We took what may be the world’s most famous short-cut! The Panama Canal, that is. The alternative, of course is sailing all the way around South America, which would take quite a while. So the short-cut is good, and we enjoyed our day sailing the canal. It is an amazing feat of engineering, using a series of locks to raise and lower ships. The system works by letting gravity move water downward so that ships will float upward. There is no electricity involved.
You may know that building the Panama Canal was not easy at all. Several attempts had to be abandoned. The jungle was thick and full of mosquitoes. Malaria and Yellow Fever killed thousands. The work was hard and hot. It really is amazing that the canal ever did get built. But it did, and world-wide shipping has not been the same since.
Here are some pictures of the scenery along the way.
Here are pictures of the locks.
Panama City in the distance means that you have almost reached the Pacific Ocean.
Under the Bridge of the Americas, and Good Bye, Canal.
From the PACIFIC OCEAN!
Blessings,
LInda
Amazing photos! Can’t wait to see you soon!