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Published: September 1st 2007
My mission in Panama was to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic via the Panama Canal. I was joined by my friends, Minnie and Paul from Australia and Karen and Will, the leaders of the Expedition from Alaska to Brazil. We all anticipated an historic adventure.
This is as much a pictoral depiction of my transit as it is a textual one ..... and these 28 photos were gleaned from almost 300!!
To begin ... a bit of history:
“Since 1510 a route across the isthmus of Panama has been considered. In 1534 King Carlos IV of Spain ordered topographical maps in the hope of being able to build a canal thru the 80 km of isthmus.
Three hundred years later tin 1879 the Frenchman Ferdinand Lesseps became interested in the idea of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. He had built the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869.
In 1880 work started on the Canal. But the ingenuity of the French was not enough. The climate, tropical diseases, ands mismanagement brought the project to a standstill in 1889. The French gave it another try in 1894. With technological advancements and the control
of the river Chagres River there was hope for success. But without government or private funds there was no way the Canal could be completed. The concern was sold to the USA $40 million in 1904. The year before that part of Panama had been wrestedfrom Colombia (Hay-Bunau agreement) so the USA could go ahead with the building of the Canal.
Seventy thousand labourers, four hundred million dollars spent, many deaths because of disease, landslides, the massive amounts of dirt to move, the width and breath of the canal, and the importation of material …. all added to the challenges to be overcome. The work performed a phenomenal success to be accredited to humankind.” from the flyer … in German…handed out at Miraflores Locks.
And the rest is history. August 15, 1914 the Canal was opened and has remained so since. The original walls and doors operate today as well as they did 93 years ago. In the year 2003, a total of 11,725 went thru the Canal.
Payment to transit the canal depends on the size of craft. The least ever paid was 36 American cents in August, 1928 by Richard Halliburton, who swam the canal in
ten days. More facts and figures can be had at pancanal.com
Because tankers are becoming bigger and bigger especially after the Exxon Valdez incident, and because the mega cruise ships do not fit thru, the Canal is being made wider.
At the Miraflores locks and in the Casco Viejo can be found museums dedicated to the depiction of the canal events using scale models, old black & white pictures, old tools, statues , parchments, dioramas, a movie simulating a transit, paintings and a movie containing pertinent facts.
There are three locks that have to be gone thru. Fresh water from Lake Gatun is in the locks. The hydraulic arms that were installed two years ago are already feeling the affects of the salt water on the Atlantic and Pacific first doors. Double doors pointing in a ’V’ towards the respective ocean withstand the pressure of the tides.
When a huge container ship comes thru there is room for nothing else in the lock. The little hundred year old wooden boat that had been built for the Morgan Family and owned at one time by Steve McQueen, easily fit in the lock with a smallish Chinese vessel
Marty is on the Bridge
He always whispered inside info into the mike for all to hear.carrying trucks for cement mixing. Usually small ships go thru at night when it is not so crucial that the fit is perfectly orchestrated.
BUY CEMENT SHARES!
One hundred passengers each paid $149 for the full transit privileges, a buffet breakfast, a buffet dinner and drinks all day long. We did have to endure the commentary by “Marty”. The man could not stop himself…one bad joke after another and more than one politically incorrect comment.
And the singing…. Please do not remind me of the singing! He thought he was great.
He does this four times a month on Saturday. He also does the train. Thankgod I did not do the train trip.
There were many photo opportunities, interesting people dynamics to observe and never a moment to catch a snooze. It turned out to be an exciting day with something new in view at every turn in the river. These turns will be eliminated because the Super ships are not able to manoeuvre around the tight bends.
In the morning ships go into the locks from the Pacific to the Atlantic. In the afternoon ships go into the locks from the Atlantic to
Miraflores Lookout Point
These tourists wish they were on our little boat floating in the lock.
the Pacific. Our little excursion boat paid $750 to go thru the locks. It was never explained how the little ship comes back from Colon. Does not make sense to come back empty. Will have to contact Canal and Bay Tours and ask.
Luis at the Intercontinental Business Office did a good job putting me into contact with this company. Hope he got something from the Canal Bay people because I eventually brought four more people on the trip.
In the set of locks on the Atlantic side the ships experience the greatest change in height of water. The electronic mules go down a very steep incline while keeping the ships in the centre between the cement walls. A large part of the walls are covered in protective plastic that shows signs of being scraped by ships of many colours.
Our little boat which was only about 95 feet long was attached by a big heavy rope to the side of the canal or at one time to a tugboat that was also going thru that particular lock.
