PanamaI'm spending X-mas and New Year in Panama with Martin. |
 |
New Year
Fireworks in Flamenco Marina. |
 |
Martin having a New Year cigar. |
 |
Martin with a little corvina caught in the marina. |
 |
December 31st 2008
The old part of town Casco Viejo. |
 |
A selection of molas. |
 |
Panama City seen from Casco Viejo. |
 |
Old houses in Casco Viejo. |
 |
Sunset and the Bridge of the Americas. |
 |
December 28th 2008
Panama Canal Transit! Today Martin and I went through the Panama Canal onboard the 49' sport fishing boat Livin' The Dream together with a festive group of Americans. Leaving Flamenco Marina in the morning. |
 |
The boat, LTD, in the marina before departure. |
 |
Panama City in the distance. |
 |
The Panama Canal control tower. |
 |
Our companion through the Panama Canal: The car carrier. |
 |
The pilot boat. Even the smallest boats like us must have a pilot onboard during the transit. |
 |
Little Mærsk container ship at the entrance to the canal. |
 |
The Bridge of the Americas looking south. |
 |
Extraordinary warship. |
 |
Danish container ship Oluf Maersk and a tugboat at the container terminal in Panama City. |
 |
Another car carrier that went with us through the canal. |
 |
Entering the first set of locks, the Miraflores locks, behind a car carrier. |
 |
 |
A "mule" (the trains assisting the big ships through the locks) and the car carrier. |
 |
The first set of gates closes. |
 |
The lock fills with water quickly! |
 |
Going through the first lock. |
 |
 |
The audience at the visitors' center at the Miraflores locks. |
 |
Looking back towards the next ship getting ready to transit. |
 |
The Pedro Miguel locks are the second set of locks. |
 |
The line throwers at Pedro Miguel locks. |
 |
The new Puente del Centenario Bridge. |
 |
Excavation work in the Gaillard Cut. |
 |
Bow of passing container ship. |
 |
Container ship MSC Fabienne in the Gaillard Cut. |
 |
Martin enjoying the view from the tower. |
 |
Entering the Gatun Lake. |
 |
Bulk carrier in the Gatun Lake. |
 |
Dredge in the Gatun Lake. |
 |
The Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side. |
 |
Going through the Gatun Locks next to Maersk Danbury. |
 |
 |
Finally we are through the Panama Canal and have entered the Caribbean. |
 |
The container terminal in Colon. |
 |
Cristobal yacht club where our journey ended. |
 |
December 27th 2008
Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo. Panama's national bird: The large Harpy Eagle. |
 |
The beautiful Keel-billed Toucan. |
 |
 |
December 27th 2008
Miraflores locks, Panama Canal. Car carrier. |
 |
Oil tanker going through the western set of locks. |
 |
The same oil tanker and the parallel set of locks. |
 |
A bulk carrier - last ship of the morning. |
 |
December 26th 2008
Today we went surfing with Kurt at the beach. |
 |
Beach on the Pacific coast. |
 |
Sand
|
 |
December 24th 2008
The Bridge of the Americas across the Panama Canal entrance on the Pacific side. |
 |
The marina where we are staying and Panama City in the background. |
 |
December 23rd 2008
I arrived in Panama City yesterday. Today we went for a walk in the jungle close to Panama City. Martin walking in the hot rain forest. |
 |
Butterfly in the jungle |
 |
Leaf-cutter ants. They make long trails through the jungle. |
 |
Jungle plant |
 |
Panama City skyline seen from a hill just outside the city. |
 |
X-mas under the palm trees! |
 |
Female Great-Tailed Grackle. |
 |
Flamenco Marina in Panama City (Pacific Ocean). The tide difference is about 20 feet. |