The Canal

The Canal. For world travelers those two words conjure up only two alternatives. The Suez Canal was the earlier predecessor of this hemisphere's monumental engineering feat known as the Panama Canal. Started by the French and finally finished by the Americans, the Canal cut the 10,000 mile journey from the American east coast to California roughly in half. Costly in both lives and money to build the Canal is now run by Panamanians (imagine that) and sees ships from every corner of the globe make the trip through two sets of locks (one set, the Gatun locks on the Atlantic side and the Miraflores locks on the Pacific),.

Up to 60+ ships make the journey every day with fees assessed on either cargo capacity or weight. I'm not writing this blog to recite facts and figures but the lowest fee ever paid was 36 cents for a very ambitious swimmer who actually swam the length of the canal. Very large ships can easily pay several million dollars for the passage, and according to the guide on the loudspeaker at the Miraflores Visitor Center who we heard while on deck the Norwegian Gem, which we're on, paid $700,000.

We approached the Gatun locks (Atlantic side) before the sun was up. The ship's railings were standing room only and we were fortunate to snag a spot at the very prow of the ship. The locks raise ships about 85 feet into Gatun lake with locomotives guiding the ships through the tight quarters of the locks. We went through the old, original locks but there is a second set of locks that can accommodate what are called Panamax ships that are too wide to go through the original locks.

It took us about an hour to get through the first set of locks and then spent most of the day cruising a well marked channel through Gatun lake. There are crocodiles in the lake so swimming not really recommended! I've mentioned in a prior blog how hot it can get in these parts and Panama gives Columbia a run for their money where the heat index is concerned. The Gem's staff did a wonderful job of keeping us as comfortable as possible handing out ice cold face clothes, food, and fluid replenishment throughout the 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. session on deck. Still, by 3 p.m. many passengers were wilting in the heat but given this was our first, and perhaps only, transit of the Panama Canal my brave wife and I persevered until we passed under the Bridge of the Americas and sailed into the Pacific Ocean.

Our ship did not dock in Panama but not to worry. At 6:30 a.m. the ship's staff unpacked boxes of shirts and trinkets available for sail proudly heralding the Canal passage. Tip - at 2 shirts ( and very nice shirts at that) for $20 this was one of the better souvenir deals of the trip.

Not having any first hand knowledge of Panama our impression is that it is a very beautiful country. Gazing at the shore from the deck Gatun lake is as pretty in it's own way as many of the scenic lakes we've seen in the U.S. and Canada. Just never mind the crocodiles, 100+ degree heat index, and the fact that thousands of workers succumbed to Malaria and other tropical diseases during the Canal's construction.

Once on the west side you're treated to gorgeous views of Panama City's skyline which was as beautiful as any we've seen this trip. We bunkered (another nautical term for parking at sea) to be refueled as they had kept the ship as light as possible when transiting the Canal to avoid the ship from bottoming out during the passage. Fuel is heavy, 6-8 lbs. a gallon, and this ship swallows a lot of fuel. One of the most impressive sites, once in the open approaches to the Canal, was seeing dozens and dozens of ships bobbing in the Pacific swells awaiting their turn to transit. As the sun set to the west the ships turned on their lights creating a miniature city at sea.

Normally I'd have been attaching pics and videos with the blogs but the shipboard internet doesn't seem able to handle that. Rest assured that I'll add them once home. We'll be heading on up to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico before heading up to San Francisco and home but for today I'll just sign off with Viva Panama!