DAY-32: Cruise Bonus Day #6 - Panama Canal
DAY-32: Cruise Bonus Day #6 - Panama Canal
Day – 32: Friday, March 20, 2020
Starting Location: M.S. Marina at Balboa, Panama Anchorage
Interim Location: Panama Canal
Ending Location: M.S. Marina at Sea in the Caribbean
Today we made the transit through the Panama Canal. Here is the tentative schedule for our trip across the Isthmus of Panama.
Pedro Miguel Lock System
Gatun Lock System
We had scheduled an early breakfast so as to not interfere with the canal entry and viewing opportunities.
As the sun was rising on our starboard side we passed the very colorful Biomuseo, the natural history museum of Panama, as well as boat marinas and other shipping activities. For clarity from the Pacific the canal runs generally in a SE to NW direction thus the rising sun to starboard.
Here's an example of water front, back and side living.
By 7:15 we passed under the Bridge of the Americas, the oldest of three spans that cross the canal "zone" linking North and Central America with South America.
Concerned about the overhead proximity to the bridge Sheila was covering her head.
As mentioned I was somewhat stunned by the size of Panama City and its expansive skyline. Surely it's a sea transportation hub but it appears to also have been a landing zone for a lot of international financial investments.
Could it be that we're transiting at low tide?
Is this the Panamanian Navy?
By 7:45 we were at the entry to the Miraflores Locks the first of two steps up to the +85 foot level of Gatun Lake, the centerpiece of the canal system.
The tractors or mules are used in the canal system for keeping ships centered while in the locks.
At Miraflores we would progress through three locks and possibly be viewed by the kids at home. Sheila and I were positioned for a good webcam shot in hopes that the home crowd would pick us out amongst the crowd. I was wearing blue and Sheila pink so those colors against the white backdrop of the ship should offer clarity.
Sheila's "Hi-Vis" pink for contrast against the white hull.
The picture feedback we received shows images of what are presumed to be people where we were standing so good enough, we had been seen in the canal from thousands of miles away.
We may have been the only cruise ship passing through the canal today but there was no shortage of merchant traffic including container ships, car carriers, gas & oil tankers and bulk haulers. There were even a few small boats making the transit.
The largest container ships utilize the newest canal system designated as the PanaMax System. For many of those ships the transit toll can be in excess of one million dollars. For us in the older system we would pay about $300,000 for today's journey, that's about $300/passenger.
The lock and canal system uses both old and new technology some not much changed from the opening over a century ago. As an example of the old, one of the first tasks for entry is passing lines from the shore to the ship and just as in days of old two people climbed into row boat and rowed out to the ship to make the line passage.
As for the new it appeared to be laser technology combined with brute mechanical strength that keeps the ships generally centered in the locks. That said many of the ships we've seen have ample evidence of rubbing sides with the canal.
Upon exit from Miraflores the ship headed toward the second set of Pacific side locks, the Pedro Miguel Locks from which we would ultimately pass into Gatun Lake. The large ships in the PanaMax system at this point in the passage are actually elevated above ships in the old canal system, it's a bit strange to look over and up at a ship moving in a parallel direction but 30-40 feet above our own.
We were delayed a bit at Pedro Miguel so we were behind schedule by about 20-minutes but what's a few minutes here or there.
From Pedro Miguel we approached the Centennial Bridge and began the transit at elevation through the Gatun Lake system, scheduled to take a little over four hours before arrival at the Gatun Locks. Along the way we would pass ships and boats of many colors and sizes.
Another bit of historical interest is the giant crane pictured below. The crane currently called Titan with the nickname Herman the German is a floating crane built in Germany in 1937-1941 and used by the German Kriegsmarine (German Navy) for servicing U-Boats in the Baltic Sea area. At the end of WWII the crane was brought to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard as part of war reparations and served there until 1994 The crane is used these days to service the variety of locks throughout the canal system..
Taking pictures of each other.
Prior to reaching the Gatun Locks we had a canal crew change. Here the Gatun crew is boarding our ship.
It was around 3:30 when we began our entry into the Gatun Locks but something was wrong as we had to wait at the entrance. This would be another opportunity for home viewing and I think the home viewers knew what was happening before we knew. Seems that a ship in front of us was having engine problems delaying its exit from the locks. By time we actually entered the lock we were about 40-minutes behind schedule.
Pictures from home. If you look closely I'm positioned just behind the 2nd "2" in 2020.
The Gatun Lock system is a 3-step down from the lake to the Caribbean elevation. Around 6 PM we exited the final lock and we were on our way to the canal exit and the Caribbean. During the canal briefing by Dr. Kus, he had told us to watch for the croc just east of the Gatun Locks and sure enough, basking on the bank was Mr. Croc, a big one to boot.
We also had a passing glimpse of what remains of the failed French effort to construct a sea level canal across the isthmus in the late 19th century.
By 6:15 we had passed under the Atlantic bridge.
And by 6:30 PM had passed through the Caribbean side anchorage and were at the breakwater that marks the official entrance into the Caribbean. So begins the final leg of this journey.
Last night sunset was over the Pacific, tonight over the Caribbean.
For dinner we dined in the Toscana Italian Restaurant with three others, a couple from Atlanta and a bridge partner of Sheila's from Melbourne, Australia; the Aussie husband was not taking well to the heavy rocking & rolling so within a couple of minutes of sitting down he excused himself and headed to their stateroom. Sheila had the filet of sole and it was a simple order of spaghetti for me.
The Panama Canal was a huge unexpected bonus, something on the list of things to do and now done. For me it was a highlight of the trip, as the history and shear magnitude of such a project, thought to be one of humankind's greatest achievements, is of great interest and fascination. Just guessing but of the 11 hour transit I was probably out and about for 8 hours.
