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Panama Canal 2023

April 16, 2023 – Sunday – Nieuw Amsterdam transiting the Panama Canal from the Caribbean to the Pacific

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

This is the day most passengers are on this cruise for: transiting the Panama Canal. I’m up before sunrise as the ship waits offshore from Colon in Limon Bay to enter the canal at the Gatun Locks from the Caribbean Sea. Although we enter the locks on time at Gatun, by the time we emerge from the last lock at Miraflores on the Pacific side, we are an hour late. The Sun is set by the time we sail under the Bridge of the Americas and into Panama Bay, emerging into the Pacific Ocean.

Panama Canal Transit map

Although this is my fifth canal transit, I’m always fascinated by the process of lifting ships up to the level of Gatun Lake, and then lowering them back to sea level. This is the first time I’ve observed the new locks in operation: Agua Clara locks on the Atlantic side, and Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side. Since our ship uses the old locks, we don’t get great views of the new lock system, however I can see the massive ships beside and above us as we go through the old locks. In addition to bigger container ships, the new locks also enable LNG and PNG tankers to now use the canal, which apparently is a big revenue stream for Panama.

Our cruise director Kimberly is on the bridge all day narrating as our ship transits the canal. She shares that the captain has confirmed that today’s toll for the Nieuw Amsterdam is US$444,000, or just over US$300 per passenger!

I watch the ship transit the canal from three main areas of the ship. My own stateroom’s verandah is on Deck 7 Forward, so it offers great views from the right side of the ship and happens to be on the shady side since it faces west. I also pop out to the Deck 7 Forward deck, which is very close to my stateroom and is open today, since it offers great views from the front of the ship. Finally, once in awhile I go up to Panorama Deck 10, where I can get views from both sides of the ship and be higher up.

While I take photos of the transit from various locations on the ship, I also setup my GoPro action camera on the rail of my balcony this morning to shoot a time lapse video, capturing all the interesting parts of the process of moving through the canal and locks. This 3-minute video captures the 12-hour process quite well!

It is Sunday, so there is a big crowd of Panamanians at the Miraflores Visitor Centre, who are waving at us as we move through the locks. On the other side, there is a big Alligator on the canal shoreline. Panama Bay and Panama City are beautiful in the darkness with the city lights shining.

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Panama Canal Transit

March 29, 2020 – Transiting the Panama Canal in the dead of night

2020 South America cruise

The Rotterdam and Zaandam are at anchor in the bay just off Balboa today. At dinner this evening, the captain informs us we have approvals for a canal transit, so both ships raise anchor and proceed to the Canal entrance after dark.

I have transited the Panama Canal on three previous occasions, but I find this is without a doubt the strangest. First of all, apparently the reason we were approved to transit is that Panama considers this a medical humanitarian mission. Both ships are proceeding after dark with minimal external lighting – no veranda deck lights, cabin blackout curtains are pulled, and we are transiting using the more remote, but new Cocoli Locks. I’m speculating, however I think it’s likely these measures are in place so the Panamanian public and canal workers don’t see our ships. There is great fear of mass protests by governments during these strange times we now live in…

The banner image above shows a webcam view of the Zaandam passing through Cocoli Locks. Note there are no canal workers in sight, since these new locks are designed to allow ship’s thrusters to be used instead of the labour-intensive towing that is required in the old locks.

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Fuerte Amador, near Panama City

2011 Incan Empires Cruise

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 – Day 9 – Fuerte Amador, near Panama City, Panama

Rotterdam is anchored for the day in Panama Bay, however I have no shore excursions scheduled, so I can take it easy today aboard ship. This ends up being a wise decision since it pours rain most of the day. I go ashore for about a half hour to have a look around the local community of Fuerte Amador, however there is nothing of interest to me there…just tour and taxi stands, souvenir shops, and a few restaurants. There are also some very expensive-looking boats moored in the local marinas.

I spend a quiet afternoon working on my notebook computer annotating the 160 photos and videos I took of our Panama Canal transit from yesterday. I also enter place name location data for each photo to supplement the GPS position tagging. I find doing this as I travel rather than after I return home makes it much easier to cope with all the photos I take on my travels. I can turn out regular blog entries while I travel, and I can update my JoeTourist website much more quickly after the trip ends.

The Matinee Idols perform in the show lounge this evening, singing classic songs from the stage and screen from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. I find it kind of funny that the songs three young men (Nicholas Rodriguez, Austin Miller and Connor O’Brien) are performing were hits when these guys weren’t even born! The tenor has the strongest voice, but the other two are good singers as well. I enjoy their show. Two of them had roles on soap operas (daytime drama TV shows), hence their group’s name. I saw them hanging out on the deck earlier today. They stood out since they are young and good-looking, as compared with most of the rest of the men on this ship, who are generally old and not-so-good looking!

