April 6, 2014: Canal Day: Part One

The Panamanian authorities come to vet us.

We both woke with great enthusiasm and made the dining room before most of the early birds.  Pastries instead of croissants for breakfast.

On deck ten; G is on deck 11..

 We reconnoitered the bow decks, and found ourselves a place out on the front to see and photograph the Panama Canal as we passed through.  Of like mind, our dinner table friends joined us.  Our constant lens clicking accompanied the ship into the locks.

Two MSC container ships going up the locks just in front of us.

New much larger, lock construction.

New gates for the new locks.  These will slide horozontally in and out of the walls unlike the old gates that open like doors.

A piece of the remaining French Canal.

Tugs nudging the MSC Kim into the lock.

Those are refrigeration units at the stern of both ships.  Notice the vertically hanging lifeboats on both ships.

Panamax indeed.

As the locks close on the MSC Kim, a rowboat comes to collect our line for the mule waiting dockside.

A mule waits for us.

The locks are closing and a small bridge is also closed just in front of the lock gates.

As the MSC KIM leaves the bottom lock, a truck and boat cross the narrow bridge.

As we enter the first lock, a fire engine crosses the bridge and a tanker begins its downward transit.

Up we go.