BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
Today we are transiting the Panama Canal. This is our 9th time going through the canal on cruises and it is more fascinating every time. The history and engineering of the canal is remarkable. Construction began in 1904 and was not completed until 1914 at a cost of $352 million dollars. Because of landslides it was closed and the formal opening was delayed by WWI until 1920.
The French started to build the canal back in 1880, but after 22,000 laborers died from yellow fever and malaria due to the mosquitos, they gave up. The US stepped in to build it in 1904. The US controlled and provided the defense for the "Panama Canal Zone" (a strip of land 5 miles wide on both sides of the canal lanes, so 10 mile strip total) until 1977 when a gradual hand over to the Panama Canal Authority was completed in 1999. So now the Panamanian government owns and operates the canal. (In my opinion this was a big mistake made by Jimmy Carter) The canal has a workforce of 9000 employees and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I bet you thought the canal runs east-west. Wrong!! It actually runs north-south. We were an hour late this morning entering the first Gatun lock at Limon Bay from the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic side). We are following the Pacific Princess cruise ship. The Gatun locks consists of 3 locks where you enter and our ship will be raised 85 feet up to the level of Lake Gatun. This is done totally by water from the lock above it. Gravity moves the water to equalize the water levels and the ship rises. Gatun Lake is a huge man made lake formed by damming up the rivers. Engineers had to make an 8 mile cut however in one section so ships could pass through. This cut is called the Gaillard Cut. 30 million cubic yards of rock and dirt had to be excavated by steam shovels. Back to the locks--There are 3 locks (Gatun Locks) on the Atlantic sided and 3 on the Pacific side. The first lock on the Pacific side is the Pedro Migel Lock which takes the ship down to the Miraflores Lake which is only one mile across. Then there are two more Miraflores Locks which will finish taking us down to sea level again. So again we will go up 85 feet up to the lake then 85 feet back down to sea level. The canal transit is a total of 51 miles and takes 8 to 10 hours. Each lock is 110 feet wide and 1050 feet long so it can handle Panamax size ships. Our ship is only 85 feet wide so we will have 10 feet on either side when in the locks. We have been so larger cruise ships where there are only a couple feet clearance on each side. There are two lanes through the locks so two ships can go through at the same time. A new lane has been built and opened a little over a year ago. The locks are much larger so it can now handle much larger super tankers and aircraft carriers. As I said water from the lake is used to raise and lower the ships. When the gates open at sea level, 26 million gallons of water goes into the ocean and lost from the lake. This happens at both ends of the canal so a total of 52 million gallons of water is used for each ship. What makes the canal work is all the rain that Panama gets to keep the lake full all the time. The cost today for our ship to transit the canal is nearly $150,000. Each ship's company has to have wired the money to Panama before it is allowed to go through. NO credit cards!!
When I opened the balcony curtains this morning, I saw this double rain bow.
This is a new bridge being built on the Caribbean Sea side. You will see the Pan American Bridge later that is on the Pacific side. Going in the locks just ahead of us today is the Pacific Princess cruise ship. About to be pulling into the first of three Gatun locks. The three locks will raise us 85 feet to the lake level.
This is called a "mule". It is an electric locomotive that is used to keep ships in the center of the locks. 100 years ago they cost $15,000 but today's price tag is $2 million each. For our size ship there will be 2 mules on each side of us. Ships use their own power to move forward through the locks.
A container ship is entering the lane beside us. There are two lanes in use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The new set of locks for huge ships is now open. We are using the old set of locks however.
The lock gates each weigh 662 tons mounted on 17 ton hinges. They are perfectly balanced as it only takes two 25 horsepower hydraulic motors to open and close them. The gates are overhauled every couple of years.
This show the gate in stowed position in the side of the lock.
We are being raised inside the lock as water from the lock above is allowed to enter our lock by gravity through 18 foot diameter tunnels in the center portion of the canal locks. You can see water entering the lock now which raises us like a cork.
This shows us after being raised in the first lock.
Once again, the Gatun locks consists of 3 locks on Atlantic side that will raise us 85 feet up to the level of Gatun Lake.
The container ship barely fits inside the lock. Locks are 110 feet wide and 1050 feet long.
Photo taken before being raised. Note the building position.
Taken after being raised in the lock. Note building now.
Gate closing behind us.
Lake is being dredged all the time to keep it from filling with dirt.
Photos showing the Gaillard cut. 14,000 tons of explosives were used to blast rock from the Continental Divide. 100 locomotives and 2300 rail cars were used to haul the dirt and rocks dug by huge steam shovels out of the 10 mile cut.
Now we are entering the Miraflores locks. These locks will lower us to the level of the Pacific Ocean.
The next 4 photos shows the gate opening sequence.
Gates go into the side of the lock.
Visitors center where people can view the Miraflores Locks operating.
Visitor's Center
Photo taken after being lowered in the first lock.
Gates closing behind us. Notice the water level at bottom of gate.
Gates closed now
Note water level now after lowering.
Ship coming in lock behind us. I took this from upper deck of our ship after we had been lowered in the first lock.
Sky line of Panama City
Pan American bridge--Main highway from Central to South America.
Port of Balboa on the Pacific side.
