The Panama Canal

Because today started so early, we are making two posts. Here’s number one:



Today we had reservations to transit a portion of the Panama Canal via a small tour boat, from Panama Bay, through the first two sets of locks, to Gamboa, just before Gatun Lake. We would then take a bus back to Panama City. 

We woke at 4:30am to be at the marina at 6:00. About 14 of the group had reservations. The boat departed at 6:30 and we made our way out to the navigation chanel leading to the canal entrance. Many ships are anchored at each end of the canal waiting to enter. 





Every dot is a ship anchored in the Bay — many are waiting to enter the canal. 



There was a guide who gave us information about the area and the canal. We passed under the Bridge of the Americas and entered the Port of Panama City which occupies both side of the channel just before the locks. And they had some dancers who performed Panamanian Folkloric dance. 





We had just about reached the locks when our guide announced that we would have to turn around. Apparently, something happened — miscommunication or otherwise, we don’t know exactly — but we would not be allowed to continue. We were offered the same trip for tomorrow — but we are flying out tomorrow. 🥲

You know, we were quite disappointed, but things happen. Some of the group wanted to do some adventure activities instead, but we opted to go to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center on the canal, which we thoroughly enjoyed. 





We were able to watch a ship transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific, a container ship bound for Papeete, Tahiti. It was a good experience.  The Center also has an IMAX theater with a movie about the Canal — it was very good. 





This video is a sped up (2X) combination of the video clips we took watching the ship go through the Miraflores locks. We learned it takes about 8-10 hours for a ship to transit from one ocean to the other. It took about an hour for the ship to get through these set of locks. 



We also learned that the little locomotives, 6 to 8 of them for each ship depending on the size of the ship, do not pull the ship through the locks. They just keep the ship centered. The ship moves forward under its own power.  

The finale of the reunion is a dinner tonight, which we will post about separately. 

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