Panama Canal

Sunday, March 24th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 6
Transiting the Panama Canal

This is our third trip through the Panama Canal, and it's just as cool every time.  An engineering marvel and feat of construction determination, almost without parallel.  The first time was in the year 2000, back in the analog days.  The second was in 2014, just a partial transit, In-N-Out, on the Seafarer Sunfarer cruise.  Here is the link to our EXHAUSTIVE recounting of that epic journey:  Panama Canal 2014.

The abridged version will suffice for this trip, the description, not the experience.  We didn't miss a minute, recording 1,847 pictures.  Up before dawn, the ship's funnel glowing in the growing light, the pilot boat approaching.

Passing under The Bridge of the Americas marks the beginning of The Path Between the Seas.  Panama City, in the East as we travel North from Pacific to Atlantic, hovers in the morning smog.

Entering the Miraflores Locks, two steps to raise the ship from sea level and the Pacific Ocean to Miraflores Lake.

The Pedro Miguel locks lift the ship from Miraflores Lake to Gatun Lake in a single step, with the Centennial Bridge crossing the Culebra Cut beyond.

And, finally, the Gatun Locks lower the ship from Gatun Lake back down to sea level, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean in three steps.  In this view, looking back toward the lake.

Sailing under the new Atlantic Bridge, nearly complete, is the end of the Northbound transit.  These tower cranes really are tower cranes.  See what I did there?

Next Stop:  Puerto Limon, Costa Rica