Panama Canal 86 F Sunny
I have a short list of experiences on this trip that are personal highlights. The transit of the Panama Canal is on the list. There is so much to share that if you need a few minutes to get a drink or a sweater, don’t worry – I’ll wait right here. Ok –ready?
First – brief history
The French started the attempt to create this Panama Canal. It was widely seen as the answer to providing the quickest route between the 2 oceans, saving a 10 day trip around South America. The French effort was led by Ferdinand de Lesseps as he had successfully completed the Suez Canal. There were 2 construction options – cut through the terrain to provide a single sea level channel from sea to sea or work with the terrain creating a series of locks to lift/lower ships. The Suez Canal is a flat passage but the terrain in that area was already flat and arid where Panama is mountainous rain forest (the canal also crosses over the Continental Divide).
However, Lesseps determined the single sea level passage was the best and construction began. The project was halted in about 3-4 years. The attempts to cut through mountains weren’t successful due to the terrain. About 20,000 workers died (approx. 200/day) from tropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever as well as construction accidents. Lesseps had promised the canal would be built by private money until that ran out and he illegally tried to obtain government funds. Lesseps and his group was convicted of misappropriating additional government funds and his investors lost all their money.
Despite all this he is still mentioned as one of the original creators of the Panama Canal.
President Roosevelt understood the importance of such a passage and the US had been trying for a while to obtain rights to develop such a canal. Finally in 1904 the US had the rights to begin the build of the Panama Canal. In doing this, the US guaranteed Panama protection in obtaining their independence from Columbia and started an increasingly contentious relationship over control and ownership of the canal with Panama. So much history surrounds this phase but, not for this blog.
The canal was completed in 1914. Basically said – the original canal is a 2 lane toll road that moves ships from one sea to the other via a series of locks. Yes, every ship or boat that uses the canal, pays a tariff. They have some ever-changing formula that decides the tariff per ship. Currently the highest tariff of $350,000 was paid by the Norwegian Cruise Line for the passage of their ship – Pearl. The lowest tariff of 36 cents was paid in the 1940’s by Richard Halliburton when he received approval to swim the canal. The tariff is based on tonnage.
Now – the transit
I spent time surveying the ships layout, trying to find the best place to station myself during the transit. The top deck obviously had a wide open view but was too high to really see details of the process. The front deck closest to the water was a crew only zone but may have been too close. In true Goldilocks fashion, I finally decided a small front deck on level 7 was as right as it was going to get. Open to passengers, it wasn’t the easiest to find (less competition for a good position) and the final door to the deck probably scared a certain number of people away. On the day of the transit, those of us willing to scramble through the maze had a good vantage point without big crowds.
Having gotten some conflicting information as to what time things were supposed to happen, I was up at 5:30am-before sunrise. We weren’t ready to start the locks, but we were passing ships waiting in line. There are only so many ships that can cross the canal in one day. If you have a reservation such as a cruise ship, you know the day and time you are expected to cross. If you show up, you wait and get worked in, if possible. I believe it is also (like Disney) possible to pay to ‘skip the line’ but the cost is huge.
We traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific and started the journey around 7:30am. Picture credit from stock.adobe.com, depicts the main parts of the journey.
Transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific
1. Entering the canal, you first approach the Gatun Locks. This is a series of 3 steps or locks that will raise the ship 26 m (85f) to the level of Lake Gatun.
2. At the end of Lake Gatun, you enter the Padro Miguel locks – 1 lock that lowers the ship to the level of Miraflora Lake.
3. Very quickly you will then reach the Miraflora Locks – a set of 2 locks that lowers the ship the remainder of the 85f to the Pacific Ocean
Sounds simple but it can take ships 8-11 hours to complete the transit. The process was enthralling with so much to see.
We approached Gatun Locks around 7:30am. There is a lot of maneuvering and waiting during this process.
1. Every ship takes on a Panama Canal pilot who takes over the vessel during the transit. No exceptions.
2. Tugs assist in maneuvering the ship into the correct position to enter the locks. If some boats have a 1ft leeway on each side while in the canal, that is considered spacious.
3. At the start of a lock passage the ships are tied to a number of electric cars (mules) that move with the ship though the locks. Minimally each ship has 2 mules on each side at the front of the ship. Depending on size, there could be an additional 2 mules on each side at the back of the ship. The purpose is to keep the ship positioned and centered in the canal. The ship’s engines provide forward movement but keeping the ship in the center is the job of the mules. The cars are called mulas (mules) because in 1914, actual mules provided the same assistance. The mules communicate with each other through a series of different horn beeps. As you watch and listen, a certain number of beeps causes the mules to position forward or backwards, slack or tighten the cables connected. Fascinating to watch and start to figure out what could be happening.
