The Panama Canal

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The idea of the Panama dates back to 1513 when Vasco Nunez de Balboa first crossed the Isthmus, the narrow land bridge between North and South America. A water passage between Atlantic and Pacific ocean. The European's recognized the potential for a canal and several proposals were made.

By the late 19th century technical advancement and commercial pressure allowed construction to begin. Canal engineer Ferdindale de Lesseps led the Initial attempt to build a sea level canal. They failed by financial loss and personal losses from tropical diseases.

Interest from the usa once France abandoned the project. The usa success was more converting the canal to a lock system and managing disease spread by mosquito's. On January 7 1914 the French crane boat Alexadrie Lavalley became the first to transverse and on April 1 1914 the canal was officially finished.

During world war two the canal was a vital part of the USA military strategy, allowing ships to transfer easy from the pacific to the Atlantic. In 1977 the Torry as -Carter treatres began, the process of transferring territorial control of the panama canal zone to Panama which completed my December 1999.

Panama runs NW and SE but the canal is saying it travels North and South. As we approached the locks in the dark you could just see lights in the distance. As we approached you could see the red lights marking the entrance to the first lock Miraflores. Passing under the bridge to the Americas it almost looked like with would not fit but it did. Tug boats on either side came close and a Pilot and Canal commander x2 came aboard to guide the ship through the locks. Next as we entered the lock ropes were thrown both bow and stern both to secure the ship from the edges that has a bare 2 foot clearance. Once centered the gates double and 7 foot thick close and the lock was raised up 33 feet. Exiting the Miraflores to the lake we waiting only minutes and started approaching the Pedro Miquel locks. Same process all over again raising up this time 28 feet, exiting the locks and then entering the Gatun locks raising up another 28 feet. Exit the Gatun locks to Cristobal lake . An amazing venture to see now floating in the lake soon to enter the Caribbean sea to South America where will stop in Columbia.

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