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We've just left the Gatun locks, and the freighter that was
alongside is has left just ahead of us and is following the channel
into the main part of the lake. |
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But the traffic is already two-way, and a container ship is
coming the other way and will anchor in a parking area near the
Gatun locks to await the afternoon convoy down to the Caribbean. |
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The freighter and the container ship have "crossed", or passed
each other. This is easy in the lake but there are places in the Cut
where crossing is not permitted. |
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Leading marks in the Gaillard Cut, which cuts through the
Continental Divide. If there is two-way traffic, the pilot lines
up his ship with the two boards that have a cross on them, and this
will keep his ship at the side of the channel.
If it is one-way traffic, he can keep the ship in line with the
boards with a single vertical line on them, and this will ensure the
ship stays in the centre of the channel. |
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Going through the Pedro Miguel lock, which is a single-step
(one-chamber) lock, down to Miraflores Lake. The Miraflores locks
are ahead on the left. |
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Another container ship slides into the chamber alongside us. |
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The container ship is eased intro Pedro Miguel |
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Entering Miraflores lock, the upper chamber. Sightseers on duty,
of course. |
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The pilot's view, on entering Miraflores. |
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Looking back from the lower chamber of Miraflores. The container
ship is still in its upper chamber. The building on the right is the
Observation Centre: the back side of the building appears on a lter
page. |
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About to leave Miraflores, at Pacific sea level. The water is
gushing out of the lower lock chamber. |
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