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2011 Panama Canal Transit

2011 Incan Empires Cruise

Monday, November 28, 2011 – Day 8 – Panama Canal Transit

I skip breakfast this morning and get out on deck by 6:45AM in order to see our approach to the Panama Canal from the Caribbean side near the city of Colon. The Sun is up and it is raining as we approach the first set of locks at Gatun. My camera lenses are fogged up since I just brought them out from the cool, air-conditioned ship’s interior to the warm and humid outside air. It takes them about a half hour to warm up and become clear of the condensation. I stay outside most of the rest of the day in order to observe all the various fascinating phases of the Rotterdam’s transit.

Joe on deck at Gatun Locks
Joe on deck at Gatun Locks

The Gatun Locks consist of three locks, and are the most dramatic of all the Panama Canal locks, since they lift the ship 26 metres above sea level to Gatun Lake. The navigation channel across Gatun Lake forms the largest single segment of the transit. We encounter another tropical rainstorm as we cross the lake. As we move through the narrow Culebra Cut (or Gaillard Cut), freighters are moved out of our way so we can pass, since the dredging of the Cut has narrowed the navigation channel more than normal. Passenger ships such as Rotterdam have priority for daytime passage through the Canal, and actually become a bit of a spectacle for locals, who sometimes park to watch us pass by.

This time lapse video of the Island Princess transiting the canal on May 1st, 2022 really captures the experience well! Thanks to Tony at La Lido Loca.

As we approach Pedro Miguel Lock (a single lock), the new 6km long Pacific Access Channel is easy to see to our right. It is a huge swath of construction that goes all the way from Pedro Miguel Locks, past Miraflores Locks, and out to the Pacific Ocean. The new locks will consist of three chambers, whereas now Pedro Miguel has one chamber and Miraflores has two chambers with the small Miraflores Lake between them. This $1.5 billion expansion project will deliver a third set of locks capable of moving larger ships through the canal system. The existing lock systems will continue to operate, so throughput will be significantly increased. I find the construction fascinating to see while it is in progress.

We experience a beautiful day for our Panama Canal transit. It is not too hot (about 26°C and not too rainy (only 3 rainstorms). I enjoy the day immensely, but manage to pick up a mild sunburn from staying outside most of the day, despite ducking under shade whenever possible. There is a commentator aboard the ship, who describes each phase of the transit and gives some background information about the canal over the PA system. She does not talk continuously the whole day long, thank goodness. I understand the transit charges for Rotterdam today amount to some $350,000, or $250/passenger!

JoeTourist: Panama City &emdash; Panama City at night

After completing the transit, Rotterdam anchors near a small community called Fuerte Amador on the Pacific side, which is in Panama Bay – about a 15 minute tender ride to shore, and about another 15 minute drive to Panama City. The skies clear this evening, so I go to Deck 6 Forward and take some photos of Panama City at night, which is a spectacular sight!

