Extra! Extra! Read all about...this 100-year-old technological achievement!!

Thursday, March 6th, 2014 - Corcovado Nat'l Park, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

So, I have not disembarked from the ship much this past week.  However, I wanted to share with you all a common occurrence on this ship: passing through the locks of the Panama Canal, which is celebrating its 100th "birthday" this year!

First off, I would like to start with this picture...

No, this freighter is not stuck; it is simply making its way (slowly and carefully, of course) through the Gatún Locks, which consists of three sets of locks.  We follow suit, leaving behind Gatún Lake, one of the artifical lakes created during the Canal's construction.

We snuggle in behind the freighter, guided by four mulas (left side of the photo below), into the first lock.

Mulas means "mules" in Spanish, which are traditionally the animals used to cross the isthmus of Panama.

Once we are in position, the gates close in front and behind us, and we are gradually lowered...

...while another gigantic ship shimmies into position behind the gate.

Once we reach the proper depth, the front gate opens, our "little freighter that could" proceeds forward and we move into the next set...

...followed by our trusty mules...

...where the process repeats itself two more times, until we have been lowered 85 feet to match sea level. *cue giant steel gate of doom*...

All in a day's work at the Gatún Locks!