2004 Panama Canal Cruise -- Panama Canal, Part I

Updated January 6, 2005

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The reason for this cruise, of course, was to transit the Panama Canal. The photos here are an extensive record of our (exhausting) day, spent in the Canal. This is truly a cross-roads of the world, with many, many ships in transit, and in port at either entrance. The engineering that made this canal is a marvel, and the setting is other-worldly. In some cases, the ships run alongside wild jungle, with no humans in sight. A website about that canal that may be of interest is: "http://www.panamacanal.com/map.htm".

Of course, we could not see or photograph a lot of our journey through the locks. We were fortunate that a container ship was locking right next to us. This allowed us to take pictures that show how the locking is done. It is quite an operation involving men and machines.

This page is part 1 of 2, since there are so many photos to view.

These pictures were taken primarily with our new Kodak DX6490, which we love. The 10x optical zoom is great, and the electronics do a fine job of automatic adjustment and flash operations.

Canal map	Approaching the canal in the dark	More ships visible	Many ships waiting near the Pacific entrance	More ships...
They just keep going on	Sunrise over the Legend	More sunrise...	The pilot boat comes alongside	Approach with Panama City in the background
The causeway was made from soil dug from the canal	Many, many boats anchored near Panama City	Security boat	Better view of Panama City	The Legend flies the Panama flag
Legend passengers watching as we approach the bridge at Balboa (PanAmerican Highway)	Many, many boats moored near Balboa	More boats	More boats in the sunrise	Airplane flies over the Legend
Will the Legend fit under the bridge? Stay tuned...	Closer...	And closer...	Ah, we made it.	Whew, that was a close one.
Docks and shipyard north of bridge	Really awesome facilities; and that is just one dock area	Ship just behind us; this container ship will be our "companion" for the early locking	Car carrier?	Panama City in the distance
Another dock	Moving along the channel	Pilot boats; note the security fences	Approaching Miraflores Lock	Milo viewing the action; their cabin was above ours
Miraflores lock entrance; note the big arrow telling us to use the left-hand lock	The arrow has switched; the other ship will be our companion in the right-hand lock	Our companion ship approaches Miraflores lock entrance	The rowboats (near tip of pier) are used to handle the lines from the ships	The electric locomotives ("mules") have already started to take our lines
The BIG ARROW	Our companion ship gets much closer	A closeup of a mule	The container ship has a name...	Line handling; the mules unreel steel cables that are attached to the ship
More cables are passed from the mules to the ship	Used to be the American President Line, I think	More mules are attached to our stern	Two mules connected to the bow help to steady the ship	Container ship crew relax after attaching lines
Containers are held in place by rigid rods	Some of the containers are pressurized gas tanks	The lead mule	The lock door is open	The lock wall has the length markings; total 1050'
The bridge of our companion ship	Lock gate closing (we are already rising in our lock)	Lock gate opens after they are raised	Mule "climbs the mountain" to the next lock	Spectators at the lock
Closeup of spectators at the lock	Miraflores locks were completed in 1913	Entering the upper lock; tugboats wait to assist as the ship leaves	The ship provides a little "push" to completely enter the upper lock, and...	The gates close behind her
We have already risen high enough to see over the containers	The upper gate opens	And she leaves the upper lock	Dam and spillway beside the Miraflores locks; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1913 style

2004 Panama Canal Cruise -- Panama Canal, Part I

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