Sunrise - Puntarenas, Costa Rica

 Good morning,

What a beautiful sunrise at sea off the coast of Puntarenas, Costa Rica. 

 Our friend, Erica, captured these images while aboard Serenade of the Seas.

Thank you for sharing!

Lois

Panama Canal Locks - Pacific Side

 Good morning,

Today's images were taken as Serenade of the Seas was leaving Gatun Lake and passing through the locks on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. 

 Leaning over the side, Erica caught this image of one of the tug boats.

Serenade moved through the final locks...

...on the Pacific side of the Canal.

This image was taken looking straight down over the side of the ship. That's a very close fit of the ship and the wall of the Canal.

This is an experience of a lifetime for many passengers.  It's fascinating to watch the workings of the Canal.

More cruise images to come!  Thank you, Erica and Catherine for sharing your images.

All the best,

Lois 

Gatun Lake

 Good morning,

Gatun Lake is located in the center of the Panama Canal.

Today's images are courtesy of our friend, Erica, who is aboard Serenade of the Seas cruising through the Panama Canal from East to West. 

 There are many commercial ships passing through the Canal.

 The weather was beautiful!  Note the passengers on the bow of Serenade at the bottom of the image.

The jungle along the Canal is dense.  One can only imagine the trials that faced the builders of the Canal.

Stay tuned!  Tomorrow we'll have more Canal images.

All the best,

Lois

Gatun Locks - Panama Canal

 Good morning,

We're going through the Gatun Lock in the Panama Canal via these images courtesy of our friend Erica who is aboard Serenade of the Seas this week. 

 Watching the transit process is fascinating!

 The ship has been going "uphill" between the Atlantic Ocean and Gatun Lake.

A commercial vessel is coming through the lock in the opposite direction.

As Serenade is exiting the lock, another commercial vessel is approaching to begin the process of passing through the locks to the Atlantic Ocean.

This is great fun!  Kjell and I did this while aboard Splendour of the Seas while he was Splendour's Chief Engineer.  Erica's images bring back all the great experience of those trips!

Thank you, Erica!

Lois

Entering Panama Canal Locks

 Good morning,

What a beautiful day to transit the Panama Canal!

These images were taken by our friend, Erica, who is aboard Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas this week. 

 Electronic mules to help guide ships through the Canal replaced actual mules long, long ago.

 It is fascinating to stand on deck or on your balcony to watch the mechanics of the Canal.

Notice "Ohio" at the bottom of the electronic mule above.  The original mules were made by General Electric.

Serenade of the Seas is traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  Tomorrow's images will be of Gatun Lock and the Gatun Lake in the center of the Canal.

Stay tuned!

Lois

Approaching the Panama Canal

 Good morning,

The repositioning cruise of Serenade of the Seas continues.  

Today's images show the approach to the Panama Canal from the Atlantic side.

 We have a tug escort...

 ...and can now see the first lock ahead!

This is the last view of the Atlantic side behind our ship.

We'll go through the locks tomorrow!

Stay tuned,

Lois

Bunkering Fuel in Panama

 Good morning,

Serenade of the Seas bunkered fuel in Colon, Panama, before beginning the trip through the Panama Canal. 

 Erica took these images from her balcony.

This is a huge bunker barge.  I've seen them all sizes in different ports around the world.

This bunker barge looks so clean and new.  I remember an old rusty one in the port of St. Petersburg, Russia.  There was a young man sitting next to an open hatch on the top of the barge while the fuel was being transferred to the Splendour of the Seas.  The young man was smoking.  Scary stuff.

Stay tuned.  Tomorrow we'll be entering the Panama Canal.

This is fun!

Lois