LIVE from Radiance Apr. 21, 2023 - The Panama Canal - Canal au Niveau de la Mer

[twangster]

Now that I'm back on the ship with a functional web browser I going to start over, an excursion review mulligan, sort of.

 

Our approach to the Atlantic Bridge to show some of the vegetation of the area.

 

 

The train line between the coasts is as integrated into Panama transportation history between the coasts as much as the canal is, and its history goes back further.  You can see the current rails here:

 

 

The sign.  Sort of got lucky with shot as the bus was moving and I didn't know it was coming.

 

 

I was on the right side of the bus which I would recommend.  Going over the bridge westbound we kept moving but when we turned around to go over the bridge again eastbound the driver stopped midway which is how I got these next shots.

 

The locks of the Atlantic side of the canal. New locks on the left, original locks on the right.  

 

 

New locks - Agua Clara Locks on the left

 

 

Original locks - Gatun Locks, on the right.

 

 

Behind both in the distance is the same Gatun Lake.

 

A slightly wider photo showing the approach to the Agua Clara locks:

 

 

And the same for the Gatun Locks.  The ships in the distance are 85' feet above sea level sailing on Gatun Lake.

 

 

Another wide shot showing both sets of locks.

 

 

New:

 

 

Original:

 

 

Either set of locks lifts or lowers a ship approximately 85 feet to or from Gatun Lake.

[twangster]

Our next stop was the Visitor Center at the Agua Clara locks.  To get there we drove off the bridge and turned South following the canal. 

 

Part of the drive runs along the canal and we could see a ship that was through the locks on the way to the Caribbean Sea. 

 

The train tracks again.  We'll see these throughout the day.

 

[firefly333]

Our bus driver also went over that bridge and turned around. Of course I was on the wrong side of the bus when we came back slowly and stopped. Just wasnt my lucky excursion. 

 

Your pictures are beyond excellent. And descriptions. 

[twangster]

At the Visitor Center we first watched a 12 minute video in a small theater about the history of the locks and the expansion.  Then we went out to the observation platform.

 

A large container ship was lining up to enter the locks from Gatun Lake on the way to the Caribbean Sea. 

 

 

A claxon was sounding as they opened the lock chamber gates.

 

 

Some perspective.

 

 

Inching closer, ever slowly, aided by tugs.

 

 

Looking towards the North and the Caribbean Sea you can see the Atlantic Bridge in the background.  Another ship is in the middle lock chamber.

 

 

In the distance you can see the Gatun locks we will use tomorrow.

 

 

The second ship is moving into the final lock chamber.

 

 

 

The container ship begins the entrance to the first lock chamber.

 

 

 

 

That tanker is already in the final lock chamber.

 

 

 

The container ship continues forward at a slow pace.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by twangster

[firefly333]

These pictures are beyond amazing. Such close ups and shots with explanations. 

 

When I was there with at least 4 large buses that I saw and a full parking lot of cars, the viewing area was two people deep in front of me. To take a picture I had to ask the folks in front of me if they would let me squeeze my tablet thru and get a picture .. any picture I could. Just my group had 3 busses and we ran into the excursion that did Panama city and aqua clara visitors city. PACKED!

 

These pictures are so amazing and such close up shots. I cant believe we were in the same place. So clear and great explanations. My naked eye didnt show this so close so I know its twangster and his photo equipment. Better than being there! No time to do the shuttle there. So glad to see these pictures with explanations. I didnt know what I was even looking at. You are on your own here to figure it out and wander.  Best ever amazing pictures. At least I'm amazed. 

[twangster]

In the distance a ship heading Southbound has made it up through the Gatun Locks and is starting its transit across Gatun Lake.  That will be Radiance tomorrow.

 

 

The container ship is almost all the way into the first lock chamber.  The tub is working to control the position of the ship.  No "mules" are used on the new locks.  It's all (or mostly) about the tugs along with the ship propulsion. 

 

 

 

 

With the ship progressing far enough they begin to close the first lock gate.

 

 

Time to slow this puppy down.

 

 

Once in position they set lines.

 

 

 

Rinse, lather, repeat.  The next ship in the convoy is lining up.

 

 

This continues around the clock.

 

 

 

[twangster]

There is a small gift shop here and some axles on display from carts used early on in the making of the Panama Canal.

