The sky was partly cloudy and the air was humid with a temperature of 85 degrees at 8:00AM. When the sun broke out of the clouds, the temperature soared to 91 degrees on our port side balcony. The two previous times we went through the Panama Canal, our stateroom happened to be on the side of the ship that faced the opposite lane, so we could see everything that happened in the next lane as we progressed through the locks. This time, we were on the outboard side of the lane, so we could only see the donkey tractors on our side of the ship. The Viking Star is so much less crowded that there was practically nobody on the promenade deck, but the bow and forward lounges were pretty crowded.
The Norwegian Jade entered the Gatun locks just ahead of us. She was doing a partial transit, turning around in Gatun Lake to go back out later in the day. The Viking Star was the first cruise ship in line to proceed through to the Pacific.
Once we passed through the Gatun locks into Gatun Lake, the sun moved more directly overhead so our balcony fell into the shade of the deck above, making it more comfortable. After breakfast, we hit the fitness center and thermal spa. We then had some lunch and took a dip in the infinity pool at the stern of the ship just in time to see the Centennial Bridge pass overhead as the ship traversed the Culebra cut. This was where the canal had to be dug through the continental divide, literally moving an entire mountain.
The crew of the Viking Star had put a few food sculptures on display made of chocolate and candy. They were quite beautiful, but we didn’t get to taste test them.
It started to rain cat and dogs as soon as we passed through the Culebra Cut, sending everyone inside to dry out. It didn’t seem to take much time to get through the Pedro Miguel locks in the rain.
There is a 5 story visitor center overlooking the Miraflores locks, which step the final levels to the Pacific ocean. Catherine probably stood on one of the balconies earlier in the month when she, Carl, Franklin and Betty took the Norwegian Pearl into Lake Gatun. Catherine took an optional excursion to see the Miraflores locks since the Norwegian Pearl did a turn around in Lake Gatun and exited back into the Caribbean on its way back to Florida. The Viking Star was the first cruise ship to pass from the Atlantic to the Pacific that day, so the balconies were jammed full of enthusiastic tourists who cheered as we arrived. They made a surprising amount of noise.
We have to get up early tomorrow to catch our tender tide and included tour of Panama City. Even though this is our third trip to the Panama Canal, this is the first time we got to visit Panama City.
As we entered the Pacific Ocean we passed under the Bridge of the Americas, the gateway to the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. There is a third bridge nearing completion on the Atlantic side that we also passed under. Construction workers greeted us enthusiastically as we passed below them.
Architect Frank Ghery married a Panamanian woman and built a museum in Panama City that is hard to miss.
The ship dropped anchor just off the Fuente Amador Marina and settled in for the night. Tenders were used to pick up entertainers from Panama City who put on a great local folkloric program with music and dancing. Janet got called up on the stage for impromptu Panamanian dance lessons and a conga line dance.
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