Panama Canal Cruise

ms Veendam

February 22-March 9, 2014

4,784 nautical miles

Captain Peter Bos

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Feb. 22, 2014

       Ahh!  Relaxing sea days.

Oranjestad, Aruba Feb. 25, 2014

We had a short transfer to the submarine on the shuttle vessel SubSeeker. We boarded the Atlantis submarine just off the southeast coast of Aruba for a 145 foot dive which included viewing the retired Danish sailboat Morgenster and colorful schools of tropical fish, huge sponge gardens, and the mystic beauties of the coral fields. All of this is in air-conditioned comfort without getting wet!

Going through the Panama Canal Feb. 27, 2014

The Panama Canal is 48 miles long and allows ships to avoid a very long journey around South America.  Because of the shape of the Isthmus of Panama the Atlantic entrance to the Canal is 22.5 miles west of the Pacific entrance.  This means that the sun rises from the Pacific and sets in the Atlantic Ocean!

There are locks at each end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake (85 feet above sea level).  The current locks are 110 feet wide.  The water to refill the locks is taken from Gatun Lake by opening and closing enormous gates and valves and flows in by gravity.  The steel lock gates measure an average of 6.6 feet thick, 64 feet wide, and 66 feet high.  Madden Lake (later Alajuela Lake) provides additional water storage for the canal. 

A third, wider lane of locks is currently under construction and is due to open in 2015.  These locks will be both wider and deeper.  The size of the locks determines the maximum size of a ship that can pass through them.  Because of the importance of the canal to international trade, many ships are built to the maximum size allowed.   These are known as Panamax vessels.

France began work on the canal in 1881, but had to stop because of engineering problems and high mortality due to disease (malaria and yellow fever).  The United States took over the project in 1904, and took a decade to complete the canal, which was officially opened on August 15, 1914.  The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until 1977.  After a period of joint American-Panamanian control, the canal was in 1999 taken over by the Panamanian government.  The Torrijos-Carter Treaties granted the Panamanians free control of the canal so long as Panama signed a treaty guaranteeing the permanent neutrality of the canal. 

The Panama Canal remains one of the chief revenue sources for Panama.  Cruise ships pay a rate based on the number of berths.  The per-berth charge is currently $92 for unoccupied berths and $115 for occupied berths.  Annual traffic of about 1,000 ships when the canal opened rose to 14,702 vessels in 2008.  February 29, 1968 had the most transits in a single day with 65 ships crossing the isthmus.  The most expensive regular toll for canal passage to date was charged on April 14, 2010 to the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl, which paid $375,600.  The American Society of Civil Engineers has named the Panama Canal one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica Mar. 1, 2014

We took a sightseeing drive east to Esparza. This town has become one of the most picturesque in the Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region. The central park and its church are emblematic of Costa Rica’s hardworking rural towns. Local dancers greeted us at the park wearing colorful costumes. They were local school children who had to have high grades in order to qualify to participate. 

The drive continued with some stretches along the Pacific Ocean. We passed mango and cashew plantations, and farming areas. The colorful homes along the way had large gardens and living fences grown with the beautiful plants. Our driver stopped at points of interest and brought blossoms, fruit and other botanical samples into the bus, where our guide told us about their growth habits and uses and passed them on to the passengers.

Corinto, Nicaragua Mar. 2, 2014

León, with its 300,000 residents was founded in 1524 by Spanish conquistadors. It lies at the base of the Momotombo volcano. An earthquake destroyed the old town of León in 1609. It was the capital of Nicaragua for more than 200 years, before the title was handed over to Managua in 1851. Today, León is the most important city in Nicaragua after Managua. A 1¼-hour drive brought us to this charming city that has retained its colonial-style streets and has preserved its old architectural style of one-story houses with tile and wooden roofs.

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala Mar. 3, 2014

The first thing I noticed upon disembarking at Puerto Quetzal was that this port was arranged for good marketing.  A winding walkway meandered through shopping stalls.  This path was the only way for us to get to the buses or even to walk into town. 

 We enjoyed a motor coach ride from the ship to Antigua. Along the way, our guide pointed out magnificent views of volcanoes, cattle farms and sugar cane plantations. Upon arrival at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mark hired a local guide for exploring this ancient city. He led us through cobble-stone streets, churches, museums and stores. 
 

The main feature of Antigua is the Cathedral off of the Central Square.  The Cathedral has extensive damage from earthquakes, but a portion of it is still being used for regular worship services. 

La Merced Church is said to have a image of Christ which is considered the most authentic image in the world.  We were unable to see it as all of the churches were closed from Noon – 3PM. 

Across from La Merced is the Arch of Santa Catalina.  This is an enclosed arch and was used by the nuns in the convent to go to the church to sing in the choir without being seen. 

Jade is a major gemstone of Guatemala.  There are many museums and shops dedicated to Jade.  This is the first time that I have ever seen lavender colored Jade.

Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Mexico Mar. 5, 2014

Zihuatanejo was a small fishing village that has grown rapidly. Then Agua de Correa gives the real "feel" of a typical Mexican town.  Five miles later we reached Ixtapa-the spectacular computer-planned resort area. We stopped at the Emporio Ixtapa resort and had a drink before continuing our tour with the Palma Real Golf Club, beautiful beaches, modern luxury hotels and restaurants along the ocean.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Mar. 7, 2014

We enjoyed an amazing panorama of the Bay of Cabo San Lucas at a scenic stop for great photo opportunities and a refreshing beverage at Victoria’s favorite place for dinner, Sunset Da Mona Lisa.

Next, we drove to San José del Cabo—the more colonial of these twin cities. Enjoy a guided tour of the town’s commons and saw the Jesuit mission church.  We went to the heart of Cabo San Lucas and saw the zocalo (square). Finally we finished our tour at the old opera house, now converted to a popular local restaurant for a snack.

Two quaint towns make up Los Cabos. We visited a local glass factory to see the artisans performing their craft, which has been handed down for generations in Baja California.

San Diego, California Mar. 9, 2014