Panama Canal

Our new advisor, Daniel, joined Hazel today, and what an addition he is. With twelve years of experience advising for the Panama Canal, he brings a depth of knowledge shaped by a workforce of more than 9,000 people who keep this engineering marvel running. He’s also a computer technician for the canal, a reminder that Daniel wears many hats and has worked his way up through a long list of roles.

Meanwhile, this captain stayed laser‑focused on keeping Hazel well clear of the giants surrounding us. Massive cargo ships glide past, each commanded by Canal Captains who don’t exactly adore pleasure craft in their lanes. This is where the old saying “give them a wide berth” becomes less of a suggestion and more of a survival strategy.

But when the traffic thins, the canal reveals its dramatic beauty. It’s impossible not to pause and take it in.

You may remember the National Geographic exploration ship from yesterday’s photos. Nearby lies Barro Colorado Island, home to an ancient petrified mangrove forest discovered during the canal’s construction in 1913. Preserved by a volcanic mudflow, it contains fossils from a previously unknown mangrove species and offers a rare window into the Early Miocene. Today, the island is a protected reserve and hosts one of the world’s oldest tropical research stations, run by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

For those who recall Manuel Noriega, Panama’s former de facto ruler from 1983 to 1989, his story ends not far from here. After relations with the U.S. deteriorated over narcotics and election fraud, Operation Just Cause led to his capture following his refuge in the Vatican embassy. After years of trials and extraditions, he spent the remainder of his life in a Panamanian prison, one we passed on our journey.

We continued on beneath the Continental Bridge, the second bridge to span the canal and a symbolic halfway point. Then came the first lock on our path toward the Pacific.

And of course, no transit would be complete without a moment of levity. Peter Darula, “Pedro”, to all of Central America, remains a local legend. Even here, there’s a building named in his honor. A massive crowd gathered along the canal, and depending on who you ask, they were there for Pedro, for Adriana, or for Hazel’s undeniable beauty. Whatever the reason, the spectacle felt like stepping onto a football field packed with cheering fans.

Finally, we passed through the last lock with the Bridge of the Americas rising ahead. That bridge marks the gateway to the Pacific Ocean.

Hazel has officially made it to the Pacific.