Touch of Southern Grace

04/26/2026

One of my recent cruise ports was Colón, Panama which is a major Caribbean port city at the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal, known for the massive Colón Free Trade Zone, historic architecture, and as a hub for cruise ships and the Panama Canal Railway. It's the capital of Colón Province and offers a mix of commercial activity, cultural sites like Fort San Lorenzo, and natural attractions.

If you get the chance to explore Colon, Panama via a cruise ship, I highly recommend the Panama Canal Railway: A historic and scenic train ride connecting Colón to Panama City. The bus ride to and from the railway was included and allowed you to see the Panama Canal from land. The train ride was by far the best experience!

04/18/2026

04/18/2026

* Panama Canal Transit - My most recent experience while traveling by ship. A long day, but I learned so much! Here is a little history. Enjoy the pictures. 🛳

The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometer (51-mile) artificial waterway in Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, crucial for maritime trade by shortening voyages significantly. It uses a system of locks to raise ships to the level of Gatun Lake (26 meters above sea level) and then lower them on the other side, a process taking about 10 hours. Opened in 1914, it was built by the U.S. after a French attempt failed, and is now operated by the Panamanian government, with a major expansion completed in 2016 to accommodate larger ships.

Locks: Ships enter a lock chamber, gates close, and water fills the chamber, lifting the ship to the next level. This is repeated until the ship reaches Gatun Lake.

Gatun Lake: An artificial freshwater lake that forms part of the canal's route, created by damming the Chagres River.

Mules: Small electric locomotives on tracks guide ships through the locks, keeping them centered with cables.

Transit: The journey across the canal takes about 10 hours, saving ships thousands of miles compared to going around South America.