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| We found the Panama canal so fascinating, we stayed until dark! This is a 24-hour operation; more than 30 large ships transit the canal each day. On the left, a ship has just finished its transit and heads out to the Pacific. On the right, there are two smaller ships in the locks now just beginning their trip toward the Atlantic. The double row of locks can be operated in either direction, depending on the need of the traffic. As the lock operates, the water simply flows into the locks from the lakes or flows out to the sea level channels. The canal relies on the overabundant rainfall of the area to compensate for the loss of the 52 million gallons of fresh water consumed during each crossing. |