4. All of the locks are in freshwater waterways created as part of the canal system. No sea water is used in the operations of the locks.
5. Water for the lock operation is stored in containment areas under the locks and moved in or out as needed. I was told each lock can move up to 52,000,000 gallons per ship.
6. The ship pulls into a lock and the gates at the start and end of the lock are closed. Water is added or removed to even the ship to the same water level as the next lock. The front gates open, and the ship passes into the next lock and gates behind the ship close to start the process over until the ship is finally at the level of body of water (ocean or Gatun Lake) they are traversing.
7. While it takes about 10 minutes to true up the water level, the ship is in each lock for way more than 10 minutes. It is about 45 min per lock( 6 locks total) minimum to make sure everything is safe, in place- whatever their criteria might be. Interesting if only to me, it was very easy to feel when the ship was being lowered. When being raised, I would have to pick a stationary point to watch the ship level change.
8. The canal is 51 miles in length and it look this ship 9 hours to complete the transit
But enough words, let’s get to some pictures please. I will say I FaceTimed Kristin for the first lock as she was as excited as me to do this. When I suggested our FaceTime was preventing me from capturing pictures for everyone – she suggested with 2 more locks to go, people would deal. Just when you think you know your friends-huh. The pictures are in no particular order simply illustrating the things I found really interesting.
The locks have 2 lanes for traffic going in both directions. It will process 2 ships going in the same direction in both lanes if, there is no oncoming traffic. Once you start the transit, you keep your place in line. We followed the same ship through all the locks. In this picture, you can see the 2 lanes. Without an oncoming ship waiting for access, we were allowed to use the left lane of the lock.
Tugs being used to push the freighter into alignment, so it will be centered into the canal, as the lock entrance narrows several times. Tugs also assist in transferring the lines between the mules and ship and provides the Canal pilot transport on and off the ship.
I snagged this picture from the Canal Muesem website to show you how tight the passage really is. Followed by a picture I took that day as well
Hilariously at the small middle lock, Pedro Miguel, they were left to come up with a more creative way to attach the lines between the ship and the mules. Kind of like middle children often left to fend for themselves! This made me laugh – like David and Goliath but on the same side. In a row boat, they carry the lines to the ship. Add that to the list of jobs I would not want!
take a look at the mules. You can see the cable system attached to pulleys on the mules. That attachment wasn't just pulling the cable in or giving slack - the pulleys would also swivel left and right.
There are rail tracks running the length of the locks. The electric mules are anchored via a geared track central between the 2 rail tracks. You can see some of the track holding the car in place in the lower right of the first picture and mid left of the second picture above. In the following picture you can see the tracks running the length of the lock. Almost like a roller coaster the track allows the mule to steady the ship while the water is raised or lowered. The mules will move up or down the track as the water is flowing.
While this picture is similar is also shows the different levels of the water in the right/left lock. We were entering the lock to be raised and the freighter in the left lane was being lowered.
Finally when everything is in place, there is one long whistle and the gates open. Some locks have a single gate system and some a double gate system - I dont know why. Hopefully this video will play.
The gates swing open and into the walls so they are flush and passage is not impeded.
The visitor center is located at the Miraflora locks where people will gather when ships are going through the locks.
All sizes and types of ships use the canal. Three catamarans travelling together have lashed the boats together for 1 passage. We were ahead of them and I was not able to see how they were moved through the locks as they were not attached to mules.
In 2016 an additional canal was built to accommodate ships that would not fit through the original canal. There is an extension of a wider canal that runs parallel to the locks but still uses Lake Gatun as passage also. So they start in their own lane, cross thru lake Gatun and move back to their own lane for the second set of locks. You can see the additional canal off to the right in this picture.
I think that is it for now. Thanks for hanging in through a longer than usual post. It was so intriguing to me that I really wanted to share as much as possible.
We have crossed the equator on our way to Lima, Peru. The temperature has dropped at least 10 degrees - yay!
There might be more change in the future. A communication from Costa was just delivered concerning the 'situation' affecting maritime traffic in the Red Sea that their global security team is constantly monitoring. these kinds of notices have been followed by a change in plans but, we shall see. We aren't scheduled to be in that area until mid April but I'm sure there is a cutoff date to make a schedule change before that time. It isn't realistic to go to India and then decide you have turn around or go around Africa. As usual time will tell. This trip has been 3 years of planning 'adventure' with twists and turns - why stop now?
Adios !
Thanks so much for all the details! Really fascinating stuff.