Panama Canal

We parked last night just outside the Panama Canal entrance, waiting for our turn to go in.  A couple of interesting tidbits - for a cruise ship of our size, it costs the company about $100,000 to go through the canal.  And, to reserve a daylight spot it is an additional $30,000. Credit cards are not accepted and the payment must be in advance of arrival!  Guess a monopoly can call it's own shots!

Lots of ships were waiting, and a brief lightning storm early this morning lent it's own beauty to the day.  Since there was quite a bit of traffic going East to West, during much of the day, both lanes were being used by traffic going west.  We followed a monstrous Panamax ship, one that is built to use every bit of space in the canal!  Typically those seem to be the container ships.

Lunch on the rear veranda watching for crocodiles and birds was wonderful, followed by rain and a nap until we hit the second pair of locks on the Pacific side.

Here we are entering the Atlantic side locks, sharing the lock with another boat and the Panamax container ship in the lock in front of us.
Below, we are headed on to the Darien Jungle south of the canal on the Pacific side.  Lots of boats on this side also, along with white ibis, brown booby's and the ever-present frigate birds.
Word is that there is a good chance we will continue to see dolphins plus a possibility of whales!!