Panama Canal

 The construction of the Panama Canal is one of those amazing tales from the past. 

For me, it is a true marvel of engineering in a time where people power was the main source of muscle.

The new route apparently shortened a ships voyage by 7800 miles saving having to go around the bottom of South America thought very rough and treacherous seas.

It took those incredible people & animals over a decade with thousands loosing their lives to complete the construction.

It opened 15th August 1914.

This was a big part of our reason to do this Caribbean cruise, we both wanted to float through Central America from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast to the Pacific Ocean on the west coast 

on the Panama Canal and Wow what an experience it was. 

My day started at 4am 🌒 for my morning walk.

I was a bit like a kid on Christmas day and didn't want to miss out on anything … oh that, and the fact and my body clock was all over the place after cruising around the Caribbean with all the

 + ing  & - ing of hours over the past several days.

Now it is 5am … some one’s time!!!

 Walk is done, the sun just breaking through the clouds on the horizon and it’s time for coffee and …

 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁  … “Panama Rolls”

These little treaties didn't appear on any menus before today and then this morning like the surprise a child gets with chocolate eggs at Easter … it was me being surprised!

Yummy … warm … soft … sweet bread with custard and cream piped into the centre “I’m in food heaven” 

I will now have to celebrate “Panama Roll Day” 

16th April every year 😋 

The ships captain opened up the bow on our deck 5 for people to get the chance to see the locks in action. There were a few other early risers hanging around to get the under cover seating,

 or was it that they too knew it was Panama Rolls Day!

Land Ahoy 

The entrance into Limon Bay from the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean through the rock breakwater.

The local pilot boat comes up just under our deck for the local locks captain to help our captain with the start of the transit through the locks system's.

The first of several suspension/cable-stayed bridges that span 

North America to South America

  One of several tug boats that also help guide and sometimes gently nudges the cruise ship through to the deeper sections of

 Limon Bay.

Out of Limon Bay and into the first of 6 locks in total that will transport our’s and around 36 to 38 ships a day. It takes 3 locks to go up 85 feet from the Atlantic Ocean to the fresh water of Gatun Lake at the top and 3 more locks to come down the other 85 feet to the Pacific Ocean.

In total it is approximately 82 km and 12 hours to come out the other side

I was surprised how few ships are going through the canals I just thought it would have been more.

The cost for a ship our size was about $200,000.00 Aussie

So divide by the 2300 on the cruise we are paying about $87.00 each … so not bad for a fun day out.

One of the historic pictures in the hallways of the HAL ships crossing the Panama Canals