Panama Canal

Gaer you are fast. I just like posted this half a minute ago. You'd make a great firefighter. The bell would ring and you'd already be on scene putting out the fire while the fire trucks would just be leaving the firehouse, lol.
 
I went through it in 1965 on the USS Jamestown, it was an entirely different experience than going through the Suez Canal. The design of those locks is impressive. We did pull into Panama City for a liberty call, but for portions of the transit we had to stay below deck or stay in the hatchways so that we could quickly duck for cover. There is something about Canals that seems to periodically inspire bad guys to take pot shots at passing ships. Panama City was a short but fun port call.
 

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We took a Panama Canal cruise last February. So cool! Went thru the old locks, but got to visit the new locks as well. Bet you didn’t know that China owns the rights to the canal now. Supposedly they will cede control sometime in the future, but don’t hold your breath. Panama has their own coins (money) but otherwise they deal in US dollars. The kids in Panama all want to the pilot that guides the the ships thru the locks, or so we were told. What I didn’t realize is that there are only 6 locks — three into Lake Gaitun, then you traverse the lake, then three back down. Panama is only 50 miles wide at that point, so it makes sense. FB370636-0752-4EFD-A214-3632251D75D7.jpeg2CF81769-4A02-45CB-A15C-00B9FC30C79D.jpegWhat amazes me the most is that the locks are original from 1900 They’ve upgraded The mules only a few times C1571EF4-F502-45C4-B214-92D5D5C59DB3.jpeg
 
When I was in the service, back in 1956, we moored in Colon for a few days. Some of us took the narrrow guage train across to Panama City. Both cities seemd like dumps to me (a least back then) and of course we weren't staying in a 5 start hotel with people kissing our a---s. Maybe under those circumstances it would have seemed better.
 

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