Panama Canal Preview

Collecting the Ship's Clearance Paper at Aruba from our Ship's Agent Angel.

Front of House Manager Sheldon Fernandez looks on.
Security Officer Bob Ward along with Patrolman Vir Singh. Bob was our designated photographer. Bob and I have sailed on and off Arcadia since September 2006. Between us we could write a book.

Good Day All,

Greetings from the Arcadians as we enjoy another perfect day at sea. We are currently off the north coast of Columbia with a depth of just over 1000 meters in beautiful conditions. Arcadia is enjoying a following North Easterly Trade Winds which are 'pushing us' helped by the Caribbean Counter Current. The outside air temperature is 26 degrees C / 79 degrees F with the sea temperature at 25 degrees. We are cruising at 18.9 knots.

Today I woke early with another hour back on the clocks last evening (luxury!) and enjoyed a cup of coffee on my balcony watching the sun rise. Once in the office I cleared my email and desk and then went for a walk about of the Hotel - visiting the Main Galley on Decks 2 and 3 and having a chat with Andrew Yuill our Executive Chef and told him how wonderful dinner was last evening. Then it was up and over the decks 'bumping' into many passengers I know by name.

We had a CRUISE Committee Meeting at 1000 to select the Outstanding Performers for January and also to consider who we will vote for the overall Outstanding Performer for 2009. That lucky winner from the Fleet will have a free cruise for them and their family!

If any of you would like to contact you family or friends on board then here is how to do it.

To send a message to people you know on board Arcadia - email arcadia@pocruises.com and mention cabin and name in the subject line.

Also you may wish to keep a track on the Arcadia webcam tomorrow as we transit the Panama Canal.

Some of you asked how to send a gift to family and friends on board Arcadia and our sister ships in the P&O Cruises Fleet.

My thanks to Nigel Travis our 'Guest Blogger' for this article on the Panama Canal.

On Sunday 24th January we transit the modern engineering wonder of the world, the Panama Canal. We pass through and over the Isthmus of Panama from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean in what will be less than twelve hours. The canal transit is one of the highlights of a world cruise, and I have the great honour of doing the commentary for our passengers and ships company. During the transit I shall be talking about the main physical and engineering features but also the history of the Republic of Panama and the canal construction. It is fifty miles from deep water on the Atlantic side to deep water on the Pacific side.

The French were in Panama from 1880 to 1903 attempting to build a sea level canal, which is a canal cut ocean to ocean with no lock chambers. The French canal company went bust with huge debts; it is estimated during their time in Panama 22,000 workers died, most from tropical diseases.

In 1903 the USA bought out the French canal company, Panama declared independence from Columbia and the canal zone, (which was five miles wide either side of the canal) was made into sovereign USA territory.

The Americans decided that a sea level canal was going to be impossible to build because of the mountain chain running through Panama and the mighty Chagras River which would have flooded the canal during the wet season in which in Panama lasts eight months of the year!
The Americans came up with a simple solution to this, they would dam the Chagras River a few miles from where it entered the Atlantic Ocean and this would form the largest artificial lake in the world at that time, the level of the lake would be 85 feet above sea level. On the Atlantic side of the canal three lock chambers would be built to lift and lower ships up to the lake and the same would happen on the Pacific side. In addition the mountain chain that runs through Panama would have to be cut through for a length of nine miles.

The Panama Canal opened on time and under budget in 1914 and was owned and operated by the USA until noon on December 31st 1999 when Panama assumed full responsibility for the administration, operation, and maintenance of the Panama Canal.

I will be doing another guest blog for James after our canal transit and during that I shall be telling you about our day through the canal and the $5.25 billion ‘Third set of locks’ expansion project.

Bye for now

Nigel

That's all for now, have a good day.

Best wishes,

James.

It is not the destination, it is the journey.