Friday 26th January 2018
The 51 mile Panama canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the isthmus of Panama saving ships the long journey around Cape Horn. The first attempt to construct a canal by the French in 1880 failed due to finance and disease. The US later agreed with the now independent Panama in 1904 to proceed with construction of the canal. The Panama Canal finally opened in 1914. The expansion of the canal began in 2007 and was inaugurated in 2016. Three locks allow ships to rise to the level of the artificial Lake Gatun, about 85ft above sea level and back down again. The original locks are 110ft wide and 965ft long, the new locks are 160ft wide and 1400ft long, allowing for much larger ships to now pass than the old Panamax size.
A very early start today, up and awake 45mins before the alarm which I thought was set early enough. Already approaching Gatun Locks. Weather today was very hot, not a cloud in the sky all day. Steady progress up through the locks across Gatun Lake, through the narrows on past Gamboa and the local prison (prisoners were out in the yards, waving and whistling to each passing ship) and on toward San Miguel and Mira Flores locks and the Pacific Ocean.
Our transit cost Cunard (or is that the passengers?) about half a million dollars, about 50,000 dollars an hour! for our 10 hour trip through.
Not much wildlife in the canal except a crocodile and lots of vultures looking out for a meal of anything else which was foolish enough to have been out on the heat and had expired from the experience.
One way traffic through the narrows
Emerging from The Canal cruised by Panama City, looking very prosperous, and out into the Pacific, lots of cargo ships waiting for their passage.
Australia Day today, but no obvious celebration on board.
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