Thursday, January 20, 2022

It was a sea day without the sea, at least until the very end.  Our transit of the Panama Canal began without us close to 6:30 this morning.  It was still dark and we slept through it.  We didn't miss much and had the whole day to take in the wonder of the canal.  

Unlike other canals we have cruised [Suez, Kiel, Rhine/Main], the Panama Canal is really a series of lakes connected by locks which raise or lower the water level so the ships "step" up or down to the next lake. 

This is necessary because the water levels are different at the Atlantic and Pacific sides.  The canal was started by the French who assumed their success in the Suez would translate into more success in Central America; they had not had to build locks in the Suez Canal which is essentially a big ditch.   Compounding their troubles, the French engineers had no experience with either mountains or mosquitoes which carried yellow fever.  And the heat and humidity were brutal. [As an aside, Panama hats are made in Ecuador but got their name because the workers on the Canal wore them.]

Originally, ships were dragged through the locks by mules which pulled cables attached to the ships.  They were replaced by electric trains which operate on a cog track.  The trains are still called mules. As the day progressed, we passed through three sets of locks. finally emerging opposite Panama City where we parked in the open water so tenders can take tourists ashore tomorrow.

We spent much of the day on the balcony watching the canal pass by.  It was reminiscent of cruising through the ends of Norwegian fjords -- lots of low greenery with higher elevations in the background.

Before lunch, D visited the Future Cruise Consultant to discuss a voyage on the new Rotterdam.  He had gotten information from a HAL agent via email yesterday but hoped for better results with a face-to-face.  Success!  He was able to book a rear balcony cabin similar to the current one in a better location for less money. 

MA had a SCAN [senior citizen afternoon nap] while D took pictures, and then it was off to trivia .  We came in second today but didn't care.  We continue to have fun which is the whole point.  The four of us stopped at the casino before returning to our cabins.  Ken and Lois were not at dinner tonight and it was strangely quiet.  

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day in Port