Finally, the big day has arrived. Join us on this 12th day of our 15-day Panama Canal cruise aboard the Island Princess.
Our day started early, waking up at 6:00 a.m. to observe as the Island Princess maneuvers into entering the Panama Canal. Despite waking up early and going to the observation Deck 15, we had difficulty getting a good spot to observe. Nonetheless, we managed to witness as we enter the first gate of the Miraflores locks.
We witness as a vehicle cargo ship (Swedish) exited the locks on the other side. We were in awe as we slowly came to an understanding of the elaborate process involved and the engineering design and implementation in accomplishing this feat.
The Panama Canal is a constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama. It is owned and administered by Panama, and it is 40 miles long from shoreline to shoreline.
The lock system still operates on the original design as it did when it opened in 1913. The construction of the canal required a change in the route of the Chagres river so it empties in the Gatun Lake, a man-made lake created over to old city of Gorgona. The Chagres starts in the higher elevations of Panama and accumulates significant flow of water from rain. The Gatun Lake is the reservoir of water for the canal. When needed water is released through large cement piping through the lock chambers when raising a ship.
In the 2 largest sets of locks there are 3 chambers which will either raise the ship or lower the ship. The smallest set of locks at Pedro Miguel have only 2 chambers.
Electric locomotives called Mules either pull the ships through the locks or the larger ships use their low power and the “Mules” hold the ship straight and steady. The gates are opened and closed by small electric motors.
For this special day of our cruise, we spent most of the day watching and trying to understand the simple, yet complex, processed involved in maneuvering the Island Princess through the canal, from the time the first gates open in the Miraflores locks, to the time we entered and exited the Gatun Lakes, to the time the last of the Gatun Lakes Locks gates locked, to the time we went under the Atlantic Bridge (Puente Atlantico) and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to the destination expert who provided detailed account throughout the entire process. This day of engineering wonders was enhanced by nature as lightning and thunder complement the experience throughout the day. I have not seen thunderstorms this intense and persistent since I left my home country, the Philippines. Somehow, we manage to squeeze a short lunch in the Horizon Court, a quick work-out in the Fitness Center, and our daily two-mile walk without missing any of the on-going action.
Dinner was again in the Provence Dining Room, where I again enjoyed two main dishes, a mixed sea-food dish and a Filipino dish, pininyahang manok (chicken with pineapple). After dinner, we went to a quick stop to enjoy a live musical performance in the Piazza before heading to the Princess Theater for the evening entertainment. We enjoyed the Showtime featuring comedian Dan St. Paul. We especially like his jokes about getting old because all of them are things we could relate to. This has been another special day that we will remember as we get even older than we already are. Thank you Princess!