The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Cesar R M]

Panama Canal 2022 Trip Report P19

And now for the important bits.
After another sea day, we finally arrived very early to the mouth of the panama Canal!


We planned to wake up very early but we were so tired lol.

Still, we managed to be ready in time just to see the first approach to the most important gate.


On the bad side, the sun was hitting hard and the temps were getting very toasty.
The good, there was some wind and I had my hat.
The other bad? everyone was trying to push to be able to see.



Its amazing to see the syncronization, there were always 2-3 ships per side at same time.


The upper area was shockfull of people..





I always loved how each little car that pulled the ships, had this little bell.
When they finished pulling, they rang the bell so the other little cars could know when it was their turn.






Check that brass circular bell on the center of the machine.



There were mostly flamable tankers and other kind of stuff traveling. Very few cargo ones thou...

I found this one very interesting, supposedly its for moving Cars and trucks, with a capacity in the large hundreads.





A video of most of the crossing:

 

[Cesar R M]

Panama Canal 2022 Trip Report P20

The whole tour was obviously narrated.

The only issue was that the guy narrating had the MOST BORING and dragged out the lines lol.









I remember sharing this image before, I always makes me laugh. "EverFull" XD



Another shot at the very large car transport.



Some smaller patrol boats here and there.



Some tuboats as well, carrying large quantities of sand and rocks or perhaps other materials.




As you move closer and closer to the Panama side (Pacific). The narrowed the canal became.

There were not many cruise ships, but we managed to check this luxury one.



And we go full circle...

The cranes and the bridges that were "behind" the Gamboa Rainforest Resort (the hotel we stayed on day 1)



Then it narrowed enough to the "Serpent's pass", Where only one ship could enter at a time.
Note the degradation on the sides of the canal. They constantly need to fix the canal by removing the sand and dirt that slowly fell.

 

[Cesar R M]

Panama Canal 2022 Trip Report P21





After almost 9 hours, we finally reached the final row of gates.





There was a very interesting separation, where the smaller ships went to the left side of the gates. And the much larger cargo ones went to the right.

The photo above shows the "left" gates, where there are two sets of simple gates.

With this you reached the Pacific area. Where we stayed for one night outside the bay from Panama City and the next day we would disembark.

Not to forget that it rained VERY HARD on the last part when we were entering the last gates (as seen in the above photo).

I had to hug to the wind breaker glass that was in the top front of the ship to avoid getting soaked.


Also, this HUGE fly that was in the glass.
I had never seen a fly this big. It was probably the size of half my hand, around 5 to 8 cms long.





Food was very good of course...






And the final show was decent.

It was some sort of Moulin Rogue type circus, with the same performers, performing similar feats XD





Will continue in Part 22, When we arrive to PANAMA CITY for one last day.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Snow tomorrow. Starting Saturday is a week of temps 21 degrees or less as a high.

 

[FutureCEO]

In the city yes but go just a bit north and west and it turns into another world up in the hills. There are people who commute into and out of the hills. I was one of those once upon a time

 

[John park hopper]

 

[MinnieM123]

I never could understand why when I visit friends in the NE ( NJ and NY ) it seems like 3 out of every 4 cars is AWD or 4WD. It snows what maybe 1-2x a year?

As others shared, every winter is different. And even those of us who don't live in mountainous terrain, still occasionally face dangerous roads (whether on level streets; or on hills in the cities and towns; or, the on and off-ramps to highways, etc.). Our road crews do an excellent job, but there are conditions sometimes, that they cannot keep up with. (As a side note, not everyone up here has AWD or 4WD -- we've only had cheapo cars, and just drove even slower during inclement weather.)

 

[MinnieM123]

@Cesar R M , I'm really enjoying your TR. The Panama Canal is such a unique destination to visit.

 

[Goofyernmost]

@Cesar R M , I'm really enjoying your TR. The Panama Canal is such a unique destination to visit.

I agree! I've been a lot of places in my life and got to the point were everyplace looks the same to me only in a different place. Because of that I have thought that a Panama Canal Cruise would be something I have never seen duplicated anywhere. Now I'm torn... Thanks to that report I now know what that would be like. I think @Cesar R M just saved me a load of money. Just kidding it looked like a very interesting trip. I am curious as to how they hook up and unhook the mules from the ship.

 

[Lilofan]

As others shared, every winter is different. And even those of us who don't live in mountainous terrain, still occasionally face dangerous roads (whether on level streets; or on hills in the cities and towns; or, the on and off-ramps to highways, etc.). Our road crews do an excellent job, but there are conditions sometimes, that they cannot keep up with. (As a side note, not everyone up here has AWD or 4WD -- we've only had cheapo cars, and just drove even slower during inclement weather.)

Yes that is the key drive slower in inclement weather and driving a manual transmission I can better control the speed of the car rowing through the gears.

 

[Lilofan]

Panama Canal 2022 Trip Report P21

View attachment 694643

View attachment 694644

After almost 9 hours, we finally reached the final row of gates.

View attachment 694645

View attachment 694646

There was a very interesting separation, where the smaller ships went to the left side of the gates. And the much larger cargo ones went to the right.

The photo above shows the "left" gates, where there are two sets of simple gates.

With this you reached the Pacific area. Where we stayed for one night outside the bay from Panama City and the next day we would disembark.

Not to forget that it rained VERY HARD on the last part when we were entering the last gates (as seen in the above photo).

I had to hug to the wind breaker glass that was in the top front of the ship to avoid getting soaked.


Also, this HUGE fly that was in the glass.
I had never seen a fly this big. It was probably the size of half my hand, around 5 to 8 cms long.

View attachment 694642



Food was very good of course...

View attachment 694647

View attachment 694651


And the final show was decent.

It was some sort of Moulin Rogue type circus, with the same performers, performing similar feats XD

View attachment 694649

View attachment 694650

Will continue in Part 22, When we arrive to PANAMA CITY for one last day.

I’ve visited Panama and the Canal in December years ago. Stayed in a home in the capital with friends with no AC. Took several showers a day just to try to cool off. Yes those bugs are huge especially the cockroaches. The bartender advised for us to cover our mixed drinks so the huge bugs don’t find a home in our drinks.

 

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[Figgy1]

8 days until groundhog day