 

 

Ships moves slowly and carefully so it would take more time then we had to follow one ship through all three sets of locks.  With our time consumed for this stop, it was back on the bus.

[twangster]

8 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Twangster, was there any back story on the vessel landlocked "floating" vessel in your first picture in post #660?  By chance is it the Islamorada?  Thanks.

 

Yes it is!   Although I can't help on the story. 

 

 

 

[BillB48]

Thanks, there are stories abound that it was once owned by Al Capone, it later was taken over by the US Government and used as a mine detecting vessel back in the days around WW2.  Came to Panama in the 60s and eventually wound up in the tourist industry.  Really don't know whether Capone's ownership is fact or fiction, but it is legend anyway!

[twangster]

Dinner in Giovannis.  I will get back to my excursion after dinner. 

[twangster]

Back to the bus...

 

After leaving the Agua Clara locks we drove for what seemed like a long time.  The highways are mostly modern and interstate-like now.  It is clear though that digging down to sea level through the land we drove across just wasn't even realistic.  They'd probably still digging it to this day.  Before there were roads it's hard to imagine what it would been like in the late 1800's for the French.

 

Along the way we crossed the Chagres river.  The river is tame now because of the dams but this was once a raging river especially after the heavy rainfalls that are common here.  This is the view towards the Canal.   We'll pass by where the river meets the lake tomorrow.

 

[twangster]

We drove past the original Pedro Miguel Locks to the Miraflores Locks.  More on that later.  Here there is another viewing platform as well as an IMAX theater.  

 

The first signs of our arrival were of the flood control gates of the dam that creates the Miraflores lake.  

 

 

Up a couple of escalators and we came out to the view of the Miraflores lock complex.  

 

 

These are still operational and part of the original locks that Radiance will pass through tomorrow.  

 

 

Ships tends to go through the canal in conveys with ships going in each direction and passing the oncoming convey going the other direction somewhere in middle along Gatun Lake.  Unfortunately that meant the timing of our visit was such that there were no ships using the locks at the moment.

 

Instead they were performing some lock maintenance. 

 

 

 

 

In the distance the control tower for the new locks of the Pacific side was visible.

 

 

These locomotives are called mules. 

 

 

That's a reference to how some of the oldest canals around the world used to work with small boats that were pulled through the canal by mules on the shore.  Before there were engines to drive vessels it was difficult to hoist a sail and use the wind to move a boat along a canal so animals were used to pull the boats.  These boats were nowhere near the size of ships today so it worked.    

 

 

One of the perks of going through the old locks is watching these "mules" keeping the ship centered with only a foot or two of clearance on either side.  We will see them in action tomorrow.  The deck 5 promenade deck is a great location to watch them.  At times we will be face to face with the mule operators.

 

 

[Jimbo]

5 hours ago, little britain said:

Feedback on the Embera village tour;

We started at 10a and we went in a bus for 1h45m with no facilities 🚽 !

We were given a small boxed meal containing a chicken roll and a rather nice muffin. And water. Then it was time to board the dugout canoes. Down a slope that was gravel and mud. This was where the unsuitably shod people in flip flops 🩴/ high heels and with walking sticks should have perhaps read the tour instructions a little more carefully! 
All safely on board we set off up the Chagres river in 3 canoes. The water level was very very shallow and several times we grounded and the lead guy had to jump over side and push us out! 
 

After about 20 mins we arrived at the village: another quite steep climb up. Greeted by musicians, then led to a large palm roofed area where the head of the village explained about their life and a lady explained about the different leaves etc used in their weaving. We were also given a banana leaf filled with fresh talapia and plantain. An hour free to roam the village, use their rudimentary facilities, then we had almost all villagers dancing for us. 
Back down to the canoes and on the bus by 2:40p.

I was a bit dubious about this trip; I was worried that I would feel that the tribe were being forced to perform etc, but our guide himself was a member of the tribe and he shared stories of his early life and experience.

 

Panama itself is very run down with filth and litter everywhere- even in the National Parks which was depressing to see. 

 

 

I was expecting someone rowing the canoe.....then I see the outboard motors on the back......lol

2 hours ago, twangster said:

In the distance a ship heading Southbound has made it up through the Gatun Locks and is starting its transit across Gatun Lake.  That will be Radiance tomorrow.

