Panama Canal

[Silver sailor]

Can anyone tell me approximately how long it takes to go through the Gatun Locks

Thanks

[skynight]

Can anyone tell me approximately how long it takes to go through the Gatun Locks

Thanks

A few hours from start to finish. Start time is very early in the morning around 6am. There will be a schedule in your cabin.

[fishywood]

The Gatun locks have three chambers in which the ship is lowered to canal level when entering, or raised back to sea level when exiting the canal back into the Atlantic. You will do both of course if you are on a partial transit from Ft Lauderdale. The time you spend in the locks is only a small portion of your day sailing through the canal; it is about 20-30 minutes in each chamber as the first water level lowers, then you wait for the next chamber to clear and refill before the gates open. You are usually at the mouth of the canal around dawn; it depends entirely on traffic how soon after you reach the Gatun Locks (could be before breakfast or a bit later). Again repeating what was already answered there will be a rough timetable in that day's Patter.

[Kamloops50]

The Gatun locks have three chambers in which the ship is lowered to canal level when entering, or raised back to sea level when exiting the canal back into the Atlantic. You will do both of course if you are on a partial transit from Ft Lauderdale. The time you spend in the locks is only a small portion of your day sailing through the canal; it is about 20-30 minutes in each chamber as the first water level lowers, then you wait for the next chamber to clear and refill before the gates open. You are usually at the mouth of the canal around dawn; it depends entirely on traffic how soon after you reach the Gatun Locks (could be before breakfast or a bit later). Again repeating what was already answered there will be a rough timetable in that day's Patter.

 

You've got it backwards . Your lifted to Canal level from the level of the Caribbean as you pass thru the locks. Then lowered when you exit into the Caribbean. The canal is about 70 feet above sea level.

[joeyancho]

Approximately 2 hours.

[caribill]

My experience is about one hour per lock.

[pablo222]

The Gatun locks have three chambers in which the ship is lowered to canal level when entering, or raised back to sea level when exiting the canal back into the Atlantic.

 

Your lifted to Canal level from the level of the Caribbean as you pass thru the locks. Then lowered when you exit into the Caribbean. The canal is about 70 feet above sea level.

 

It's probably one or the other.

[Kamloops50]

It's probably one or the other.

 

Canal level has been higher the the open ocean since it was built on 1910.

All the books say that . Never have heard the opposite.

Have done the canal three times. The ship was always lifted up to Gatun lake.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Kamloops50

[yuccaman]

The elevation rise/drop through the three Gatun locks is 85 feet

[famski740]

Once you arrive at the entrance to the canal basin it will all depend on where you are in line. Once you start moving it will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes to get to the set of locks.

 

Once at the locks you will wait for the first section to clear and for the traffic which travels on a moving road in front of the first section to be cleared and the road moved away.

 

There are two (2) chambers in each section which operate independently and you may have another ship either traveling with you our coming the other way.

 

Once inside the first section it will take approximately another 30 to 45 minutes for the rear gate to close and for the water to rise in your section and the water to equalize in the next section before the front gate will open and you are pulled through to the second section.

 

Again at the second and third section you will wait for all of this to happen again before you can enter Gatun Lake.

 

Your ship will then find a spot and anchor in the lake so that all passengers who are going on an excursion can depart. Passengers on excursions are the only people allowed of the ship at this time. You ship will then stay anchored until around 3:00 PM when it will return through the locks (going through same three sections only being lowered instead of raised) and proceed to Colon where it will dock, during this time you may get off the ship and go to the small shopping area about 150 yards from the dock. You will be in Colon for approximately 2 hours before everyone (including those who were on excursions) to re-board for the next port.

Edited December 2, 2016 by famski740

[BillB48]

A Panamax sized ship such as the Island Princess or Coral Princess can normally pass through Gatun Locks in about 1.5-2 hours. It can appear that the lockage at Gatun Locks may appear longer due to the fact the ship is very close to the locks during its approach, but not actually locking through. The lockage actually starts when the bow of the ship crosses the arrow at the end of the center wall. This is about the time the first heaving line is thrown from the ship to the boatmen who make fast the messenger lines for the cables from the mules. Of course the actual time to traverse the locks can run a little faster and of course s l o w e r!

 

Just to recap... the normal operating level of Gatun Lake has been generally expressed as 85' above seal level with the maximum level of 87.1'. This past dry season Gatun Lake reached a record low operating level of 78.3'. The El Nino exacerbated dry season is in the rear view mirror and Gatun Lake and the lake is now at new highs. As part of the Canal expansion the operating level was increased and Gatun Lake now stands at 88.1'.

Edited December 2, 2016 by BillB48

[hm9912]

You've got it backwards . Your lifted to Canal level from the level of the Caribbean as you pass thru the locks. Then lowered when you exit into the Caribbean. The canal is about 70 feet above sea level.

 

That was the way it worked for us

 

 

Howard

[pablo222]

Canal level has been higher the the open ocean since it was built on 1910.

All the books say that . Never have heard the opposite.

Have done the canal three times. The ship was always lifted up to Gatun lake.

 

Of course. If it were not, gatun lake would just fill up

with seawater as the locks were used.

 

Eventually, they would not be needed.

 

"Gatun Lake has an area of 425 km2 (164 sq mi) at its normal level of 26 m (85 ft) above sea level;"

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatun_Lake

[cb at sea]

The entire maneuver from Caribbean to the lake, and back to the Caribbean takes all day. You will spend several hours in the lake....which is nice since many passengers will leave the ship...it's like a port day when you stay on the ship...no crowds! And, the stuff you missed going INTO the lake, you'll have ample room to see going back out!