Traveling with Storys: October 30, 2024 - Panama Canal

October 30, 2024 – Wednesday Day 35 of this journey

Panama Canal

We awoke to only very gentle rocking. Yea! We are holding our place waiting for permission to enter the Canal. About 7:00 am, we started moving and crept into the harbor as we headed for the Gatun Locks. Before getting to the locks, we sail under the Atlantic Bridge. Off to our right, the clouds are hanging in the hills and we can also see an old wreck.

Approaching the Atlantic Bridge

Clouds hanging in the hills

This one didn't make it.

Looking back at the Atlantic Bridge

We have three sets of locks to go through today. The Gatun Locks lifting us from the Caribbean/Atlantic into Gatun Lake (85’) via three chambers. We then sail very slowly through Gatun Lake until we get to the Pedro Miguel Locks. Before getting to the Pedro Miguel Locks, we transit the Culebra Cut. This is a 7 ¾ mile cut through a mountain ridge and the Continental Divide. We sail under the Centennial Bridge which matches the Atlantic Bridge before getting to the locks. Here, there is only one chamber, and we drop 35’. In about 45 minutes we are at the Miraflores locks. There are two chambers here and we’ll drop the rest of the way to the level of the Pacific Ocean.

Approaching the first lock. The people on the left had spotted
wildlife on shore.

Hooking up to the locomotives that will pull us through the locks.
These are cog wheel locomotives and quite expensive these days.

Water dumping out of the opposite lock to lower the tanker.

Moving from one lock to the next

In Gatun Lake, we pass many huge container ships. I calculated
a couple thousand containers on this ship.

Just before Pedro Miguel Lock, lots of bystanders watching.
There were even food vendors set up.

While we were waiting to get into the Pedro Miguel Locks, the wind came up and a very dark cloud loomed overhead. We started seeing lightning bolts and heard huge thunderclaps. It began to pour. It is so nice that we have a very cozy ship to keep us dry.

Rain is in the forecast for us over the next several days, everywhere we’ll be. Should make for an interesting time. But we are in a warm climate, and even the rain is warm. We shall see.

As we docked at the cruise port for Panama City, we were just across the dock from the Viking Mars. Our sister ship. Many of the staff on the Octantis know staff on the Mars and are looking forward to connecting with them (although briefly as Mars sails again in the morning).