Panama Canal, Panama
We woke up this morning sailing in the Gulf of Panama, just on time to see magnificent frigate birds and brown boobies as we passed by the island of Otoque and Bona where these birds keep large colonies.
Our destination is the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. Once at the entrance of the Panama Canal, the PCA authorities came aboard to inspect the ship and to officially check us into the country. All ships are checked to make sure they are in compliance with the Canal regulations. We get the go and finally the moment that we waited for.
We made our way into the Panama Canal, with the skyline of Panama City to our right and the old US navy base of Rodman to the left while passing under the Bridge of the Americas. We continued to make our way into Miraflores Locks, the first set of locks of the Panama Canal at its Pacific entrance.
The Panama Canal opened operations in 1914, after a colossal effort of the French and later the Americans, as well as many people of other nationalities from around the globe. Today, the Panama Canal is under Panamanian hands since 1999 with an increase in the number of larger Panamax vessels going through everyday.
Tonight we anchored at the Gatun Lake as we think with amazement on all the efforts that were taken creating the Panama Canal. Tomorrow we visit Barro Colorado Island to experience the biodiversity of the canal and to learn about the different research about the tropics done at this leading research center.
We woke up this morning sailing in the Gulf of Panama, just on time to see magnificent frigate birds and brown boobies as we passed by the island of Otoque and Bona where these birds keep large colonies.
Our destination is the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. Once at the entrance of the Panama Canal, the PCA authorities came aboard to inspect the ship and to officially check us into the country. All ships are checked to make sure they are in compliance with the Canal regulations. We get the go and finally the moment that we waited for.
We made our way into the Panama Canal, with the skyline of Panama City to our right and the old US navy base of Rodman to the left while passing under the Bridge of the Americas. We continued to make our way into Miraflores Locks, the first set of locks of the Panama Canal at its Pacific entrance.
The Panama Canal opened operations in 1914, after a colossal effort of the French and later the Americans, as well as many people of other nationalities from around the globe. Today, the Panama Canal is under Panamanian hands since 1999 with an increase in the number of larger Panamax vessels going through everyday.
Tonight we anchored at the Gatun Lake as we think with amazement on all the efforts that were taken creating the Panama Canal. Tomorrow we visit Barro Colorado Island to experience the biodiversity of the canal and to learn about the different research about the tropics done at this leading research center.
