The Locks of the Panama Canal

Any visit to Panama City should certainly include visiting the locks at the Panama Canal. The new locks opened in 2016 and is definitely a source of national pride for the country as this was the first project run by Panama in the canal. Although you don’t have to understand the history of the Panama Canal to appreciate how impressive the locks are from an engineering perspective. It is obviously much more than a source of pride for the country as every ship that passes through the canal pays fees that can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and potentially even up to a million dollars.

One of the New Locks Closing
Cargo Ships Waiting to Enter the Locks
Only the Lock Crew Can Take the Ships
The Old Locks in the Distance

The new locks are able to accommodate even larger ships as well as allow ships to get through the locks even faster, both of which means more revenue for the country. The new and old locks sit side by side and both are always in use as ships queue up to wait their turn to get through the locks. Tug boats steer them into the locks, which either raise or lower the water depending upon the direction they are going in order to allow them to continue on their journey. Depending upon the time of year, the new locks have the ability to reserve the water and reuse it for each time that the water is raised and lowered in order to keep the dam levels in Gutan Lake at an appropriate level.

View of the Locks Empty
Observation Tower with a Ship in the Locks
The Locks Before Closing
Ship Being Pulled in by Tug Boats

The original design for the canal by the French engineers was to just build a sea level canal without the use of locks. The original construction of the canal failed for a lot of reasons including yellow fever and the sheer difficulty of the task. When the US took over construction, they originally considered continuing to do a sea level canal, but eventually concluded that the locks would be a better solution. The Panama Canal was first completed in 1913, however it was overshadowed by the start of World War I. It remained an important military strategic advantage for the United States through the end of World War II.

Coastline by the Locks
The New Bridge in the Distance
Water Retention Reservoirs
A Drastic Change in the Depth of the Water

When visiting the locks, be sure to either go to the Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo beforehand or at least listen to the 20 minute video at the canal locks themselves. A visit to the locks will only take you about an hour, but be sure to stay long enough to at least watch one ship enter or leave the locks so that you can see them in action. We went as part of a longer tour, which is a great way to see the locks and then end up out on the canal itself. We were also treated to something special as our guide arranged it for us to walk across the old locks, which isn’t normally allowed. We weren’t allowed to stop or take pictures as we hustled across the lock. We also drove back across the locks, which is fascinating as well, but that road will not be used in the future when the new bridge is finished.

Cabo San Lucas

We’ve been home from Cabo San Lucas for a little over a week now and we’re already going through withdrawal.  We’ve had one blizzard since getting home and are expecting snow on Thanksgiving, so the sun and beach seem like a distant memory at this point.  We truly had a wonderful time visiting Cabo and walking around town and through the marina.

Restaurants in the Marina
Boats in Bay
Live Music at the Marina

As you walk through the marina, you’ll continuously be approached by sales people trying to get you to take a glass bottom boat, take you deep-sea fishing, go on a time share tour, or play golf at one of the many courses around the area.  It is definitely worthwhile taking a glass bottom boat out to the arch and to go to lover’s beach.  The marina is also where you board the different dinner cruises, party boats, and fishing boats.  We’ve done many of the different dinner and sunset cruises, but haven’t gone deep-sea fishing as of yet, perhaps on our next trip to Cabo.

Fishing Boats
Fresh Catch
Pelicans Waiting for Their Share

There are many wonderful restaurants in the marina as well, all of them offering fresh seafood and tasty drinks.  On Sunday, while we were there, we came across a restaurant offering all you can eat oysters.  Since we love oysters, we definitely took advantage of that opportunity.  At night-time, the marina area really comes to life with plenty of things to do and opportunities to people watch.

All You Can Eat Oysters
Restaurant in the Marina
Margarita

The downtown area also has plenty of vendors where you can purchase local trinkets and bargain with the store owners to get the best price on you souvenirs.  At first it might feel awkward haggling over the price, but it is expected and don’t feel intimidated.  If you don’t want to go downtown, there are plenty of vendors walking up and down the beach bringing souvenirs to all of the resorts for you to purchase.

Vendors on the Beach
Horses on the Beach
Glass Bottom Boat

At the resorts themselves, you can arrange kayaking, paddle boarding, parasailing, jet skis, golf, and more.  There are also people walking the beach with horses so that you can take a romantic horse back ride along the beach.  Our favorite thing about Cabo is the size of the resorts.  There aren’t huge resorts with thousands of rooms, so whether going into town, walking the beach, or sitting around the pool, you’re not overwhelmed by tremendous crowds.  We can hardly wait for our next trip to the beach, but it is going to have to wait for a little while.

Parasailing
Lover’s Beach in the Distance
Horse Back Riding
Frog Legs at the Marina
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