The Panama Canal in 1 minute 52 Seconds
The Panama Canal is a 51 miles (82km) long, and connects the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea to the Atlantic, though the Isthmus of Panama. Generally it takes 15-20 hours to get through, but with the miracle of time lapse photography, you can take the ride in one minute and 52 seconds on a cruise ship! The French started building it in 1881, but gave up in 1889. After Panama declared its independence in 1903, the Americans took over and finished the project. In 1977 President Jummy Carter signed away U.S. rights to it.
Film by YouTube user radiofreebc.
The following is exceperted from Wkikpedia:
The canal consists of seventeen artificial lakes, several improved and artificial channels, and two sets of locks. An additional artificial lake, Alajuela Lake, acts as a reservoir for the canal. The layout of the canal as seen by a ship transiting from the Pacific end to the Atlantic is as follows:[4]
A schematic of the Panama Canal, illustrating the sequence of locks and passages.Due to the local geography the main direction of sailing is North-West, whereas the global direction from Pacific to Atlantic is East.
- From the beginning of the buoyed entrance channel in the Gulf of Panama, ships travel 13.2 kilometres (8.2 mi) up the channel to the Miraflores locks, passing under the Bridge of the Americas
- The two-stage Miraflores lock system, including the approach wall, is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long, with a total lift of 16.5 metres (54 ft) at mid-tide
- The artificial Miraflores Lake is the next stage, 1.7 kilometres (1.0 mi) long, and 16.5 metres (54 ft) above sea level
- The single-stage Pedro Miguel lock, which is 1.4 kilometres (0.8 mi) long, is the last part of the ascent with a lift of 9.5 metres (31 ft) up to the main level of the canal
- The Gaillard (Culebra) Cut slices 12.6 kilometres (7.8 mi) through the continental divide at an altitude of 26 metres (85 ft), and passes under the Centennial Bridge
- The Chagres River (Río Chagres), a natural waterway enhanced by the damming of Lake Gatún, runs west about 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi), merging into Lake Gatun
- Gatun Lake, an artificial lake formed by the building of the Gatun Dam, carries vessels 24.2 kilometres (15.0 mi) across the isthmus
- The Gatún locks, a three-stage flight of locks 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) long, drop ships back down to sea level
- A 3.2 kilometre (2.0 mi) channel forms the approach to the locks from the Atlantic side
- Limón Bay (Bahía Limón), a huge natural harbour, provides an anchorage for some ships awaiting transit, and runs 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) to the outer breakwater
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