The "Real" Panama Canal Story

This morning started earlier than most--we began our trip into the Panama Canal. With first light we entered the left side of the first lock (notice the arrow) with a freight carrier on the other side that made the trip very interesting.









We had 85 feet to climb--from the Pacific Ocean to the lake at the center of Panama.

We go into the lock and the water comes in to make the ship rise to the level of the lock in front of it. We had three locks to go through to climb that 85 feet.







When the water levels of the two locks are even, the gates open and the ship proceeds into the next lock. Amazing! Our ship is small enough to go through the locks--many cruise ships are too large--but we only had two feet on each side to spare!








Once we were through the locks we traveled the Gatun Lake. The water is brown but the land is green--why not--this is a rain forest.

As a matter of fact, last week the Canal closed for the third time in its 97 year history! There had been so much rain that the lake had flooded and the water level was too high for the lock.






We continued the 50 miles across Panama to the other side and came to the locks on the Atlantic side. Because we were a cruise ship, and we had paid a premium, we passed up the ships that were waiting to go through. Our toll was right around $200,000--payable in cash before we went through!!!!








We had been blessed with great weather for the trip, but we could see rain bearing down as we rolled into the locks that would lower us the 85 feet to the level of the Caribbean Sea.










The rain was quick and after nine hours of navigating from beginning to end we were finally through the locks and on our way to Cartagena, Columbia.

The Panama Canal--what an experience!!