So "been there, done that, check it off"!
With a northerly course set to brush by the western tip of Cuba we were on our way home. Three days from now we should be in St. Pete Beach.
Here are a some borrowed stock photo images of ships transiting the canal system including:
USS Iowa was a tight fit; today merchant ships are bigger.
And then there's "The Mouse" a Disney cruise liner.
Interim Location: Panama Canal
Ending Location: M.S. Marina at Sea in the Caribbean
Today we made the transit through the Panama Canal. Here is the tentative schedule for our trip across the Isthmus of Panama.
and here is a profile of the canal system from the Pacific east to the Caribbean.
For our transit we will travel through three sets of locks:
Miraflores Lock System
Pedro Miguel Lock System
Gatun Lock System
The ship weighed anchor at about 5:30 this morning and began the journey toward and through the Panama Canal. Today there would be nothing but canal as we expected a 10-hour transit from beginning to end.
We had scheduled an early breakfast so as to not interfere with the canal entry and viewing opportunities.
As the sun was rising on our starboard side we passed the very colorful Biomuseo, the natural history museum of Panama, as well as boat marinas and other shipping activities. For clarity from the Pacific the canal runs generally in a SE to NW direction thus the rising sun to starboard.
By 7:15 we passed under the Bridge of the Americas, the oldest of three spans that cross the canal "zone" linking North and Central America with South America.
Tug boats are required for ships transiting the canal.
By 7:45 we were at the entry to the Miraflores Locks the first of two steps up to the +85 foot level of Gatun Lake, the centerpiece of the canal system.
Line handler row boats and "hi-tech" system to steer you toward the correct lock.
Have we been spotted posing for the webcam? We were watching from on deck and the kids back in the U.S. were watching from home, hunkered down like so many with limited things to do. I had described the watching of our procession through the locks as having a similar entertainment value as watching grass grow, paint dry or numbers change at McDonald's, but watch and track they did. Here are some screen shots from Poquoson, Kitty Hawk and Cambridge.
We may have been the only cruise ship passing through the canal today but there was no shortage of merchant traffic including container ships, car carriers, gas & oil tankers and bulk haulers. There were even a few small boats making the transit.
The largest container ships utilize the newest canal system designated as the PanaMax System. For many of those ships the transit toll can be in excess of one million dollars. For us in the older system we would pay about $300,000 for today's journey, that's about $300/passenger.
As for the new it appeared to be laser technology combined with brute mechanical strength that keeps the ships generally centered in the locks. That said many of the ships we've seen have ample evidence of rubbing sides with the canal.
Upon exit from Miraflores the ship headed toward the second set of Pacific side locks, the Pedro Miguel Locks from which we would ultimately pass into Gatun Lake. The large ships in the PanaMax system at this point in the passage are actually elevated above ships in the old canal system, it's a bit strange to look over and up at a ship moving in a parallel direction but 30-40 feet above our own.
We were delayed a bit at Pedro Miguel so we were behind schedule by about 20-minutes but what's a few minutes here or there.
From Pedro Miguel we approached the Centennial Bridge and began the transit at elevation through the Gatun Lake system, scheduled to take a little over four hours before arrival at the Gatun Locks. Along the way we would pass ships and boats of many colors and sizes.
Prior to reaching the Gatun Locks we had a canal crew change. Here the Gatun crew is boarding our ship.
It was around 3:30 when we began our entry into the Gatun Locks but something was wrong as we had to wait at the entrance. This would be another opportunity for home viewing and I think the home viewers knew what was happening before we knew. Seems that a ship in front of us was having engine problems delaying its exit from the locks. By time we actually entered the lock we were about 40-minutes behind schedule.
Pictures from home. If you look closely I'm positioned just behind the 2nd "2" in 2020.
The Gatun Lock system is a 3-step down from the lake to the Caribbean elevation. Around 6 PM we exited the final lock and we were on our way to the canal exit and the Caribbean. During the canal briefing by Dr. Kus, he had told us to watch for the croc just east of the Gatun Locks and sure enough, basking on the bank was Mr. Croc, a big one to boot.
We also had a passing glimpse of what remains of the failed French effort to construct a sea level canal across the isthmus in the late 19th century.
By 6:15 we had passed under the Atlantic bridge.
And by 6:30 PM had passed through the Caribbean side anchorage and were at the breakwater that marks the official entrance into the Caribbean. So begins the final leg of this journey.
Last night sunset was over the Pacific, tonight over the Caribbean.
For dinner we dined in the Toscana Italian Restaurant with three others, a couple from Atlanta and a bridge partner of Sheila's from Melbourne, Australia; the Aussie husband was not taking well to the heavy rocking & rolling so within a couple of minutes of sitting down he excused himself and headed to their stateroom. Sheila had the filet of sole and it was a simple order of spaghetti for me.
The Panama Canal was a huge unexpected bonus, something on the list of things to do and now done. For me it was a highlight of the trip, as the history and shear magnitude of such a project, thought to be one of humankind's greatest achievements, is of great interest and fascination. Just guessing but of the 11 hour transit I was probably out and about for 8 hours.
So "been there, done that, check it off"!
With a northerly course set to brush by the western tip of Cuba we were on our way home. Three days from now we should be in St. Pete Beach.
Here are a some borrowed stock photo images of ships transiting the canal system including:
USS Robert E. Lee and USS Layfayette.
USS Iowa was a tight fit; today merchant ships are bigger.
And then there's "The Mouse" a Disney cruise liner.
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