Photos from Gatun locks

Just got back on Jan. 13 from 10 day HAL Zuiderdam Panama cruise, this was a partial transit where our ship went through the Gatun lock into the Gatun lake and turned around and came back out. I decided to take the ship excursion to tour the Gatun Lock and Expansion project and really enjoyed getting the perspective from being on the ship and watching the ship go back through on land. I have posted my photos at: http://jprimages.com/travel/hal/zuiderdam/panama/canal

I did get up early to try to get a good position on the front bow. The opened the access shortly before 6:00 am and I was one person back from the front. As the sun rose it did get quite crowded but by 8-8:30 the crowds really thinned out. We had great weather with no rain and a nice breeze and very few mosquitos.

Thanks for the pictures. We are getting ready to head that way in just 6 weeks.

Very nice... enjoyed the construction pics as well.

Thanks for the great pictures.

Just got back on Jan. 13 from 10 day HAL Zuiderdam Panama cruise, this was a partial transit where our ship went through the Gatun lock into the Gatun lake and turned around and came back out. I decided to take the ship excursion to tour the Gatun Lock and Expansion project and really enjoyed getting the perspective from being on the ship and watching the ship go back through on land. I have posted my photos at: http://jprimages.com/travel/hal/zuiderdam/panama/canal

 

I did get up early to try to get a good position on the front bow. The opened the access shortly before 6:00 am and I was one person back from the front. As the sun rose it did get quite crowded but by 8-8:30 the crowds really thinned out. We had great weather with no rain and a nice breeze and very few mosquitos.

Beautiful pictures. I am planning on taking the same excursion so was very interested. Picture # 123 - it looks like tourists are walking across the top of the lock gate. Does anyone know if that is possible to do??

Beautiful pictures. I am planning on taking the same excursion so was very interested. Picture # 123 - it looks like tourists are walking across the top of the lock gate. Does anyone know if that is possible to do??

They certainly do look like tourist, but probably not your run of the mill tourist that happens to stop by the locks to see the operation. More than likely they are a relative or friend of an employee, even possibly someone with official connections. Generally speaking the general public visitors are only allowed in viewing area that is open to the public. It's really a shame that more people could not be admitted to the center wall and the Control House to see what an industrial work of art the control board really is. On a practical level the stairway to the Control House is extremely small (no OSHA approved elevators here:D) and the size of the original control board takes up considerable space. Although the original control board has been replaced by a point and click Microsoft system it still remains in place. I guess in basic terms the amount of people that would love to see it outstrips the physical abilities to permit such visiting.

They certainly do look like tourist, but probably not your run of the mill tourist that happens to stop by the locks to see the operation. More than likely they are a relative or friend of an employee, even possibly someone with official connections. Generally speaking the general public visitors are only allowed in viewing area that is open to the public. It's really a shame that more people could not be admitted to the center wall and the Control House to see what an industrial work of art the control board really is. On a practical level the stairway to the Control House is extremely small (no OSHA approved elevators here:D) and the size of the original control board takes up considerable space. Although the original control board has been replaced by a point and click Microsoft system it still remains in place. I guess in basic terms the amount of people that would love to see it outstrips the physical abilities to permit such visiting.

I was afraid there was a simple yet disappointing answer for this!

Nice pics! Glad you had a great cruise. The ZUIDERDAM is special to me. This wasn't an "official" excursion but it was fun to swim in the Canal right in front of the ship...which was far away. The 10 day turnaround cruises are a great way to see as much of the Canal as you wish, some of Panama, and enjoy the Caribbean as well. Regards, Richard

[No, no mermaids in the Canal, just the gals from Shore Ex]