 

 

The container ship is almost all the way into the first lock chamber.  The tub is working to control the position of the ship.  No "mules" are used on the new locks.  It's all (or mostly) about the tugs along with the ship propulsion. 

 

 

 

 

With the ship progressing far enough they begin to close the first lock gate.

 

 

Time to slow this puppy down.

 

 

Once in position they set lines.

 

 

 

Rinse, lather, repeat.  The next ship in the convoy is lining up.

 

 

This continues around the clock.

 

 

 

I bet it gets interesting on high profile vessels going through the new locks during strong winds.

 

Could you see if any of the walls in the new canal were scraped up on look like they have been hit a few times?

[twangster]

An infographic on display at this visitor center provides an overview of the Panama Canal.

 

 

For the old and the new, each end of the canal has three locks chambers.  The new locks have all lock chambers together on both ends while the original locks have the three lock chambers together on the Atlantic end while the Pacific side has small lake, Miraflores Lake, that separates one set of two lock chambers from the third lock chamber.  

 

From right to left on the infographic, matching our Radiance journey tomorrow,  we will first encounter the three lock chambers of the Gatun Locks.

 

 

A detail of the Gatun Locks:

 

 

Once lifted by the three locks we will be around 85 feet above sea level on Gatun Lake.

 

From right to left we will cross Gatun Lake, which isn't the straight shot pictured on this infographic, to the Culebra Cut, the section of the canal carved through a mountain in places.  

 

 

Through the Culebra Cut we first encounter the Pedro Miguel Lock, then the small Miraflores Lake, then the two lock chambers of the Miraflores Locks where I was standing to take these pictures.

 

 

Then we will be at the Pacific Ocean.

[frosty52]

Twangster ---

I am loving your updates and photos.  Thank you for all.

 

 

 

[twangster]

In the distance the first ship of the Southbound convey can be seen coming out of Culebra Cut.   The Centennial Bridge can also be seen. 

 

 

Note the earthen dam where that separates the larger ships from Miraflores Lake.  Because the new locks have all three lock chambers together they start closer to the Miraflores Locks so larger ships are still at the 85 feet above sea level while smaller ships will have passed through the Pedro Miguel Lock and be just under 30 feet lower as they cross Miraflores Lake.  

[twangster]

Just as we were about to leave they started to open the lock gates for the maintenance crane to pass through.

 

 

 

 

[Jimbo]

Since you are so close to the Canal right now, what does the ship do tonight? Are you just sitting anchored somewhere close just waiting for your time in the morning?

[twangster]

Boarding the bus our bus driver was squirting hand sanitizer for everyone.  Hmmm, we didn't do that earlier in the day.  Then our guide handed everyone a box lunch and bottle of water.  

 

Not knowing this was coming, I had no expectations of a lunch.  

 

 

It was a bun with a piece of cheese in it.  With zero expectations of a lunch my expectations were met.  🙂 (the muffin was good through).

 

 

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Since you are so close to the Canal right now, what does the ship do tonight? Are you just sitting anchored somewhere close just waiting for your time in the morning?

 

Goes out to sea.  Need to open the casino!

[twangster]

We began our return to Colon by driving near Panama City on the Pacific side.  Along the way we passed the rail yard for the Panama Canal Railway.

 

 

 

[Jimbo]

1 minute ago, twangster said:

 

Goes out to sea.  Need to open the casino!

So are you moving or just sitting out in the open water. That's was what I was asking.

[twangster]

Back to Colon and the ship.  

 

[twangster]

9 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

So are you moving or just sitting out in the open water. That's was what I was asking.

 

Likely moving.  The ship is more stable underway and they can make water, empty tanks and so all the things ships do at sea, as well as avoiding all the heavy ship traffic.

 

On my last transit on Vision we did the same, but in reverse, going out to sea from the canal and coming back in the next day for our day at Colon.  We didn't stop but nearly completed a three sided triangle.

Edited April 28, 2023 by twangster

[twangster]

When we board on deck two in it's in a crew area before get back to the deck 2 elevator lobby.  I noticed this on the wall.  

 

 

September 2021 - "... assisting the yard in the repair".

 

I wonder what that means.