Pan-continental Highway to Panama City 

A Syndey Harbour Bridge look-alike.
It is at the Pacific Ocean end of the waterway and carries the Pan-Continental Highway.

Approaching the Miraflores Locks 

The man in rowing boat is carrying one of the cables which will be connected to the 'mules' to assist the ship through the locks.

Miraflores Locks  

Each of the three sets of locks on the Panama canal have two lanes.
The tallest and heaviest of the miter gates are at the southern etrance of the Miraflores Locks.
They were designed to Handle the Pacific Ocean's extreme tide fluctuations.

A "mule" 

There are numerous 'mules' which tow, control and align each ship as it transits the canal.
These electric locomotives work in pairs and run on tracks alongside the lock.
Some vessels require 4 - 8 locomotives to control it.

Entering the lock 

The Miraflores Lock (2-step) is at the southern end of the canal.

The Panama Canal was opened in 1914.
It is 80 km long and is aligned in a north south direction across the isthmus of Panama.

Tourist attraction 

Anyone visiting Panama City enjoys a visit to the Canal to watch the ships locking through.

Vessels are toe to tail in the Panama Canal 

The locks are filled with fresh water from the rivers of the watershed.
It would be too expenside to pump water from the sea.

Cable connected to back of ship and controlled by 'mule' 

Can you see the cable running from the back of the ship and connected to the two locos?
They are amazing little 'creatures'.

Waiting for the lock to fill 

Ahead is the Miraflores Lake and only a few kilometers from the Pedro Miguel Lock.

The second lock - Pedro Miguel 

Not far from the Miraflores (2 chambers) lock is the Pedro Miguel lock.
This is a single lock.
This step takes the ship to the height of the cut and the Gatun Lake which is 26 meters above sea level.

Filling 

Approximately 197 millions litres of fresh water is used for each loackage.
Ultimately the water is flushed into the sea.

The Gaillard or Culebra Cut 

The canal was cut through solid rock as you can see.
This is the narrowest stretch of the Panama canal.
It runs for 12.6 km and represents 15% of the total length.
The area cut from Pedro Miguel to Gamboa is the Continental Divide.

The future - new locks 

Widening and dredging continue on the canal but already there are plans for new locks.
A new three-step lock with watersaving basins are to be contructed with a new section of cut at the southern end of the canal.
And a three-step lock also with watersaving basins will be built between the Gatun Lake and the Atlanic in the north.

Passing the Serenade of the Seas 

Most of the cruise ship traffic is between the western seaboard of the USA and the Caribbean.
World cruises use the canal occasionally and cruising vessels repositioning between the northern and southern hemisphere.

Chagres River, Gamboa 

The Chagres River which flows down from the Alhajuela Lake and Dam joins the cut at Gamboa.
We passed this tributary about midway through the transit.

The Gatun Lake - Container ships are just huge 

... and getting bigger.
When the new locks are completed in 2014 it will allow transit of post-panamax vessels capable of carrying 12,000 containers.

Approaching the Gatun Locks 

These locks are at the northern end of the canal and are the exit to the Altantic (Caribbean) from the Gatun Lake.

Leaving the Gatun Locks 

Behind me is the huge Gatun Lake which represents about half the length of the canal.
Ships anchor here waiting their turn to lock out.

An empty chamber 

As the water is pumped out the level drops to that of the Caribbean on the other side of the gate.
From my stateroom window I can only see the stone walls of the lock.
The gates are 25 meters tall.

Leaving the second last chamber 

Lock chambers are 33.5 meters wide and 305 meters long with a draft of 12.04 meters (fresh water).
Maximum dimensions for shipping is: Beam - 32.31 meters.
That leaves a difference of only 1.19 meters - a tight squeeze.

All gates are double for protection 

There are 40 pairs of miter gates which all date back to the canals construction 100 years ago.
The gates are removed for servicing every 10 - 15 years
Each one weighs 730 tons.

The Panama Canal operates 24 hours a day 

Looking back to the Gatun Lake.
With the lighting at the locks and along the cut the Panama Canal operates 24 hours a day.

North into the Caribbean 

An unforgetable experience!

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Books by Margaret Muir 

The Black Thread

by Margaret Muir

Large Print edition due in 2009.
Sorry but standard print is sold out.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)

The Twisting Vine

by Margaret Muir

Amazon Price: $27.65 (as of 10/12/2008)

The Twisting Vine (Ulverscroft Large Print)

by Margaret Muir

Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)

Sea Dust (Ulverscroft Large Print)

by Margaret Muir

Large Print edition available.
Standard edition sold out.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)

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