We passed the small uninhabited island of Navassa on our starboard side. Claimed by the US as a possession under the Guano Islands Act of 1856, you-know-what was once mined and exported from there. The unmanned 162 foot tall lighthouse was abandoned in 1996. In more recent years, Navassa has been the location of several amateur radio DX-peditions, as the island counts as a separate "country" for the "ham radio" scorecard.
Arriving at the canal pilot station while it was still dark, Michelson went to an anchorage area and "dropped the hook". After a while our pilot came aboard, accompanied by some line handlers to help us through the locks. As we were to transit the canal during daylight hours, all of the scenery and activity would be visible. This would be a memorable day.
Until 1979 when it went to
Panamanian control, the canal was operated by the Panama Canal Company,
a function of the zone's territorial government. The governor of the
Panama Canal Zone was president of the Panama Canal Company. Most
senior employees, including canal pilots, were Americans.The Gatun locks raise, and lower, ships in three steps to and from the level of Gatun Lake, 85 feet above sea level. A dam on the Chagres river created the lake, which supplies fresh water to fill the locks, while the dam's power plant furnishes electricity to run the canal's machinery.
The ship was secured to little railroad engines called "mules", two forward and two aft which hauled Michelson through the locks. Line handlers and mule drivers were directed by the canal pilot on the bridge. This was an awesome experience. The canal is a 100 year old engineering marvel, with 1000 ft. x 110 ft. locks that, when created, were larger than any ship afloat. It is amazing to see what people can accomplish when they get focused as they did in the "manifest destiny" times of Teddy Roosevelt and Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan. Where are the great Americans like them today?
Crossing Gatun Lake, it was time for "fresh water wash down". The bosun's deck brigade went around closing portholes, then breaking out the fire hoses to clean the accumulated salt and black stack stuff off the ship. An interesting thing I noticed, but had never thought much about, was that ships ride lower in fresh water than they do at sea. Plimsoll markings (or "load lines") on ships' sides are supposed to show the maximum draft in seawater, freshwater and in winter or summer.
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| Plimsoll Markings: TF = Tropical Fresh Water Load Line, F = Fresh Water, T = Tropical Salt Water, S = Summer, W = Winter, WNA = Winter North Atlantic. |
I spent most of the day outside, up on the 03 or 04 level, observing all the goings-on. Everything looked clean and very green in the Canal Zone. Colonial style buildings were either painted white or stucco colored with red tile roofs. Palm trees were everywhere. You can see my shipmate Chet Headley's photos of Michelson's 1964 canal transit here.
The
Panama Canal Railroad, which predated (1855) the canal, also crosses
the Panamanian isthmus, more or less parallel to the canal. Built in
response to the California gold rush, it was debatably described as the
first transcontinental railroad. Today it is operated by the Kansas
City Southern, hauling containers, commuters and tourists.After steaming across Gatun Lake we went through Culebra Cut (formerly called Gaillard Cut), carved at enormous expense and effort through the continental divide. Later we passed through Pedro Miguel lock, down one step, then the Miraflores locks, down two steps to sea level. It was early evening when Michelson steamed out under the Bridge of the Americas, with Panama City on the port side, into the Gulf of Panama, then the Pacific Ocean.
We headed north toward Oakland, our next stop.
- Photos of Michelson's Panama Canal transit can be seen here.
