Crossing the Canal
The journey through the Panama Canal takes approximately 12 hours. One of the more fascinating sights that one sees as they wait for entry into the canal is all the ships lined up at the entrance. The canal requires a 48 hour wait for any ship that has not previously paid to cross. This wait allows time for the check used to pay the toll for the crossing to clear.
After passing through the first set of locks, which raise the ship to the height of 85 feet above the Atlantic side sea level (there is a level difference between the Atlantic and Pacific sides because of tides) one then sails through Gatun Lake. It is important to remember that Gatun Lake was essentially artificially created by damning the Chagres River. The inhabitants of the land that is now below the lake were required to move after the initial treaty was signed in 1903.
While it is nearly impossible to detect the ship rising and lowering while on the deck of a ship, (the clearances between ship and canal wall are too close) The time lapse video on the right shows the raising and lowering of a ship as it passes through a lock.
Visit this Wikipedia website to find a wonderful map of the route through the canal and other interesting information.
