Who: Robert and Jennifer Ellis of Fort Collins and Denver, respectively.
Where: The Panama Canal (Gatun Locks)
Out and about: The Canal is a passage cut through one of the narrowest saddles of the isthmus that joins North and South America. It opened in 1914 after ten years of construction. A series of locks function as water lifts; they raise ships from sea level to the level of Gatun Lake, 85 feet above sea level. Water used to raise and lower ships comes from the lake by gravity; water comes into the locks through a system of culverts. The lock chambers are 110 feet wide, leaving about a foot on either side when the largest ships pass through.
Travel tip: A good way to see the canal is via cruise ship. Holland America’s Rotterdam provided a narrator as the ship passed through the Gatun Locks who explained what was happening and why. Other stops on the cruise included Half Moon Cay, The Bahamas; Aruba; Curacao; and Costa Rica.
