The Canal

 Before embarking on this adventure I read The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough, and it prepares one for experiencing this engineering marvel. Shortly after passing through the modest breakwater (no hurricanes this far south) and under the Atlantic Bridge one reaches the Gatun Locks, three locks that climb from sea level to Gatun Lake, the manmade lake that is the heart of of the water supply/Isthmus travel route/hydro power supply/taming of Chagres  River system that made the canal possible. Along the way one can see the clay hills that continually slid into the excavation during construction. One can also see the continuing efforts to combat malaria  anywhere along the canal where there is staffed infrastructure (locks, etc.) the jungle is cut away and replaced with grassland, which apparently the mosquitos don’t prefer. Great places to build a golf course!

 The photos are not in order - still new to the blogging  game - but they show ships waiting, first lock, little train engine like things called mules (probably were mules in the beginning), cleared grasslands, and the entertainment stands!  The mules don’t pull the vessels through - that is done by the ship’s propulsion and/or tug boats), they just keep the ship in position side to side. Our ship did not have a lot of clearance side to side. McCullough tells us that the locks were sized for our largest battleship at the time in a later post I’ll figure out what that was and compare to the Neptune.