Shortcut Transportation

An engineering marvel

Open the Gates All Photos by Author

When I booked this trip, I was attracted by the destinations. After traveling on the Atlantic about 20 times, I was seeking a new adventure. The two weeks sail would be the longest.

The Panama Canal sounded interesting and different from the usual ports I went to in the past. There would be four additional stops included, and three were new to me.

As we headed south, I discovered our cruise ship was not going through the canal and I was quite disappointed. It was extremely costly for a ship’s passage. We were docking in Colon, Panama where various excursions were available to tour the locks. There were added fees for them, but I was determined to have the experience since it was one of the main reasons I booked the journey.

Prior to sailing, I investigated what the transit might be like on the ship. How long it may take and sights not to be missed. Standing along the bow would provide the best vantage point, but this would require long periods of standing. Most likely, it would be too taxing for me.

Our visit to and through the locks with the tour turned out to be a great way to go.

We were picked up at the cruise terminal and settled into a touring coach. The drive was over an hour, but our guide made good use of the time. She pointed out sights of interest enroute, but also gave a detailed narrative about the Canal.

Upon arrival, the ferries which would navigate through three of the locks were waiting. They had an upper deck that was open, and a lower one with air-conditioning and where our lunch was served.

A Trip to Remember

The ferry guide gave continuous information about the history, but also explained some of what we viewed along the way, in addition to a lesson about how the Canal operated. We had great views of the water level as it changed, and of the opening and closing of the gated locks.

MiraFlores Lock

I had really good photo ops and I was surprised there was so much action along the shore. I never saw so much machinery all in one area, or such variety, all to keep the ships moving. If only one had problems, thousands of dollars could be lost. Schedules and timing of vessels moving through were synchronized to the minute.

One of my favorite views was of the pelicans perched on the Canal gates They seemed to be supervising and I found them most comical.

Guardians of the Gate

Note how high the water is where we were and how low it was on the other side of the gate. That is how much we had to be lowered before we could pass along.

Pelican Police

The tour was very popular. That is why two ferries were needed and we cruised in tandem through the water way until exiting into the Pacific. The fees for the ferries were not as expensive as those for the larger cargo ships. We toured on the Royal Cavalier.

While the fees for passage were high, using the canal saved the vessels the time and cost of navigating all the way to the tip of South America and up along its coast again. It would have taken days, while going through the waterway required about 8 hours. Some vessels made it through with only inches to spare. Specially trained captains navigated.

I did not expect to see so much activity. I thought it would be much more rural, but there were a number of businesses and hotels along the way, in addition to small pleasure craft making the journey.

Luxury on the Canal

Besides an armada of tug boats, there were large wheeled machines reminding me of a train engine. Each could tow an enormous amount of weight and assisted the ships through the narrow passages. They were known as mules and were worth millions of dollars.

Without question, there were huge costs for operating and maintaining the waterway, but the shipping companies paid by weight for passing through, which raised an enormous amount of money.

Mules

Views such as these were not uncommon.

I’ll Give You a Lift

You can Push Me all You Want

In the end, what began as disappointment became one of the most meaningful moments of the entire journey. Standing on the ferry as we slowly moved through the locks, watching the massive gates open and close I realized I was witnessing something extraordinary. The engineering, the constant motion of ships and machinery, and even the pelicans perched on the gates made the experience feel alive and unforgettable. I traveled all that way hoping to see the Panama Canal, and in the end I experienced it in a way I never expected — up close, unhurried, and filled with moments I will remember long after the voyage itself has ended.

I will probably write more about this journey in future articles. It was a good investment: educational, relaxing, fun, entertaining, and something I never did before.

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