Day 19 West - 01/20/22 - Panama Canal Transit Southbound

Today marks our 6th transit of the Panama Canal (2nd in just over a week, and 3rd in about 3 months).  For me it never gets old, and today again I got up at 5:30am to enjoy this full transit.  The southbound transit typically begins at dark or near dark as the locks are quite close to Límon Bay where ships stage.  For the Zuiderdam, a reservation fee of $35,000 was paid (or about $500/passenger).  While the locks operate 24/7, cruise ships typically begin their transits in the morning.

 

First to board is the pilot.  Later, line handling crews board.  Total navigational command is given to the pilot, and the line crews handle the lines to the mules.  I should add that there is a seven year wait to become a pilot.  Then the most experienced pilots can earn $30,000 PER MONTH.  It's a coveted occupation.

 

We passed under the Atlantic Bridge and entered the Gatun Locks which has 3 chambers that raise ships 84-85 feet high in 3 steps and using 26,000,000 gallons of fresh water.  Lower chambers are filled by the next higher chamber or the lake.  The four electric trains (mules) are lashed to the ship, and their primary function is to keep the ship centered in the lock chamber.  The ship provides forward / reverse motion. When the ship is entirely in a chamber, the chamber door is closed and water is added, raising the ship.  The forward lock gate then opens and the ship moves in to the next chamber and the process is repeated.

 

During this process Ian gives commentary audible in the Crow's Nest and outside decks, the bow is open for passengers to experience the lock process.  And there is additional viewing on decks 3, 9, & 10.   

 

After clearing the Gatun Locks (about an hour and a half process), it's about a 3 hour sail to the Pedro Miguel lock which only has one chamber. We passed under the Centennial Bridge  A short distance away and after the Pedro Miguel lock is the last set of locks at Miraflores which has 2 chambers.  We cleared those a little after 3pm.  It's worth noting that at the Miraflores lock there is a visitor center and viewing platform.  It was pretty full when we passed by.  

 

Up ahead is the Bridge of the Americas which is the bridge that is part of the Pan American Highway from Alaska to the tip of South America (except for a dense jungle section called the Darien Gap).  

 

As we left the canal, we made our way out into the bay that is the storage area for hundreds of ships waiting for transit passage or docking at the container facility.  We assumed a mooring position near the small marina at Isla Flamenca. The Norwegian Sun was berthed  in layup at a pier not far away.  

 

We totally enjoyed dinner in the Caneletto, and afterwards I was ready for some shuteye.  By 7:15 I remembered nothing else as I quickly fell asleep.  



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