|
Watertown old farms Newsletter Supplement
|
|
SAILING THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL
The day before Thanksgiving, 2008, Mary Ruth Siemon and I (Polly Merriman) flew to Barbados where we spent three glorious days basking in the sun and warmth of the Caribbean before boarding the Windstar for a two week vacation on the four masted motor/sail yacht. This ship carries 148 passengers, but this trip comprised of only 100 passengers which were serviced by a crew of 90. The crew members were mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia. The staterooms were well equipped with ample storage space and a full bathroom. The ship included two dining areas; formal dining room for evening meals with open seating and informal café for breakfast and lunch. Continental breakfast and afternoon tea were available for all who desired it. Also included on this ship was a Jacuzzi and small pool which I enjoyed every morning. The decks were filled with many deckchairs for lounging while cruising from one destination to another. Our Scottish captain, 35 years of age, had just recently been given command of the ship. Quite an honor for someone of his age to be given this position but he proved to be well qualified for this task.
We visited several islands as we cruised through the Caribbean Sea; Bequia, Tobago, Isla of Margarita, Bonaire, Aruba, San Blas Island and the highlight of our trip, The Panama Canal. We took advantage of the shore excursions at each of these destinations.
First stop, Bequia, one of the Grenadine Islands, we visited the Turtle Sanctuary where we saw albino turtles and other Hawksbill turtles of all sizes and ages.
Next we visited Tobago where we donned heavy boots for hiking through the Main Ridge Forest Reserve. This is the oldest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere. We trudged through the forest and climbed over rocks to reach the final destination, Argyle waterfall. This is a three tiered waterfall. The water falls with such force that you couldn’t get close but at the base was a pool where we enjoyed a lovely swim before heading back.
The Isla of Margarita had that old world charm, with several lovely old homes and churches. We visited the Shrine of El Valle, such a spectacular sight with all of its beautiful gold icons and statues. We also visited the Fort of Santa Rosa situated on a hilltop for a lovely view of the island.
My first experience driving an ATV, off-road excursion, was on the Island of Bonaire, also know as one of the ABC islands. There was some concern from our shipboard friends that Mary Ruth and I, being bit older then most, might have some difficulty driving one of these vehicles but we had no problem and what a great adventure we had. A group of us drove through the Washikemba Reservoir, surrounded by a landscape of cacti and inhabited by wild donkeys. Our first stop was the Spelunk Lighthouse, where we climbed, with some help, six sets of exhausting stairs and finally a ladder to the tower where we viewed the surrounding countryside. The view was worth it, I think? Next we drove our ATV to a cave. This was quite an experience as we followed our guide through a very narrow opening into the cave, only to discover that there wasn’t much to see on the other side. I do have a picture to show the results of that adventure.
Aruba, another ABC island, was our least favorite as it was very crowded and touristy. We did take a bus to one of the beaches but did not linger ~ too many people.
Our final island, San Blas or also know as Las Mulatas is one of 365 San Blas Islands. These islands are inhabited by the Kunas, Amerindians. The men spend their time farming and fishing and the women are known for their molas (several pieces of fabric of various colors assembled together and appliquéd and made into garments and bags). The island we visited is very small and made up of a few narrow paths and small huts which extend out into the water and serves as their waste disposal.
The highlight and focal point of our trip, The Panama Canal, was our final destination and definitely worth waiting for. Our entry into the canal had to be reserved by the Windstar Cruise Lines one year in advance as it was necessary to sail under the American Bridge at the end of the Panama Canal at low tide. We arrived at the entrance at about 7:00 a.m., our appointed time, but it took about 1 hour to board the pilots and make the other arrangements. It was very hot and humid on the canal and one of the crew spent the day traveling around the ship spraying us with cool water so that we were able to enjoy the excitement of the day in comfort. It was a delightful way to view one of the wonders of mankind and one of Theodore Roosevelt’s great accomplishments. It took bout 10 hours to sail the canal from east to west (Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean). The locks are interesting and quite different. The first one ~ Gatun Locks lead into the Gatun Lake and takes approximately 11.2 hours to transit. There are two other sets of locks, The Pedro Miguel Locks and the Miraflores Locks. There are two bridges to sail under also.
The Panama Canal was begun by the Americans in 1904, after the French abandoned their attempt of a canal in 1889. The American success was largely due to the discovery of the cause of yellow fever which had so decimated the earlier attempt by the French. The canal was completed in 1914. Approximately 15,000 ships transit the canal per year, almost 42 a day, averaging approximately 7 hours per transit. Approximately 22,000 workers died during its construction. The transit charges used to be based on the gross tonnage of the ship, the average fee in US dollars of about $29,000 dollars. The fees are now determined differently and today, a large vessel may pay, in US dollars, over $400,000. One of the highest fees paid was by the cruise ship, Radiance of the Seas, totaling, in US dollars, $202,176.66. Our ship paid approximately $40,000 in US dollars.
In September, 2007 work began on a 5 billion dollar project to expand the canal and allow ships double the size of the current Panamax, those built to the maximum capacity of the Panama Canal and its locks. It is expected to be completed in 2014. |