.  You can see water entering lock now which raised us like a cork.

                                           This is after being raised in first of 3 locks.

 Gatun Locks consists of 3 locks on the Atlantic side that will raise our ship 85 feet up to Gatun Lake.

 The container ship next to us barely fits into the lock.  Locks are 110 feet wide and 1050 feet long.

                                  Taken before being raised.  Note building position.

                                        Taken after being raised in the lock

                                               Gate starting to close behind us.

                            They are constantly dredging dirt from the lake channels.

 Photos showing the Gaillard Cut.  14,000 tons of explosives were used to blast rock from the Continental Divide.  100 locomotives and 2300 rail cars were used to haul the dirt and rocks dug by huge steam shovels out of the 10 mile cut.

                                                       Centennial Bridge

 We are approaching Miraflores Locks.  Tanker ship ahead will take right lane and we will take the left one.

                                                  Entering the lock  

We will now be lowered back down to the Pacific Ocean sea level.  The tanker ship on right has already been lowered in the first lock.

                 We are in the first of the two Miraflores Locks and about to be lowered.                  

                                        

 So once again on Pacific side there are also 3 locks used to lower us 85 feet:  one San Pedro lock and two Miraflores locks.  Ahead of us is the Pan American Bridge.  The main highway between Central and South America.

                                         

                                          Passing under the Bridge of the Americas