The Panama Canal

Today was the day that we had been waiting for, it was time to transit the Panama Canal. We were up very early (5:30 a.m.) prior to sunrise to begin our transit through the Panama Canal.
This journey was very special to me since it is where my great grandfather Will McRoberts worked on constructing and maintaining the Ancon Hospital in the Canal Zone from 1903 to 1909. He took his family which included my grandmother Sadie (McRoberts) Sill and her three sisters to the Panama. They were the first white children on the isthmus of the Panama when the Americans entered the area to begin the construction; ten years after the French had given up on this project. For his efforts Will McRoberts received a medal presented by American President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907.

At the start you enter through a breakwater area where the ship picks up the Pilot to guide the ship through the canal and locks.

The first channel you pass as you enter from the Atlantic side on starboard side of the ship is what remains of the start of the French construction and their canal endeavor.

The first set of locks are the Gatun Locks, there are 3 of them, they are consecutive and they lift the ship 85′ up to Gatun Lake.

Once the ship is near the entrance to the locks a couple workers in a rowboat get near the ship to receive lines which are then attached to cables from the ship to the trains or as they are called “Mules”. These “mules” do not pull the ship through the canal locks. Their job is to stabilize the ship in the canal and keep it from hitting the sides while it moves into position. The ship uses it’s own power to enter and exit the canal locks.

Once in Gatun Lake we anchored for about 1 hr while we waited for the winds to shift and calm down. Since the winds were on our stern the Captain and Pilot were concerned about steering and controlling the ship in some of the narrow channels.
We got underway and sailed through Gatun Lake, past Gatun Dam and after about 4 hrs came to Culebra Cut or Gaillard Cut which is the area that caused the most work and injuries in building the canal due to the very unstable soils and the challenge of constructing a canal in this region.

Soon after this we arrived at the Pedro Miguel Locks and the area around the spillways and flood control which is used to maintain Gatun Lake level at exactly 85′ above sea level.

From here it was about 1 mile to Miraflores Locks and then into the Pacific Ocean.
The final landmark we crossed under was the Bridge of the Americas which is located near Panama City. Shortly after we could see the skyline of Panama City which is unbelievable; it is a very large city and looks very modern. The on location tour director said it reminds him of Dubai.
Today was an amazing day of cruising and seeing one of the “Man-made Wonders of the World”.
The evening entertainment was a magician, he certainly kept everyone entertained with his tricks, his delivery and his style.