Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Dec 3, 2006 9:39:06 GMT -8
Why does it have to wait 2 days???
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Post by Barnacle on Dec 3, 2006 10:00:24 GMT -8
Three words, as we've all heard at ferry terminals: "Get in line"
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Post by Curtis on Dec 3, 2006 10:12:48 GMT -8
Probably will need to refuel and do the same thing Barnacle said.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2006 13:58:00 GMT -8
Why does it have to wait 2 days??? BC Ferries didn't want to pay the $17 reservation fee for the Panama Canal, because if they didn't show up at least 30 minutes before their scheduled time, they would lose their spot. Seriously, if you look at either end of the Canal on Google Earth, you will see lots of ships waiting for their turn. A question: What country or organisation currently administers the Canal's operations?
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Post by Scott on Dec 3, 2006 14:17:47 GMT -8
The wait will do them good. Experience some good Panama hospitality at the Panama Quay;)
Does anyone know how long it takes to get through the canal from start to finish?
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Post by Dane on Dec 3, 2006 15:08:31 GMT -8
"The average transit time through the canal is averaging about 30 hours, about the same as in the late '90s; " from the Panama Canal article on Wikipedia. Didn't realize it was so long!
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 3, 2006 17:48:27 GMT -8
Some Canal history:
When first attempted, the French (I think it was the French?) tried a route of direct-across the isthmus, doing lots of digging and hauling. They also had lots of worker deaths because of malaria.
Then Teddy Roosevelt's Americans took over the task, and instead chose a route that utilized lakes and natural waterways that already existed naturally. Teddy's boys cleaned up the swamps to control the malaria mosquitoes, and then went to work.
The result is a waterway that is part natural, and part man-made. Any Google-earth flyover will show the few areas of locks, and the large inland lake system that the "canal" includes.
The Atlantic side's entrance is guarded by some breakwaters, and the outside staging area is off of the city of Colon.
The inland lake areas provide an intermediate staging area, for vessels that are through the first sets of locks, and are waiting for the next set.
It is also interesting to note that the canal route from the Altantic to the Pacific runs roughly west to east, not east to west. It's more like from the Atlantic in the North-West to the Pacific in the South-East.
Google Earth has a nice zoom-in-patch on the Pacific entrance, just southwest of Panama City. However the Atlantic entrance lacks a good zoom-in-patch, although the city of Colon has a patch. ----------------------------------- For me, I can't hear the word "Panama" without thinking of Joseph Kesselring's play "Arsenic and Old Lace". If you've seen or read it, you know what I mean.....
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Dec 3, 2006 19:13:55 GMT -8
You got that right, the first french attempt was by Ferdinand Diliceps who made the Suez Canal in Egypt.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Dec 3, 2006 21:17:24 GMT -8
hmm dident think it was that busy through the canal! So does that mean she has to sit in the lineup for two days, lol!
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Post by Curtis on Dec 3, 2006 22:24:36 GMT -8
Never realized it was that long to go through...Though I never have learned much about it.
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,947
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Post by FNS on Dec 4, 2006 17:21:56 GMT -8
WELCOME TO PANAMA, SONIA!!!!! From BCF: 12-04-2006 1147PST: Port of Origin: Piraeus, Greece Port of Call: Panama (estimated Distance to Panama = 69.3 nm) Final Destination: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Position: Lat 10 deg 10’ 37” N / Lon 79 deg 01’ 00” W Course: 233 degrees Speed: 16 knots Notes: ETA to Cristobal, Panama is approximately 1800 hrs (1500 hrs Pacific Time) December 4. Canal transit times to be determined. Data Updated: 11:47 am, December 4, 2006 Our next scheduled update will be posted by 12:00 pm, December 5, 2006
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Post by Curtis on Dec 5, 2006 8:02:51 GMT -8
She's Almost there and almost at the Pacific
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Post by Northern Exploration on Dec 5, 2006 12:36:24 GMT -8
I hope someone will be able to do some screen shots and post pics of her in the Canal. I have been to the website and it was interesting seeing the shipping.
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Kam
Voyager
Posts: 926
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Post by Kam on Dec 5, 2006 14:04:59 GMT -8
I hope someone will be able to do some screen shots and post pics of her in the Canal. I have been to the website and it was interesting seeing the shipping. I've got a coupple of computers recording the Canal webcams. I'll be sure to post the video the day after.
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Kam
Voyager
Posts: 926
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Post by Kam on Dec 5, 2006 14:23:36 GMT -8
MV Sonia arrived at Cristobal Pier on December 4 and was cleared by Port Authorities at 8:10 pm local time. The vessel is now taking on fuel and preparing for Panama Canal transit, which is expected to take place between 7:00 pm December 7 and 4:00 am December 8 (local time).
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Post by Ferryman on Dec 5, 2006 18:53:08 GMT -8
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Dec 5, 2006 19:50:07 GMT -8
Please get some screen shots if you see the Sonia in the webcams. I will be in Edmonton the 7-10th so I wont be able to check the webcams. It would be beat to see her going through the canal.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,151
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Post by Neil on Dec 5, 2006 20:25:58 GMT -8
All that oil revenue, and still no computers in Edmonton?
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,947
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Post by FNS on Dec 5, 2006 22:44:19 GMT -8
AN OFFICIAL SEATTLE WELCOME TO PANAMA FOR THE MV SONIA AND HER NAVIGATORS! MV SONIA and your crew, we are proud of your accomplishment on your safe trans-Atlantic crossing. May you have an equal success on your Pacific journey up the coast to your new home on the British Columbia waterways. From BCF, 12-05-2006 1231PST: Port of Origin: Piraeus, Greece Port of Call: Panama - IN PORT, CRISTOBAL Final Destination: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Position: Lat 9 deg 21’ 11” N / Lon 79 deg 54’ 45” W Course: n/a (MADE FAST) Speed: n/a (MADE FAST) Notes: MV Sonia arrived at Cristobal Pier on December 4 and was cleared by Port Authorities at 8:10 pm local time. The vessel is now taking on fuel and preparing for Panama Canal transit, which is expected to take place between 7:00 pm December 7 and 4:00 am December 8 (local time). Data Updated: 12:31 pm, December 5, 2006 Our next scheduled update will be posted by 12:00 pm, December 6, 2006
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Dec 7, 2006 13:50:14 GMT -8
The Sonia should be tranisiting the canal around 6:50PM (3:50PM our time) this afternoon...
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,151
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Post by Neil on Dec 7, 2006 15:44:21 GMT -8
For anyone checking the webcams, the Sonia will be going through the Gatun locks first, the Miraflores early tomorrow.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Dec 7, 2006 17:10:11 GMT -8
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,947
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Post by FNS on Dec 7, 2006 17:44:05 GMT -8
Have her in sight! She looks quite hidden behind that lock door. They're adding a ship to her pool. Then they'll close the door behind that one. Then both ships will rise.
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,947
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Post by FNS on Dec 7, 2006 17:52:16 GMT -8
They are rising now!
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Post by Ferryman on Dec 7, 2006 18:04:43 GMT -8
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