Waiting

December 21, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

The Panama Canal is undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks of Panama. However, despite its prominence, few people know that Lake Gatun, situated in the beautiful valley of the Chagres River, forms a major part of the Canal, carrying ships for 33 km of their transit across the Isthmus of Panama. The lake also provides the millions of gallons of water necessary to operate the Panama Canal locks each time a ship passes through, as well as supplying drinking water for Panama City and Colon.

Lake Gatun is a vast artificial lake formed between 1907 and 1913 by the building of the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River. At the time it was created, Gatun was the largest man-made lake and dam in the world.

Ships waiting in Lake Gatun to enter the Aqua Clara Lock …..

Waiting

Locks on a Hazy Day

December 20, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

We visited the Agua Clara Locks, Panama Canal on a rainy, hazy day but still got fairly good knowledge of how the locks work.

Haze at Aqua Clara Locks

For each of the three chambers in the Agua Clara and Cocoli Locks, there are a total of three water-savings basins, bringing the total to 18 basins for the new locks. Each of the basins is massive, having a surface area equivalent to 25 Olympic-size pools. And each utilizes state-of-the art technology which allows the Canal to reuse 60 percent of the water used per lockage, saving seven percent more than the existing locks do.

Water Basins

Expanding the Canal

December 19, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

Cocoli Locks – Pacific Ocean

Agua Clara Locks – Atlantic Ocean

Getting a Little Help

December 18, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

Giant ships get a little help from powerful mules to guide them through the locks at Panama Canal.

Getting a Little Help

Getting through the old locks at Miraflores is a very tight squeeze.

A Tight Squeeze

Barely Fits

December 17, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

A giant cargo container ship barely fits through the old locks at Miraflores on Panama Canal.

Barely Fits

Ships Passing Through

December 16, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

Huge ships pass through the Panama Canal 24 hours a day. Of the aprroximately 14,000 ships that transit the Panama Canal each year, more than half have beams in excess of a hundred feet and can barely squeeze through the old locks, which can accommodate ships up to 106 feet wide.

Ships Passing Through

Miraflores Locks in Panama Canal

December 15, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

Panama is well-known for its canal that provides a connection between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Miraflores is the name of one of the three locks that form part of the Panama Canal, and the name of the small lake that separates these locks from the Pedro Miguel Locks upstream. In the Miraflores locks, vessels are lifted (or lowered) 54 feet in two stages, allowing them to transit to or from the Pacific Ocean port of Balboa in Panama City.

Miraflores Locks in Panama Canal

A visitors center allows tourists to have a full view of the Miraflores locks operation.

Canal Observation Galleries

Atrium Roof Designs

December 14, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

Frank Gehry centered the Panama City’s Biodiversity Museum on a public open-air atrium covered by a sequence of multicolored metal canopies, each folded and staggered to evoke Panama’s local vernacular of tin roofs and colorful facades. The origami-like roofs also help protect the interior from the region’s wet-season downpour and wind gusts. A museum store, cafe, and a temporary exhibition space branch out from the central atrium.

Roof Designs

Colorful Biodiversity Museum

December 13, 2016 by Photographer Ravi

With its multicolored facade, the Biomuseo is prominently situated on the highly visible Amador Causeway at the Pacific mouth of the Panama Canal. The building serves as a major civic and educational resource for the residents of Panama, as well as an attractive tourist destination. The museum houses a series of permanent exhibitions created by Bruce Mau Design and is surrounded by a 6-acre Biodiversity Park designed by Gehry in collaboration with landscape designer Edwina von Gal.

Colorful Biodiversity Museum