Panama Canal celebrates 100 years
Engineering feat: Touring this wonder of the modern world is on the ‘ bucket list’ of many travellers
This was supposed to be a joyous year for the Panama Canal. Its 100th birthday and the ensuing celebration was going to be centred around the opening of the expansion and new locks.
Well, the celebration will probably go ahead but the expansion and new locks will not be available until 2015 — or later if a current dispute between the country and the builders is not resolved soon.
However, you don’t have to wait until 2015 or 2016 to see this engineering wonder that I know is on a lot of “bucket lists” as a must- make cruise.
In 1914, it cost close to $ 400 million US to unlock a route that would save many days and 12,800 kilometres of travel for ships starting and ending their journey north of Panama, for instance, travelling from New York to California.
The last time I travelled the canal was in 2010, on board Holland America’s Zuiderdam. The ship headed into the locks around 7: 30 a. m. on the Atlantic side, sailing out the Pacific side late that afternoon.
The cruise lines have experienced commentators who join the ship upon entering the canal and keep up a running commentary for the entire journey.
I was luckier than most, having been invited to spend the day on the bridge by Captain Christopher Turner, who described navigating the canal this way: “Think about it as Disney’s Jungle Cruise in real life.”
Looking into the rainforest from the ship, I felt that if I ventured into it I would be swallowed up quickly. On the other hand, the forest offered some incredible beauty.
The guayacan trees turn yellow for just one week, and throughout the cruise we could spot them at many points along the shore.
My good fortune continued as retired captain Norman Werner, who was a pilot for 22 years, was also on the bridge. He showed me where he fished for bass and pointed out huts along the way where small boaters took cover from the sudden downpours.
Just as we passed the Chagres River that supplies the water needed to fill the locks, the Panama Canal Railway train was crossing the river’s bridge loaded with locals and tourists. The train travels from one end of the canal to the other, connecting the cities of Colon ( east) and Panama City ( west).
The locks are fascinating. They lift a ship up 26 metres ( and down again) through a series of locks at both ends. Electric mini- locomotives called “mules” pull the ship along, inches from the lock’s concrete walls. At one point in 8 Mile Cut, I felt I could almost jump off and walk ashore — we were that close.
Many cruise lines offer a variety of journeys through the locks — Princess and Holland America are the most active, with plenty of trips from Southern California to South Florida. During the Alaska season, longer journeys continue north to Vancouver and Seattle for the start of the Alaska cruise season. You can even make a partial transit with Princess.
One piece of advice: Take binoculars and find a spot on the ship where you can spend the day taking in everything this engineering wonder and its landscape has to offer.