Panama Canal

Today was our time to transit the Panama Canal, and I was up early to watch as we sailed under the Atlantic Bridge on our way to the Gatun Locks. Tim and I made our first journey through the Panama Canal last year on our World Cruise, and this is the link to that post. I am planning to not repeat too much of what I covered there, although I did take way more photos today than I had expected.

Ready to Sail Under the Atlantic Bridge and Enter the Panama Canal

Just like last year, the Gatun Locks were the ones we seemed to gravitate towards. Many passengers were on the bow listening to Matias narrating our passage. We watched as the first lock opened and we made our entry.

Passengers Eagerly Waiting for Viking Octantis to Enter the Gatun Locks

The First Lock Opening for Us

I wandered back to the aft of the ship to watch the gates close. Our ship is so small that the two tugs accompanying us were able to comfortably fit into the lock with us.

All Three of Us Fit Into the First Lock

As we exited Gatun Lock, we began sailing through Gatun Lake, a manmade lake that resulted after the Gatun Dam was constructed.

Gatun Lake - The Former Village of Gatun Is at the Bottom of the Lake 

This interlude in the lake was a perfect time to head to the World Café for another special culinary event, Ensalada del Panama. The mango dressing was wonderful.

Ensalada del Panama Station, Courtesy of Restaurant Manager Alfredo, Public Safety Officer Atha, Entertainment Manager Arianna, and Beverage Manager Nikola

I returned to the Explorers’ Lounge to watch our transit under the Centennial Bridge and then through the Pedro Miguel Locks.

Approaching the Centennial Bridge

Ready to Exit the Pedro Miguel Locks

The Miraflores Locks lowered us to sea level, and we then sailed under the Bridge of the Americas into the Pacific Ocean.

In the Miraflores Locks

Finally Reaching the Bridge of the Americas

This year, our Expedition Team had told us about an interesting feature sponsored by the Panama Canal Authority. At each of the three locks, a webcam provides a view of the ships as they pass through. It was fun to see Viking Octantis from the perspective provided by these webcams.

Views from the Webcams - Gatun Locks (top left and right); Pedro Miguel Locks (middle left and right, and bottom left), and Miraflores Locks (bottom right)

Map of Our Journey through the Panama Canal

Unlike last year, when Viking Sky docked in Colon on the Atlantic side of the canal, tonight Viking Octantis docked in Panama City. As the sun was setting, we sailed past the Amador Causeway, where Frank Ghery’s Biomuseo is located, and finally docked at Fuerte Amador, where we had a view of the Panama City skyline.

Frank Ghery's Biomuseo and the Amador Causeway

Panama City Skyline

At dinner this evening, Tim and I said goodbye to several of the waiters we had come to know. Many are leaving the ship tomorrow for a well-deserved vacation, and a new contingent will come on board.

Tim and Sarah with Jay, Ahmed, Marshall, and Jhony

At the end of a long, but fun, day, Viking Octantis sponsored a destination performance by the Panamanian Folkloric Dance Group. The dancers were so energetic, and their traditional costumes were beautiful. I love performances like this that immerse us in the local culture.

The Many Dances by the Panamanian Folkloric Dance Group

Another thing that had helped immerse me in the culture of Panama was an excellent historical novel that I finished reading two days ago. The Great Divide, by Cristina Henríquez, explores how the lives of various individuals were affected during the construction of the Panama Canal. The novel intertwines the stories of local Panamanians, foreign workers, and others and sheds light on the cultural clashes and the personal struggles, ambitions, sacrifices, and resilience of those often overlooked in historical accounts.