canals

[William Gardner]

only went up four canals in my time at sea the two big ones suez remember lot of sand bitter lakes and a searchlight on the bow went in night panama only ever went in daylight hell of a sight locks both ends the kiel canal in germaney only short one into the baltic manchester ship canal had to lower all stuff down to get under bridges still recall passing houses people waving to us in thear back gardens as a 12 thousand ton ship went by remember the manchester liners smart looking ships them as i only was on ocean going ships only ones i went but vindi was on a canal sharpness the port must be loads ofcanals other places

[Captain Kong]

I last went through Suez in 2005 sailing home from Fremantle. A Big Bridge now goes over it, built by the Japanese.
Last through Panama in January this year on the Amsterdam. It is the 100th Anniversary this August of the openning.
The new Locks for the BIG containor ships should be open by then but work was stopped due to unpaid bills.
One big one is being built near the Gatun Locks behind a dam and the other one bypasses the Pedro Miguel Locks and the Miraflores Locks.
cheers
Brian
.

Gatun new and Pedro Miguel new

[Doc Vernon]

Only been through the Suez Canal in my short time at Sea,but an experience that I would not have missed!
Thankfully the old Round Africa trips with the Intermediate Ships of the UCL gave me that opportunity!
Something never to be forgotten!
Cheers

Seuz Canal

Also known as The Gateway To India, Suez canal holds the place of being the greatest of the man made canals in the world. Connecting the Mediterranean to the Red sea, it serves the purpose of transportation between Europe and Asia and has importance geographically as well as politically. It is an unbelievable creation of man, worth watching! The canal is a single lake with passing places. There are no locks on it and sea water flows freely through the canal. Under international treaty it may be used in times of war and in those of peace without distinction of flag.

Capture Suez.JPG

Passengers on a Train watch Ships go through the Suez!

Capture Train.JPG

[Ivan Cloherty]

]

Also known as The Gateway To India,--- without distinction of flag.

Capture Suez.JPG

I think there are many on here who would disagree with that Doc, having been through both Suez and Panama Canals, the Panama Canal is a wonderous feat of engineering lifting ships over 26 metres above Atlantic level and dropping them 24.5 metres to Pacific level through numerous locks that fill and empty purely by the water pressure around them, where-as the Suez canal was a straight cut and blast with no variations in sea levels to worry about. If you think the Suez was scenic then the Panama will leave you astonished in both the complexity of the locks, the passes cut through the mountains and the lush jungle together with the tropical storms and alligator sightings and the sounds of hundreds of different birds and chattering of wild life and not an annoying bum boat insight. You could leave your cabin open on a Panama transit, try that in the Suez you'd come back to an empty cabin, even your bunk would have disappeared.

I stand to be corrected on heights lifted and dropped as working from memory

[Captain Kong]

A few shots of Panama Canal. only allowed Five. I have the Video CD of our passage through.
Cheers
Brian.

[John Arton]

Panama canal beats the Suez hands down on all counts.
South Bound through Suez you pass smelly cities only to exit out into the Red Sea with its stinking heat/sandstorms etc. Then unless you are on a cargo boat bound for OZ you end up the Persian Gulf or the Indian Sub continent. If you are especially lucky you may end up out in the Far east Singapore/Malaysia/Hong Kong.
Only coming north bound can be pleasant as it could mean a pay off in Blighty or Europe.
Panama meant the pleasures of West coast America/Central America and North America were ahead of you or even Japan and the far East.
Coming eastwards through the canal was in addition to the America's there was the Caribbean Islands or even Europe beckoning.
All of this in addition to jaw dropping scenery and engineering.
The one canal I would love to have transited was the Corinth canal.
I also always enjoyed the Manchester ship canal with its history and its place in the industrial revolution.
rgds
JA

[EIFION]

When on everards ships I hated the Manchester Ship Canal, company rules was when on stand by Chief was down the engine room and it is a long way from the Bar l.s to Trafford Wharf. Never did see much of it! though I must have been on it dozens of times. Elsmere Port with wood pulp or china clay was bad enough, the same for Runcorn with phosphates. The plus side of course was a night at home in N Wales. Hang on a minute I did pay off Harrison's "Explorer" near Barton Lock, had to walk across a field to get to a taxi mid 1960s I think

[j.sabourn]

As you were with the yellow perils in the 60""s. Did you ever come across anyone with the surname of Tarn, would of been either mate or master. Cheers JS

[Doc Vernon]

I think --- even your bunk would have disappeared.

I stand to be corrected on heights lifted and dropped as working from memory

Hello Ivan
Cant disagree with you ,for one I have never been through the Panama,that Text in Red of mine was only copied from the Net!
On looking at Pics of the Panama I must say it looks a grand sight, and I would have loved to have been able to see it!
But as I have said before life is like that,and my Career spanned many other places and Ports!
Lots of you Lads were very lucky indeed to have stayed at Sea for long periods of time,just wasn't meant to be for me!
Worse luck!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

The canals, Suez, Panama, Keil and Manchester are testament to the inginuity of man. Without them life for so many would have been vastly different. But the most amazing thing is that theses canals were all built without the use of modern machinery,, man and shovel power did most of the work. It was from the Manchester ship Canal that we got the name 'navy' short for navigator as the guys doing the digging were known as navigators.