I think we all have a “Bucket List.”
Whether we want to admit to it or not, there are a few things that we each want to do before the Grim Reaper rings the doorbell.
Me, I have a few on my list. The first involves Kirstie Alley, Justin Beiber, and a ring of Italian sausage. The second is passing through the eighth Wonder of the World, the Panama Canal.
Seeing that Kirstie or the Beibs hasn’t answered any of my letters, I thought it would be much easier to scratch the Panama Canal off my list. Hence the reason for booking this cruise. That and how many times could I possibly visit San Juan in a year?
The ms Zuiderdam is a member of a class of ships that can pass through the Panama Canal. The large, mega-ships the cruise lines are pumping out these days are too large to pass through the existing locks of the canal. But when the new Panama Canal opens for ship traffic in 2015, it will accommodate many of today’s larger ships increasing the number of vessels that use the canal as a shortcut.
The Zuiderdam passed the breakwaters of the Panama Canal shortly after 5:30am as we made the approach to the first set of locks, the Gatun Locks heading south. We entered the lock around 7:30am as the first chamber began to fill with water as the ship rose and the “mules,” the locomotives that pull the ship through the canal, took us on the journey.
We stepped up to another lock and the ship rose several meters from where we started. Everyone was out of their cabins snapping photos of the historic event. Those who wanted to get up far too early for me were able to secure a spot on the ship’s bow at 6am. My verandah happened to provide me with an awesome view of the first part of the transit, which I enjoyed watching as breakfast was served.
After passing through the Gatun Locks we anchored in Gatun Lake, where only those who were going on a tour were permitted to disembark. I had a full day scheduled, with a 9am tender ride to shore where I boarded a bus en route to a ferry boat.
You see, the Zuiderdam herself was not making a complete transit of the Panama Canal. She only went through the first set of locks and then stopped to drop off passengers and pass through the lock she entered and sail to Colon, Panama.
Having had “Transit the Panama Canal” on my bucket list, just going through one lock wasn’t good enough. I had to do the whole thing. So off I went.
After a 90-minute bus ride, I boarded a passenger ferry that would take me through two more sets of locks and into the Pacific Ocean completing the transit.
Once on the ferry, I went to the top, the open-air deck where the best viewing would be had. Luckily, the sun was in and out and there were off-and-on showers throughout the day keeping the hot Panamanian sun at bay and the mosquitoes in their nests.
And we’re off! The journey to the Pacific Ocean was on…. albeit at a slow pace.
We were followed by another ferry boat and a large car carrier freighter who we would end up sharing the locks with during the transit.
As we sailed through the canal our tour guide gave us a history lesson about the canal, what the new canal will mean for the country, and the amount of revenue the canal brings in each year. Each ship that passes through the canal must have a Panama Canal Pilot on board for the transit. As our guide pointed out, a “rookie” pilot makes $65k a year, while a “veteran” earns $175k a year.
Not a bad gig, if you can get it.
The second set of locks lay ahead and everyone started grabbing their cameras as we sailed into the lock, this time stepping us down from the higher elevation we came from. As we entered the lock, the other ferry and car carrier followed behind. The lock doors closed behind them and water began to be emptied from the chamber as we descended into the lock.
As the stone walls of the lock began to greet us, our guide suggested that for good luck we each place a hand on the wall. Of course, all 139 people on the ferry rushed to starboard to do just that. Me included.
As the lock gates opened we moved further south down the canal into the final set of locks that consisted of two chambers – each taking us lower and lower until we were level with the Pacific Ocean.
At 2:47pm ET, the lock gates opened and a big cheer went through the boat as the guide announced we have just completed a full transit of the canal.
Throughout the trip through the canal, I couldn’t help but stop and wonder how many people it took to build such a massive project. And how many people lost their lives. All along the transit we saw the work being done on the expansion project and the modern machinery that’s being used to build that, while thinking back to 1914 and how most of the equipment being used was muscle and sweat.
While I’m not a history buff by any means, I thoroughly enjoyed this passage through history and seeing the equipment that has connected one part of the world to another for a century, with much of the original machinery still being used today.
With a full transit of the Panama Canal scratched off the bucket list, it was back on a bus to meet the Zuiderdam back in Colon, Panama. During the 90-minute ride, we passed through countryside and towns where the presence of the United States military back during the war is still evidenced with buildings and bases repurposed. Off in the distance, the modern city of Panama City stands out with its skyscrapers, a sharp contrast to the city of Colon where you feel you’re between second and third-world countries, unable to decide which you’re in.
At pre-dinner cocktails, many of us remarked on how the name Colon fit the town perfectly.
Use your own imagination, I don’t think much help is needed.
Personal Day-By-Day Zuiderdam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Zuiderdam:
Capturing memories through photography is an integral part of any vacation, and my voyage aboard the Holland America Zuiderdam was no different. Throughout my journey, I snapped countless photos, highlighting various aspects of the ship such as the stunning interior design, the inviting swimming pools, and my own cozy cabin. If you’re interested in viewing these snapshots, you can check out the Zuiderdam Photo Tour or browse the daily cruise review, both accessible through the links provided above.