Panama City in background
Passing under the Pan American bridge. which opened in 1962
WHAT WE DID LAST NIGHT:
Susanne joined us again for dinner in Prime 7. Nithi from India, was our waiter again. Rebecca and Susanne both had filets and I enjoyed prime rib. After dinner we went to the show featuring Terry Davies and the ABBAFAN group. It was one of the best shows we have seen on Regent. Terry played the piano well and sang lots of Elton John and Billy Joel tunes. Sound in theater was much better last night. Probably because we sat in a better location.
MEET THE CREW:
This is Ewelina who is a bartender in the Stars Lounge just in front of the theater. She is 25 years old and from Krakow, Poland. She joined Regent in 2015 and this is only her 2nd contract. She will be going on her vacation when we arrive in San Diego in ten days. At home in Poland she enjoys the mountains and biking. By the way, she is a single lady but admitted to having a boyfriend on board.
WHAT WE DID TODAY:
After room service breakfast and watching our ship enter the Gatun Locks, we went up and did our workouts. There is a lady on the bridge narrating the history of the canal as we transit it. She is very interesting. This is our 9th trip through the canal and I still find it fascinating. After lunch we returned to our suite and have the camera on the bridge on tv listening to the narration. Also watching out our balcony doors.
This evening we will be having cocktails in Galileo Lounge at 6:30. We will be meeting Susanne Peters, David & Melody Hermann, and Mary Wheeler there. I have arranged for chef Michael to prepare veal parmesean for the 6 of us tonight in Compass Rose. After dinner will be the first production show with the ship's cast of singers and dancers. This show was to be 2 nights ago but the seas were just too rough to safely do the show. I am anxious to see the show as it will not be with Jean Ann Ryan cast members. We miss our Jean Ann Ryan performer friends!!
Today we are transiting the Panama Canal. This is our 9th time going through the canal on cruises and it is more fascinating every time. The history and engineering of the canal is remarkable. Construction began in 1904 and was not completed until 1914 at a cost of $352 million dollars. Because of landslides it was closed and the formal opening was delayed by WWI until 1920.
The French started to build the canal back in 1880, but after 22,000 laborers died from yellow fever and malaria due to the mosquitos, they gave up. The US stepped in to build it in 1904. The US controlled and provided the defense for the "Panama Canal Zone" (a strip of land 5 miles wide on both sides of the canal lanes, so 10 mile strip total) until 1977 when a gradual hand over to the Panama Canal Authority was completed in 1999. So now the Panamanian government owns and operates the canal. (In my opinion this was a big mistake made by Jimmy Carter) The canal has a workforce of 9000 employees and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I bet you thought the canal runs east-west. Wrong!! It actually runs north-south. We were an hour late this morning entering the first Gatun lock at Limon Bay from the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic side). We are following the Pacific Princess cruise ship. The Gatun locks consists of 3 locks where you enter and our ship will be raised 85 feet up to the level of Lake Gatun. This is done totally by water from the lock above it. Gravity moves the water to equalize the water levels and the ship rises. Gatun Lake is a huge man made lake formed by damming up the rivers. Engineers had to make an 8 mile cut however in one section so ships could pass through. This cut is called the Gaillard Cut. 30 million cubic yards of rock and dirt had to be excavated by steam shovels. Back to the locks--There are 3 locks (Gatun Locks) on the Atlantic sided and 3 on the Pacific side. The first lock on the Pacific side is the Pedro Migel Lock which takes the ship down to the Miraflores Lake which is only one mile across. Then there are two more Miraflores Locks which will finish taking us down to sea level again. So again we will go up 85 feet up to the lake then 85 feet back down to sea level. The canal transit is a total of 51 miles and takes 8 to 10 hours. Each lock is 110 feet wide and 1050 feet long so it can handle Panamax size ships. Our ship is only 85 feet wide so we will have 10 feet on either side when in the locks. We have been so larger cruise ships where there are only a couple feet clearance on each side. There are two lanes through the locks so two ships can go through at the same time. A new lane has been built and opened a little over a year ago. The locks are much larger so it can now handle much larger super tankers and aircraft carriers. As I said water from the lake is used to raise and lower the ships. When the gates open at sea level, 26 million gallons of water goes into the ocean and lost from the lake. This happens at both ends of the canal so a total of 52 million gallons of water is used for each ship. What makes the canal work is all the rain that Panama gets to keep the lake full all the time. The cost today for our ship to transit the canal is nearly $150,000. Each ship's company has to have wired the money to Panama before it is allowed to go through. NO credit cards!!
WHAT WE DID LAST NIGHT:
MEET THE CREW:
WHAT WE DID TODAY:
After room service breakfast and watching our ship enter the Gatun Locks, we went up and did our workouts. There is a lady on the bridge narrating the history of the canal as we transit it. She is very interesting. This is our 9th trip through the canal and I still find it fascinating. After lunch we returned to our suite and have the camera on the bridge on tv listening to the narration. Also watching out our balcony doors.
This evening we will be having cocktails in Galileo Lounge at 6:30. We will be meeting Susanne Peters, David & Melody Hermann, and Mary Wheeler there. I have arranged for chef Michael to prepare veal parmesean for the 6 of us tonight in Compass Rose. After dinner will be the first production show with the ship's cast of singers and dancers. This show was to be 2 nights ago but the seas were just too rough to safely do the show. I am anxious to see the show as it will not be with Jean Ann Ryan cast members. We miss our Jean Ann Ryan performer friends!!
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