Tag Archives: Panama Canal

Being Led Through the Canal

by

0

Under the old lock system at Panama Canal, tugboats’ engagement with ships has been limited to guiding them in open waterways and to the entrance of the locks, where powerful locomotives known as “mules” take over, latching on and keeping the vessels in place as the water level is raised or lowered.

There are no mules in the new locks setup. Instead tugs approach a ship, latch on at both the bow and stern and accompany it inside the 1,400-foot locks. With the lock doors closed on a 1,200-foot New Panamax, there’s little room to operate for the roughly 90-foot tugs positioned both fore and aft.

The shipping vessels run on their own propulsion throughout, and are under the control of a canal pilot who goes on board to steer. Communication between the tugs and the pilot are key.

A tugboat gently guides a large ship through the Aqua Clara Lock, Panama Canal

Being Led

Being Led

Entering the Lock

Entering the Lock

Pulling Away

Pulling Away

Waiting

by

3

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

Waiting

Locks on a Hazy Day

by

0

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

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.

Holding Tanks

Water Basins

Expanding the Canal

by

2

Cocoli Locks

Cocoli Locks – Pacific Ocean

Agua Clara Locks

Agua Clara Locks – Atlantic Ocean

Miraflores Locks in Panama Canal

by

1

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

Miraflores Locks in Panama Canal

 

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

Canal Observation Galleries

Canal Observation Galleries

Colorful Biodiversity Museum

by

0

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

Colorful Biodiversity Museum

 

Reflections of Panama City captured on the shiny entrance walls of Biodiversity Museum ….

Reflections at Biodiversity Museum

Reflections at Biodiversity Museum