How Long???

[blazerjan]

Does it take the ship to travel just the Gatun Lockes from Colon to Gatun Lake?

Thanks

[Loonbeam]

Depends on ships in queue, but have heard between 2-3 hours or more

 

 

Does it take the ship to travel just the Gatun Lockes from Colon to Gatun Lake?

 

Thanks

[Richard in Panama]

Once you leave Gatun Locks you are IN Gatun Lake.

 

Gatun Locks lift you from sea level in the Bay of Limon up 85' to the level of Gatun Lake. Ship generally picks up pilot at 5AM and around 9:15am-9:30am is moving into Gatun Lake. Time in the locks can vary, but usually around 45 minutes in each chamber.

 

Regards, Richard

[BillB48]

The 3 hour estimate is a reasonable time... it should be considered more of a guesstimate. The distance by water from the port of Colon is not huge my any stretch of the imagination, it's less than 5 miles, the pace at which the ship will travel to the locks can be very slow. Once you arrive at the Gatun Locks, the actual passage through the Locks will take about an hour and a half. If by chance you are on a partial transit and taking a tour, essentially as soon as you clear the Locks you are at your destination where the tendering takes place for the touring passengers. The travel distance from the Locks to the anchorage is very short.