Colon, Gatun Locks, Lake Gatun and area

Later that day, March 13th, we traveled by bus to the Caribbean, or Atlantic, entrance to the Canal.  This is Colon, home to many of the descendants of the West Indian people who performed the majority of the manual labor during construction of the Canal.

View of the Canal expansion at the Gatun Locks, begun in 2007 and expected to be completed in 2016.  This will add another approach channel from the Atlantic to Lake Gatun as well as a third set of locks to accommodate larger cargo and cruise ships.

A set of gates on the new locks.

The ships in the distance on the left are approaching the original Gatun Locks.

Shelter Bay, where we will board the M/V Discovery, our vessel for the Canal transit.

The Discovery, a 110-foot 24-passanger catamaran.

Boat graveyard and old French lighthouse.

Every vessel transiting the Canal must have a pilot aboard, and here comes ours.

Excellent chance for viewing ships from all over the world during our time in the Canal.

Second deck of the Discovery is the dining area, bar, and lounge.

The channel on the right is part of what remains of the old French canal.

A Canal tugboat.

Approaching Gatun Locks, the orange and white ship is coming toward us in the other lane.

One of the electric "mules" that pull large ships through the locks.  To allow ships over 125 feet to move through the locks under their own power would entail too much risk of damage to the walls and gates.

In the chamber of the first of the three locks, which will raise us to a total of 85 feet above sea level.

Gates closing.

Some yachts moored near us the next morning in Gatun Lake.  The Discovery remained at anchor there for the next two nights while we used dinghies to go ashore or around the lake for further explorations.

Our cabin.

We visited the Gatun Dam and hydroelectric plant that supplies power for the Canal by damming the Chagres River.

Another rain forest hike, this time in San Lorenzo National Park.

Amen, Brother!

The old Spanish Fort San Lorenzo at the mouth of the Chagres.

Mouth of Chagres River.

Back to the Discovery.

Lower deck passageway between our cabins.

Some of our party of 19 took advantage of the opportunity to kayak.