Panama City at sunrise
The only bridge
linking Panama to South America.
A tight fit, but we made it.
The channel
leading to the beginning of the Canal.
The Holland America "Oosterdam" is just ahead.
The Miraflores Locks
Notice how much the ship will rise in this lock. Sizes are deceptive: The ship is 105 feet wide and 1000 feet long. That little pond between the locks behind the ship on the right is 1050 longs and 110 feet wide.
The Oosterdam is the same width as the Celebrity Summit (our ship) Notice that only a foot or so of space is available on each side.
The doors on the first set of locks are closing.
The ship is just beginning its first ascent. See the light blue boxes on the stern of the ship.
The name of the ship is now above the top of the lock doors.
The locomotive is used to keep the ship from hitting the walls of the canal and to act as a brake. The ship moves with its own power.
The screw begins to move the ship forward
The ship has moved forward to the next set of locks. The hump on the right show high it will rise in the next step.
The doors are ready to close.
The ship will now rise again as the water inside the doors rises to about 5 feet from the top.
The ship is now ready to enter the Canal cut.
As Joyce (in Purple) watches, the process of ascent now occurs with the Summit. The street lamps between the ships will "descend" to below this deck level as the Summit rises to the same level as the other ship
The street lamps at deck level.
Looking back we see another ship entering the adjacent locks.
The double set of locks a the top is to help keep the lake in place in case of an accident.
Notice the freighter entering the lock and another approaching behind the Summit.
The water level is equal on both sides of the lock on the right rear.
See the water drop as the ship rises
The ship has ascended the full distances as the other ship is still arriving.
These row boats are used to secure the first ropes to the ships arriving from the Atlantic (southbound). Many alternates method have been tried; none are as effective as the rowboat with two persons aboard.
