Today ArcticTropic accompanied the delegation from Enterprise Florida on a tour of the Panama Canal. The Canal, which just celebrated its’ 100th Anniversary is undergoing a major expansion -PANAMAX – which will triple capacity and allow much larger container ships to traverse between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Ships enter from the Atlantic ( Caribbean ) side at Colon.

PANAMAX construction. Estimated to be finished by late 2015.

Gatun Lake. The total route is 50 miles ( 80 km ) and takes 8 to 10 hours. Only 32 ships a day can pass through – 16 from either side. Reservations are required 547 days in advance, but expedited service is available.

Entering Miraflores Locks.

Clearance of the ;Miraflores completed, the ship sails into the Pacific, about 5 miles away, then on to China.

An ArcticTropic traveler, Morgan Hartman, is currently aboard a Silver Sea cruiseship enroute from Cartagena, Colombia to Acapulco,Mexico. Yesterday the ship traversed the Panama Canal, making the 52 mile trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific in about ten hours.

The canal saves thousands of miles in travel around South America. There is a one year waiting list to get though.

Morgan is aboard to promote some excellent wines from Vine Connections.

Panama is the crossroads of the world – only 52 miles from Atlantic to Pacific. Only 2 and a half hours from Miami ! From the air one can see both oceans at once. The Pan American Highway – running from Alaska to Tierra delFuego is interrupted for 100 miles into Colombia in the almost impenetrable Darien Gap.

ArcticTropic links to 5 adventure travel destinations in Panama. CLICK HERE.