Panama Canal and Barro Colorado Island, Panama
From the wonders of nature to the wonders of mankind! We began our tropical voyage last night as we joined with our new home for a week, the Sea Voyager. As soon as we were on board our pilot, Captain Olsen, arrived, and off we went towards the beginning of our “Path Between the Seas.”
We left the port of Cristobal and headed out to the set of locks found on the Caribbean side: the Gatun Locks. Our ship is the only ship that actually stays overnight on Gatun Lake. While most of us slept, we welcomed our second pilot, who moved us from our resting spot on to Barro Colorado Island.
Barro Colorado has been a biological preserve since 1923, not long after the area was isolated from the mainland by the creation of Gatun Lake. The island attracts the interest of scientists from all over the world: bats, birds, plants, monkeys, agoutis, etc. have been studied here for more than 80 years. Our experience on the island, either by foot or on a Zodiac, could be described as fascinating, as we were awed by the haziness and volatility the rain bestowed to the environment. Sailboats, cargo ships, and oil containers that passed us while exploring the lake, looked like ghost vessels surrounded by the mist.
After lunch our third pilot arrived and our day transit towards the Pacific Ocean continued. The Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks awaited our arrival. Once through the chambers as we crossed under the Bridge of the Americas we watched the Southern Cross as it greeted us over the Pacific Ocean.
The Canal is one of the world’s most significant waterways, a true engineering marvel, stretching for 50 miles across the Isthmus. No matter how many times in your lifetime you go through the Canal, the more you learn about it, both in terms of the construction project or the associated political and environmental intrigues and issues, the more interesting it becomes. The biggest and best example of human genius waved us good-bye as we cruised towards our next nature destination.
From the wonders of nature to the wonders of mankind! We began our tropical voyage last night as we joined with our new home for a week, the Sea Voyager. As soon as we were on board our pilot, Captain Olsen, arrived, and off we went towards the beginning of our “Path Between the Seas.”
We left the port of Cristobal and headed out to the set of locks found on the Caribbean side: the Gatun Locks. Our ship is the only ship that actually stays overnight on Gatun Lake. While most of us slept, we welcomed our second pilot, who moved us from our resting spot on to Barro Colorado Island.
Barro Colorado has been a biological preserve since 1923, not long after the area was isolated from the mainland by the creation of Gatun Lake. The island attracts the interest of scientists from all over the world: bats, birds, plants, monkeys, agoutis, etc. have been studied here for more than 80 years. Our experience on the island, either by foot or on a Zodiac, could be described as fascinating, as we were awed by the haziness and volatility the rain bestowed to the environment. Sailboats, cargo ships, and oil containers that passed us while exploring the lake, looked like ghost vessels surrounded by the mist.
After lunch our third pilot arrived and our day transit towards the Pacific Ocean continued. The Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks awaited our arrival. Once through the chambers as we crossed under the Bridge of the Americas we watched the Southern Cross as it greeted us over the Pacific Ocean.
The Canal is one of the world’s most significant waterways, a true engineering marvel, stretching for 50 miles across the Isthmus. No matter how many times in your lifetime you go through the Canal, the more you learn about it, both in terms of the construction project or the associated political and environmental intrigues and issues, the more interesting it becomes. The biggest and best example of human genius waved us good-bye as we cruised towards our next nature destination.
