3-6-09
Last night we went through part of the Panama Canal. It was so cool. It was dark by the time we got there, but the tall street lights that lined the Canal provided sufficient lighting. Our anticipation grew as we waited for other boats in front of us to move to the next chamber. We entered the first chamber, and the thick metal gates behind us slowly closed us in. Then we noticed water swirling beneath us. Soon we were rising at a noticeable pace. Within a matter of minutes, the water raised us about 30 feet. When we were at the desired height, the gates in front of us opened, and we entered another chamber and the cycle was repeated. When we finally reached Gatun Lake, we were 85 feet higher than we were when we were in the Atlantic Ocean. Gatun Lake was once part of the Chagres river which was dammed up to make the Panama Canal. This is where we spent the rest of the night.
The next morning we traveled through the lake and entered the other half of the canal. We met our new pilot, Cesar, who was to lead us through the rest of the canal (he is a very sweet man). On this leg of the canal, we went into the chambers and the water quickly drained (ultimately dropping us 85 feet). After the last gates opened, we pulled out to the Pacific Ocean. Green forests lined the bay to our right and our left, and in front of us we could see the Bridge of the Americas and a calm, blue ocean.
