The Panama Canal

Arriving here is a great thrill as it is the furthest south we will go on the Pacific side (as of now). We are proud of the accomplishments we have made to this point and look forward to the Atlantic side.

We have to appoligize to those who wanted to help transit the canal with us that we could not accommodate. However we will be coming back through in a couple of years.

I am pre writing this blog to post prior to our crossing as I had to fly home as my best friends' husband passed away suddenly and I need to be there. I will be publishing it from Calgary and returning a few days later. I will ask Ken, Wendy and Wayne to write about the Perlas Islands where they will be visiting while I am away.

Panama is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its location on the Isthmus of Panama is strategic. By 2000, Panama controlled the Panama Canal which connects the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea to the North of the Pacific Ocean. Panama, at 75,420 sq km, is ranked 124th worldwide on the basis of land size. We were told by the admeasurer that it has been a very good thing for the country as it put billions into the coppers. When the Americans owned the canal they paid the government $388,000,000 a year. A big difference.
The spine that forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of uplift from the sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions. The whole area was once volcanos and by looking at the land mass it is obvious.
Panama's wildlife holds the most diversity of all the countries in Central America. It is home to many South American species as well as North American wildlife.
Panama has a tropical climate. Temperatures are uniformly high—as is the relative humidity—and there is little seasonal variation. Diurnal ranges are low; on a typical dry-season day in the capital city, the early morning minimum may be 24°C (75°F) and the afternoon maximum 29°C (84°F). The temperature seldom exceeds 32°C (90°F) for more than a short time. Temperatures on the Pacific side of the isthmus are somewhat lower than on the Caribbean, and breezes tend to rise after dusk in most parts of the country. Temperatures are markedly cooler in the higher parts of the mountain ranges, and frosts occur in the Cordillera de Talamanca in western Panama. After our stay in Golfito the lower temps are much appreciated. The water temperature is lower by 10 degrees.

Panama had a population of 3,360,474 in 2009. As of the year 2000, the majority of the population, 50.1%, was Mestizo. African and Mulatto were together the largest minority, accounting for 22%. For the remaining groups the percentages were: native Central American 6.7%, European 8.6%, Asian 5.5%, and other 7.1%. The Amerindian population includes seven indigenous peoples
The culture, customs, and language of the Panamanians are predominantly Caribbean and Spanish. Spanish is the official language. We are finding the Spanish/Carrib accent difficult to understand at times. Most of the Panamanian populations of West Indian descent owe their presence in the country to the monumental efforts to build the Panama Canal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Our observation has been that the majority are of West Indian descent.
Once I get back and RJ arrives (same day) we will tour the historical museums and check out the canal while waiting for Paulette and Kenny to arrive.
We have a transit date of Mar 15 and will keep all informed as to what is happening. Ken will be sending out an email with an uplink to the canal cam that will allow anyone wanting to watch us transit to watch in real time. More on that to come