Cruisin Marys

Traveling through the Panama Canal exceeded expectations. It took all day but was totally worth it. It started at about 7:45 in the morning when we entered the Gatun locks. They are three chambers in the locks that are needed to bring the boat up to Gatun lake. It was fascinating to watch the boat be anchored to 4 mules, 2 in the front and 2 in the back (the mules we like train engines and run on tracks alongside the canal). They kept the boat from rocking against the walls as the water rose/fell. A pilot from Panama came on board and drove/worked with our crew to safely navigate the canal. We also had a tugboat with us at all times, in case assistance was needed. It took 90 minutes to get through the first set of locks. Then we sailed across the lake to the Pedro Miguel Locks, this one only had one chamber to drop us down 27 feet. Finally, we went through the Miraflores Locks, their 2 chambers to get to the Pacific Ocean at about 5:30. We had amazing views from the front of the ship, the sides and even off the back from our balconies. There was a Canal expert talking us through the whole crossing and answering questions. Can’t describe what an amazing feat of engineering the canal is, hopefully these pictures give you a small idea.