| Panama 1981
Below are a few photos from
my two week visit to Panama as part of my military training in 1981.�
The Canal was opened August 15, 1914 after many years of work and politics.
(Click on photo to see it larger)
Above: Photo taken in 1981, the Oil tanker Overseas Ohio is waiting to enter Miraflores
Locks.� In 1994, the Overseas Ohio struck an iceberg in Prince William Sound Alaska.
The accident damaged Her forepeak tank which is a ballast tank.�
Because the tank was a ballast tank, no oil was spilled.� Thanks goes
to Don Bodron with his help on the technical details.� Also visit this
link to see the damage to the Overseas Ohio after it struck the iceberg at
this link:
Cost of tranexamic acid in australia
�
Above: The administration building for Miraflores Locks.��
The date on the building is 1913.� Miraflores Locks are one set of
three locks on the canal.� Miraflores is the nearest to the Pacific
Ocean and the tallest of the locks.� The tide on the Pacific side
varies a lot more than on the Atlantic side.
 
Above Left: The bridge turns and the hand rail lowers when the lock is
opened.
Above Right: The ship waits in the lock for the water to enter or drain.�
No pumps are used.� The water fills or drains using gravity.�
More
than 14,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal each year.
 
Above Left:� The doors to the lock are opening allowing the ship to
move down the lock towards the Pacific.� The entire transit of the
canal takes about 8 or 9 hours.�� The Pacific is lower than the
Atlantic side, so a Pacific bound ship is lowered two levels at the
Miraflores lock system.
 
Above Right:� The ships are moved through the narrow locks using
locomotive tugs.� The one shown above from 1981 shows US markings.��
Since the canal was turned over to Panama in 1999, the "US" markings have
been removed.
 
Above Left: Show the incline or decline of the lock as it drops to the
Pacific.
Above Right:� Panama City was built during the construction years
starting about 1880.� The old city of Panama from about 1600 is nearby
and was destroyed by pirates and the Spanish.����
Click on any photo to see it larger
 
Housing 1981
Above Right: One of the original town square churches.
 
Inside the Church
 Click on any photo to see it
larger.
Above:� Main Street.� Typical 1890-1910 era style city buildings,
built with US tax payer's money.
This link takes you to a LIVE Web cam of the Miraflores Locks.�
CLICK HERE to see if a ship is in the locks.
�
Photos copyright Owen R Murray.�
Shot in 1981 on 35mm slides
and scanned to JPEG.
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