The history of the building of the Panama Canal is fascinating. For a complete detailed history of the building of the Canal, I highly recommend you take time and read "The Path Between The Seas" by David McCullough.

As we entered the Culebra Cut (renamed the Gaillard Cut in 1915), my imagination ran wild as I pictured the workers clearing the dense jungle before the actual digging began. Just imagine the task of clearing a 50 mile long swath several hundred feet wide through the jungle by hand ! The amount of dirt removed through the cut is equivalent to digging a ditch 50 feet wide and 10 feet deep from San Francisco to New York City!

After just over seven hours of transit time through the Canal, we exited the Miraflores lock and set sail for Golfo Dulce.

The toll charged to pass through the Canal is based on a number of things including the ship's size (i.e. its tonnage) and its cargo. The lowest toll on record was paid by Richard Halliburton in the 1920's who swam the length of the Canal. Based on his weight of 140 pounds, he was charged a toll of 36 cents. On our passage, the maiden transcanal voyage of the ms Oosterdam, Holland America's toll was around $240,000.00!