Panama Canal
49 photos
First lock at Gatun, where a rowboat brings out the first set of lines
First lock at Gatun, where a rowboat brings out the first set of lines
Freighter beside us at the first lock at Gatun
Freighter beside us at the first lock at Gatun
Looking ahead to the first lock at Gatun
Looking ahead to the first lock at Gatun
Looking ahead from the first lock at Gatun & freighter ahead of us
Looking ahead from the first lock at Gatun & freighter ahead of us
First lock draining so we can proceed
First lock draining so we can proceed
Gates opening to first lock at Gatun
Gates opening to first lock at Gatun
We proceed to first lock at Gatun
We proceed to first lock at Gatun
Panama Canal pilot on the ship's bridge
Panama Canal pilot on the ship’s bridge
We are in the first lock at Gatun
We are in the first lock at Gatun
Ship's photographers walking across the lock gates at Gatun
Ship’s photographers walking across the lock gates at Gatun
Gates opening to second lock at Gatun
Gates opening to second lock at Gatun
Engine holds us steady in second lock at Gatun & Gatun control building
Engine holds us steady in second lock at Gatun & Gatun control building
Joe - I was there
Joe – I was there
Double lock doors in front of us while we wait for third lock to fill
Double lock doors in front of us while we wait for third lock to fill
Third lock gates opened so we can sail through Gatun Lake
Third lock gates opened so we can sail through Gatun Lake
Gatun Lake dam
Gatun Lake dam
Cement plant & other construction materials for new third lock being built
Cement plant & other construction materials for new third lock being built
Leaving Gatun Locks
Leaving Gatun Locks
Auto carrier in Gatun Lake - Indiana Highway
Auto carrier in Gatun Lake – Indiana Highway
Freighters passing in navigation channel
Freighters passing in navigation channel
Rain storm on the lake
Rain storm on the lake
Navigation channel widening in the lake
Navigation channel widening in the lake
Approaching Gamboa, the end of the navigation channel on the lake
Approaching Gamboa, the end of the navigation channel on the lake
Jungle along the lake shoreline
Jungle along the lake shoreline
Titan giant crane at the dredging HQ
Titan giant crane at the dredging HQ
US Pump Station & bridge at Gamboa
US Pump Station & bridge at Gamboa
Dredge
Dredge
Dredger deck
Dredger deck
Dredge floating pipe
Dredge floating pipe
Proceeding through the Cut with Contractor's Hill & cable-stayed bridge visible
Proceeding through the Cut with Contractor’s Hill & cable-stayed bridge visible
Slope stabilisation in the Cut
Slope stabilisation in the Cut
Contractor's Hill fish-eye view
Contractor’s Hill fish-eye view
Refreshments being served on the bow as the ship approaches Pedro Miguel Locks
Refreshments being served on the bow as the ship approaches Pedro Miguel Locks
New navigation channel approaching Pedro Miguel Locks
New navigation channel approaching Pedro Miguel Locks
New navigation channel construction above Pedro Miguel Locks
New navigation channel construction above Pedro Miguel Locks
Panama Canal Railway train
Panama Canal Railway train
Approaching Petro Miguel Lock
Approaching Petro Miguel Lock
Spectators watching Rotterdam transit
Spectators watching Rotterdam transit
Freighter leaving lock into Miraflores Lake
Freighter leaving lock into Miraflores Lake
Freighter beside us in next lane of lock with engines steadying her
Freighter beside us in next lane of lock with engines steadying her
Looking forward at freighter beside us in next lane of lock - fish-eye view
Looking forward at freighter beside us in next lane of lock – fish-eye view
Contruction of new locks beside Miraflores Lake
Contruction of new locks beside Miraflores Lake
Crocodile in Miraflores Lake
Crocodile in Miraflores Lake
Approaching Miraflores Locks
Approaching Miraflores Locks
Miraflores dam and adjacent lane in locks
Miraflores dam and adjacent lane in locks
Bridge of Americas across navigation channel
Bridge of Americas across navigation channel
Panama City towers visible over the jungle covered hills
Panama City towers visible over the jungle covered hills
New shipping channel
New shipping channel
Dredges
Dredges
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San Blas Islands

2011 Incan Empires Cruise

Saturday, November 26, 2011 – Day 6 – San Blas Islands, Panama

JoeTourist: San Blas Islands &emdash; Cuna woman in traditional dress with Molas and young girl

It is 10:30AM and there is great excitement aboard. Everyone is milling about waiting for tenders to go ashore to what must be the tiniest island destination for a cruise ship: Carti Tupili Island, which is one of the San Blas Islands. There are Cuna Indians in canoes circling the ship as we anchor, waiting for all those US$ to flow into their eager hands…or in this case diving for coins being thrown down by the passengers. I stay on the ship this morning since I want to avoid the madness of jostling for the first few tenders. I use this time to catch up on my travel journal and blog, and take some photos of our approach to the islands. I partake of the delicious BBQ lunch served on the Lido pool deck, and then decide it is time to get a tender ticket and go ashore. I only have to wait a couple of minutes before my tender leaves.

There are hundreds of Cuna Indian women and children selling stuff. The women are mainly selling Molas, handmade delicately sewn artwork made by arranging brightly coloured fabric into layers and patterns. Others, especially children are offering themselves for photo ops at $1 a shot, with some just looking incredibly cute, while others offer puppies, kittens, rabbits, birds and even a monkey as additional props for the tourists to photograph. Some men are also selling wares: mainly carvings from coconut wood or husks, or artwork. I find this all rather sad to see, and since the whole scene mainly turns me off, I catch a tender back to the ship after about 15 minutes of walking around.

Of the 378 islands and cays in the archipelago, 49 are inhabited. As you can see by my photos, the inhabited islands are densely populated – every bit of each island’s land mass is used. There is no electricity from the grid available on these islands; only power from generators is used for a few hours each day as households determine their needs and what they can afford in fuel costs. Transportation to the islands is poor to non-existent unless you own your own seaworthy boat. There is no fresh water available on these islands. Water must be brought in by boat. These islands consist of sand, and are essentially at sea level – there is no elevation to speak of.