 Panama Canal
Located in the narrowest part of the American continent and the lowest region of the Panamanian isthmus; it was built by the United States of America from 1904 to 1914 and is still one of the most amazing engineering marvels of the world. The Canal provides easy and reliable crossings from the Atlantic to the Pacific and back for more than 750 thousands vessels. Ships all over the world are built to fit the three sets of double locks that are part of this 80 Km (50 mi) long water way, wich can be visited any time.
 Canal Functioning
 The Panama Canal is 50 miles (80 km) long from deep water in the Atlantic to deep water in the Pacific and runs from northwest to southeast, with the Atlantic side entrance around 33 miles (54 km) North and 27 miles (43 km) west of the pacific mouth. The straight-line distance between those two point would only be 43 miles (69 km).
A ship takes approximately 8 to 10 hours to pass through Canal while being lifted step by step to a height of 85 feet (26 m.) in three sets of locks - Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores. Each lock chamber is 110 ft. (33.53 m.) wide and 1,000 ft. (304.8 m.) long. Most of the trip through the canal is done with nature´s help, as the  ships are lifted up by water from sea level to the lake, from where they are lowered to sea level again. Ships going from the Atlantic to the Pacific approach the Canal through Lemon Bay passing the Cristobal breakwater. This span is 6 miles (10 km) long and 450 ft. (152 m.) wide and takes you through some sea level mangroves.
 Gatun Lake, through which ships travel for 23 miles is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. It covers an area of more than 163 square miles (425 km²) and was formed by an earth dam across the Chagres river. When navigating the lake you can see scores of small islands, wich really are the tops of former jungle  hills. The level of the lake is controlled by use of 14 gates in the Gatun Dam spillway.
A hydro-electric plant at the dam provides part of the energy needed by the Canal. The operation of the locks consumes a prodigious amount of fresh water. Each time a ship passes through the waterway, about 52 million gallons of water, mostly from Gatun Lake, must flow into the locks and out to sea. In all Panama Canal locks, chambers are filled and emptied by gravity, water flowing through a series of 18-feet diameter tunnels allowing the filling and emptying of a chamber in 10 minutes.
The workforce of the Panama Canal Commission is made up of approximately 9,000 U.S. and Panamanian citizens.
 Birding in the Canal Zone
Two of the world's best birding locations: Pipeline Road near Panama City and Achiote Road near Colon.
Fishing in the Panama Canal
Gatun Lake created as part of the Panama Canal and once the world's largest man-made lake offers excellent lake fishing- it is normal to catch several dozen fish.
Kayaking
Kayak in the Panama Canal to the historic Camino de la Cruces, the original "path between the seas" first used by the Spanish conquistadores
 Barro Colorado Island
A lush jungle island which is a world renowned living laboratory run by the Smithsonian Institute for Tropical Research in Gatun Lake, part of the Panama Canal waterway. A tour will include a boat ride in the Panama Canal and a rainforest hike with a naturalist. Make your reservations with a tour operator well in advance as tourists are limited to protect the islands numerous scientific research projects.
Monkey Island
Another island in the Panama Canal waterway- this one dedicated exclusively to monkey research. A tour with a tour operator includes a boat ride in the Panama Canal to the island where at least four types of monkeys are usually observed - this trip is a sure family hit.
 Summit Golf Club
Just twenty minutes from downtown Panama City, Summit Golf Club offers extraordinary tropical scenery, a championship course designed by Jeffrey Myers with 18 holes, par 72, 6626 yds and sand-based Bermuda-Tidway grass. The course has the only computerized GPS system in Central America,100 golf carts, outstanding practice facilities and a beautiful club house.
Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo
Founded by the Americans in 1923, these gardens are home to over 15,000 tropical plants and a zoo of animals and birds native to the tropics. A main attraction and worth the visit by itself, is the Harpy Eagle compound where you can see a Harpy Eagle, the world's largest predator bird. This magnificent bird, which lives only in Panama and is close to extinction stands about three feet tall. Fortunately, Ia local branch of the Peregrine Foundation is breding the bird and hopes to save it. |