Counting the containers on one ship produced a number over 1000. Some ships had huge cranes and hooks on
Hordes of Men
Men from all over the world came to build the Canal as is shown in this old photo displayed in the Museum. deck leaving what was in the hold to the imagination. Too bad ‘Marty’ didn’t have that info. One ship was piled high with containers emblazoned with the Dole icon. Containers could to be seen stacked up to seven high with only thin cables holding them in place. Names seen included such companies as Cosco, NedLloyd, Hanjin, Msc - Mediterranean Shipping, K Line, Yang Ming and Hayundai. In Rotterdam and Hamburg these same names appear. Only one was not seen here at the Canal … Wal-Mart!
It took nine hours to traverse the Canal. Waiting to get into position and securing all lines took longer than the actual transfer of water. The rise and fall of water in each of the locks occurs at a speed of one meter per minute. The speed at which the gates open and close is such that if not carefully watched the perfect photo opportunity is lost.
Gatun Lake seems only to be surpassed by Lake Mead at the head of the Hoover Dam by artificially created lakes. Our little boat was in that lake for a long time this being the only opportunity to have a small snooze in an otherwise very long
Dregers Moved Mountains of Dirt
Twenty new dredgers have been commissioned to do the work involved in the Canal expansion. intriguing day.
The breakfast included various rolls, sausages, boiled eggs, boiled plantain, cut up wieners in brown sauce, diced tropical fruit, and very good coffee. The leftovers were available all day long for snacking.
On deck was a cooler filled with ice, juice boxes, and small water bottles. Cold beer could be bought for $2.
Lunch consisted of beef in a good salty sauce, chicken in a lemony sauce, spiral pasta with pesto, fried rice and a salad consisting of lettuce generously sprinkled with sliced green peppers, tomatoes and shredded carrots. More rolls with butter and now peeled eggs left from breakfast when they were in their shells.
The last lock was awaited with anticipation.
At the other side of these last gates lay the Atlantic. The end of the canal transit had been accomplished. Along the way preparations for the ‘new canal’ were in evidence. After Monday, Sept 13 when the mountain of dirt was blown up, by former president Carter, the look of the canal would be changed forever. Already many psp pipes had been used to channel dynamite down along the edge of the river to blow up the rock, to enable the enlargement
USA Buys the Rights
When the US took over building the Canal no disease or other disaster stopped the success of the investment. of the width of the canal.
I am happy to have been able to see the Panama Canal as close in appearance as to when it was completed in 1914. Not that it is the same.
It has undergone many changes, the greatest of which is that now the Canal Zone is accessible to every Panamanian. During the American Era the Canal Zone was protected and controlled by American Military Forces. The remnants of this control can still be clearly seen. Those living in the Canal Zone lived very well! The ordinary Panamanian probably still cannot afford to buy property here.
With the setting sun casting an orange glow over the waiting ships and the colourful apartment blocks of the tourist section of Colon in sight, the little wooden ship found harbour and we disembarked.
The trip back to Panama City was to be by air conditioned bus. Paying passengers and crew, including the captain of the little ship, sat back in comfort and were driven thru the old part of Colon.
This is the part that has been left to die, stinks and is not a safe place to visit. There seem to be a few
Bridge of the Americas
The bridge connecting North America and South America makes access to Panama by car facil. The Canal severed any land tie that existed when it was dug in 1913. places like this.
Is the government ignoring them so that eventually there can be a takeover and developers will make a fortune? These places … the area in Panama City before Casco Viejo and the old part of Colon cannot be dangerous just because poor people live here! The economics are all askew! Huge condo towers are rising up on prime sea side properties enticing retirees from the States and Canada to buy here. These same condos have views of housing where a large section of the population lives in abject poverty. There is no welfare here. No state support. There are all kinds of discounts for tourists and retirees. Who’s cashing in here?
I had asked that we be let off instead going all the way back to the starting point. When we reached the taxi stand ‘Marty’ called out, “The woman with the white hair … this is your stop!”
“Thanks Marty”. Not Canadian Lady… Not you who asked me … not the woman who hates my jokes…. NO…the woman with the white hair!
Let me say at this point …. it seems to be going back to blonde in the sun….so there ‘Marty‘!
The Centeniary Bridge
This bridge soars to the sky whereas the Bridge to the Americas looks as if built with a large Mecano set. Cameras are full of Canal shots.
Behinds are tired from sitting.
Eyes are red from looking.
Appetites remain appeased from buffet offerings.
My Panama Mission has been accomplished.
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