San Blas Islands
Off the Caribbean coast of Panama

This morning is waiting, waiting, waiting, for the very slow tender launchings over the very short distance to Carti Tupili, one of the few inhabited islands of this 365-island archipelago.  The seas are a bit choppy, although the air is warm and clear, which accounts for some of the delay, but the rest of it is just crew member indolence and laissez-faire.  I do have a numbered tender ticket for later—they have stopped giving them out; I got one of the last ones available.  There is quite a bit more to this day’s adventures, but I will save the details for a later posting.  And it all ended well.  For now, it’s back to . . .

Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Fuerte Amador, Panama
Port of Panama City

. . . the first of two days at the Panama Canal, which I have had the wonderful opportunity of viewing from several perspectives.  We are anchored off Fuerte Amador, a series of causeway-connected islands at the Pacific (south) gateway to the canal that has become a center of cruise tourism.  Although the City of Panama is in the final construction stages of building a subway(!) there seems to be little enthusiasm for the dredging work required to build a pier at which large ships can dock.

My excursion today begins with a bus ride across the entire continent, from Pacific to Atlantic, crossing the Continental Divide—in 45 minutes—to the Gatun Lock on the Atlantic (north) end of the canal.  There is a high-level viewing platform that gives visitors a close-up look at the canal in operation.  Luckily for us, three large ships come through during the hour we spend on the platform.  For most of the day both lanes of locks are used in the same direction (northbound in the morning, southbound in the afternoon).  In the evening, when smaller ships are scheduled through the canal, the locks operate in both directions.  It is a 24-hour service, and HUGELY profitable to the Panamanians. 

 

 

 

 

The larger ships go through the locks with barely inches to spare on each side.  Thus the need for new post-Panamax locks, currently under construction at both ends of the canal.  After watching the Gatun locks in operation we head for the new visitors’ center at the construction site for the new locks.  The scale of engineer that is exposed is gargantuan, but most of it will be under water when the work is finished in 2014 (maybe).  The visitor center offers several videos about the canal in a very nice theatre, but they were disappointingly superficial.  I’m glad I did some advance reading about the history and operation of the canal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We head back to the ship—through very heavy automobile traffic—in mid-afternoon (after a turkey sandwich and banana muffin snack on the bus)).  There are many shops, restaurants, and duty-free mall back at the tender landing, but there is nothing other than t-shirts that I want or need (I confess I’ve gone a little overboard on t-shirts).

At 4pm I head back to the Veendam, although passengers may stay out all night if they choose, since we are anchored here until morning.  It’s my usual routine:  ice cream, a short rest, shower and dress, dinner in the dining room.  Tonight there is a 9:30 poolside party (more food) for guests and crew, but I am still able to turn in at my usual 10-11pm time.  I haven’t attended any shows because there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to sail through the first set of locks—Miraflores—at 8:15 am.  And Holland America pays a toll—in cash, based on the number of passengers—of $200,000 for the passage (plus a premium for ensuring an early entry).  I will try to use my money’s worth.