Panama Canal ~ Flotilla underway
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| PANAMA CANAL fun facts |
Panama Canal each year
- Halliburton, an
adventurer - swam the
canal in the 1920s and
paid the lowest toll ever:
36 cents, based on his
weight of 140 pounds
- Gatun: 163 square-mile
lake is the Canal's highest
point, at 85 feet above sea
level
- Crocs up to 18 feet long
live in the lake
- Ships traveling between
New York and San
Francisco save 7,872
miles by using the
Panama Canal instead of
going around Cape Horn
- Halliburton, an
adventurer - swam the
canal in the 1920s and
paid the lowest toll ever:
36 cents, based on his
weight of 140 pounds
- Gatun: 163 square-mile
lake is the Canal's highest
point, at 85 feet above sea
level
- Crocs up to 18 feet long
live in the lake
- Ships traveling between
New York and San
Francisco save 7,872
miles by using the
Panama Canal instead of
going around Cape Horn
| Miraflores Locks ~ PANAMA Canal Video Camera still shots of Northern Winds |
Feeding the line-handlers
MULE - used to pull the freighters
Entering 1st Lock behind freighter
Rafting up
Gates beginning to close
Gates almost closed
Pulling in behind cargo ship
Our navigational software view
| Panama Canal Line Handlers Used to guide the Yachts |
Bob on Cell phone - background
Kim standing on cabin roof
Northern Winds lowering out of sight
boats that would raft along side
and controlling the navigation
and speed. Even as a flotilla, we
were dwarfed by the freighters we
passed and joined in the locks.
and controlling the navigation
and speed. Even as a flotilla, we
were dwarfed by the freighters we
passed and joined in the locks.
| You can see us in the distance, though very small compared to the carriers. Rafted w/ Majia & Sailors Dream |
We entered the canal
around 6 and it took a
total of day and half to
a stay at the Gatun
hired 3 line handlers
that slept on deck.
around 6 and it took a
total of day and half to
a stay at the Gatun
hired 3 line handlers
that slept on deck.
Wayne joined us as our fourth line
handler. It is required that we have 4
handler. It is required that we have 4
| Colon to the "flats" where we wait for our advisor to arrive |
The Panama Canal extends across the Isthmus of Panama from Colon on the
Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea) side to Balboa and the Pacific Ocean. The canal was
then followed by the Americans, with their construction completed in 1914.
In 1883 it was realized that the tide level at the Pacific side was almost 19 feet higher
than the Atlantic side. Engineers concluded the difference in levels would be a danger
to navigation. It was then proposed that a tidal lock should be constructed near
Panama City to preserve the level from there to Colon.
Eventually, due to some new thinking, and in an effort to it right the first time, it was
decided that the original plan should be modified and a widely accepted lock system
should be used. As an example, when a ship traveling from the Atlantic side reaches
the Gatun Locks, a series of three locks raise that ship about 85 ft. to Gatun Lake.
Then it's a 40 mile trip to the locks at Pedro Miguel, locks that lower the ship 30 feet.
At the Mira flores locks the ship is lowered an additional 52 feet to Pacific Ocean sea
level.
One of the best things we did was to hire an agent to plan, schedule and take care of the numerous task that must be done. Through several recommendations we chose Stanley Scott. He was a pleasure to work with and available to us every time we called and regardless of day and hour he got back to us and was able to meet the demand. He is well known and manages to get things done that we thought would be impossible in the time alloted. You can reach Stanley easily and let him know we sent you. His website link is: http://agentstanley.cruisers-net.com/ |
| 3-26-07 3:35 Departed Shelter Bay Marina |
Panama