Panama Canal West to East

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Panama Canal

15th April Transit Panama Canal



Another transit of the Panama Canal, this time West to East.



Arriving early morning we got a great view of the Bridge of Americas and the new lock system for the larger ships.



Getting into the channel we were paired with a huge container ship into the Miraflores Locks, the onto the Pedro Miguel Locks which raise us to the level of the Gatun Lake.



After crossing the lake and the Continental divide its into the Gatun Locks to be lowered 26 metres to complete the transit of the Canal.



Some facts:

Every time the Canal has to fill a lock it takes 52 million gallons in 15 minute.

The length of the Canal is 51 miles and is 10 miles wide

The most expensive toll was 375,600 US dollars and the lowest 0.36 US cents.

A ship travelling fro San Francisco to New York can save 7900 miles , instead of having to go round Cape Horn.

There are 12 locks in pairs and each lock gate weighs 750 tons.



Still a fantastic feat of engineering and they have built a new system which can take even larger ships which dwarf the Queen Victoria.



Well into the Atlantic Ocean and onto Aruba.

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