The Panama Canal transit during the daylight hours yesterday was very enjoyable. The Miraflores locks seem to be functioning just as they did 100 years ago. They don't seem particularly high-tech, with two guys in a row boat fastening the guiding wires to the ship, and two little locomotives guiding the boat into the lock chamber. Some ships just barely squeeze into the lock chambers, with 6 inches clearance on each side. The Regatta had a little more room.
Passing through the locks was very slow, lots of waiting around while the ships ahead of us inched forward and the lock gates slowly opened, and the water beneath us slowly rose (at the Miraflores locks on the Pacific side) or slowly fell (at the Gatun locks on the Caribbean side).
Like watching paint dry.
The really beautiful part of the transit was in the middle, passing through Gatun Lake. It's otherworldly, all green hills and blue water with ships making their stately way down the middle in both directions, following the bed of the Chagres river.
Unfortunately, I forgot to replace my scopalamine patch before we arrived in the rough waters of the Caribbean, and had a bout of mal de mer. I went to bed early and am awake this morning once again feeling fine.
We land soon in Cartagena, and have an excursion planned that includes some swimming on a Columbian beach.
Passing through the locks was very slow, lots of waiting around while the ships ahead of us inched forward and the lock gates slowly opened, and the water beneath us slowly rose (at the Miraflores locks on the Pacific side) or slowly fell (at the Gatun locks on the Caribbean side).
Like watching paint dry.
The really beautiful part of the transit was in the middle, passing through Gatun Lake. It's otherworldly, all green hills and blue water with ships making their stately way down the middle in both directions, following the bed of the Chagres river.
Unfortunately, I forgot to replace my scopalamine patch before we arrived in the rough waters of the Caribbean, and had a bout of mal de mer. I went to bed early and am awake this morning once again feeling fine.
We land soon in Cartagena, and have an excursion planned that includes some swimming on a Columbian beach.
Lock Mess
Making the Cut
Lake Gatun Transit
Glad you are over your mal de mer. I"m missing our trio rehearsals--sigh. But think of all the reading time you are getting. :-)
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