Panama Canal Passage E-W Island Princess

We're finally through the Canal, and here's the longest palandrome that I ever encountered:

A Man A Plan A Canal Panama - Try it forwards or backwards.

The Canal Passage:

This is a special passage for me. My father was an officer on the SS Colombia and MS Panama during the 1920's and 30's before he got swept into WWII. I'm finally going to the places that I have only seen in my dreams.

When the 6AM alarm sounded, we ran to our balcony to find that were were already approaching the first lock. After rubbernecking at the jungle, and a 10-12 foot alligator from our balcony, we finally neared the first lock. Fortunately there is a secluded front deck just 40 feet from out cabin, so we went out there to get a forward view of the passage.

Four Mules (Gear driven engines) were connected to the ship by a brave person in an ordinary rowboat. They then guided us into the lock with inches to spare all around. After we were sealed in the lowest lock. water from the next highest lock was let into our lock No pumps are used, but the amount of water used is fantastic. with the upcoming new canal, this could be a problem, and conservation methods are planned.

The HAL Volendam pulled into the lock next to us, affording us with a better view of just how tight the fit is. Both ships see-sawed their way through 3 locks 28 feet at a time until we reached Gatun Lake. The Volendam then turned round to go back out to the Atlantic. We cruise on across Gatun lake.

This artificial lake holds back the waters of the Sagres river, making what was once the largest man-made lake in the world. After the French spent hundreds of millions unsuccessfully to build a sea level canal, the Americans took over in 1904 and spent 387 million dollars and thousands of lives over ten years to complete the task.

The 30 miles or more of total wilderness is caused by the inhospitable jungle, and security restrictions on the canal. Even a small rock becomes a thirty foot island as the jungle takes over. Little wildlife is visible, probably because the intense life drama is played out under the jungle canopy.

Famous names to Google for their contribution to the Panama Canal are Teddy Roosevelt, Ferdinand De Lesseps, Goethals, Walter Reed, and William Gorgas. You'll find out why you see these names on so many buildings and monuments.

Upon return to Vermont, I'll add some of the fantastic figures that can attempt to describe the immensity and importance of this wonder.

At 35 miles into the canal, we reached the famous Culebra Cut, where the 564 foot continental divide had to be breached to reach th Pacific. After almost 100 years, the terraced mountain still towers about 220 feet above the canal.

There's lots of activity here in this narrow space, with dredges maintaining the original canal, while drills and dozers begin work on the new canal. The new canal will take ships over PANAMAX (about 108 wide x 980 long), so that today's large tankers and passenger ships can save 8000 miles on the trip from coast to coast.

At the first lock leading to the Pacific (Pedro Miguel), we spotted an exciting abandoned hotel/ marina in an idyllic setting right next to the canal. It got my heart beating, and I had to read "Don't stop the Carnival" to get back on track. If you haven't read it - Do so!

Passing through the Miraflores locks,was just a reversal of the techniques that lifted us from the Atlantic. When we arrived at Panama City,the sun was setting on the beautiful skyline. We sailed through a cloud of moored fishing and pleasure boats, passed thunderheads of large ship waiting for overnight passage, and turned starboard to begin our passage through Pacific Central America.

TIP OF THE DAY

To go from Atlantic to Pacific, you actually go north. This means that starboard cabins get the early sun, while portside balconies swelter in the afternoon heat. Our solution was to reserve our two balcony cabins forward near a public deck that faced forward. We got one each of port and starboard cabins. As planned, we could see any view at any time of the day by shifting the center of our party. Room service got a little confused, but they did the job!