Week 3 - Charlston, Curacao, Panama Canal
A day at sea before Charlston, South Carolina. First English settlement in the state, from mid 1600s. Rich turbulent history - centre of agriculture (cotton, rice, indigo, timber) undepinned by African slave workers; place of wealth, power, culture, start of Civil War.
We walked off ship through the opening markets to the Visitor's Centre. We booked a tour to Boone Hall Plantation before walking around the cobbled streets to see the beautiful old homes from early 1800s.
We shopped at Walgreens before walking back to the ship through the long winding shopping centre & blocks of market stalls.
3 days at sea.
At 7pm on the 3rd day the Captain announced that we had turned around to answer a May day call from 3 crew on a small supply ship that was sinking!!!!
5 hours later We 'found them in a lifeboat & brought them back to the ship.
We arrived at the island of Curacao (Off the north coast of South America) 7 hours late, all the ship's excursions had to be cancelled. We had booked to go to the Curacao liqueur factory & an aloe vera farm.
Spanish discovered the island in 1499 & eliminated the native Indians; Dutch arrived 1644. Island in the middle of slave trade - 100,000 slaves traded. 1654 Jews arrived.
1920s oil discovered (We 'parked' next to HUGE oil rig).
We all just walked into the town of brightly coloured buildings & MODERN shops - closed ad they did not think we were stopping!
VERY HOT!!!!!
What an incredible day - PANAMA CANAL
Since the Spanish arrived in 16th century there had been a desire to create a crossing of the Isthmus.
The French started in 1880 but financial problems & tropical diseases ruined plans to continue.
Panama independence in 1903 agreed with USA & construction began. Canal completed 1914 & run by US until 31 Dec 1999 when Panama resumed control.
We arrived at 6am in the entrance bay from the Caribbean Sea. First passed through set of 3 locks - Gutin Locks - which raises ships 27 meters above sea level to Gatun Lake. We went through old locks.
There was 24 inches between us & the sides of the locks.
After crossing Gatun Lake we passed through the narrow Culebra Cut - 12.7 kms. Incredible! Land very close on both sides are the tops of the original mountains before the cut. We could hear screeching monkeys & see crocodiles & birds.
On the other side we passed through the Pedro Miguel Lock, Miraflores Lake, two Miraflores Locks before sailing into the Pacific Ocean!!!
Distance - 80 kms
Cost us - $363,024
Amount of rock & limestone excavated from Culebra Cut could have built 63 Egyptian pyramids!!!!
We walked off ship through the opening markets to the Visitor's Centre. We booked a tour to Boone Hall Plantation before walking around the cobbled streets to see the beautiful old homes from early 1800s.
Boone Hall established 1681. Famous Oak Tree Driveway planted 1743. We toured the house (used in numerous TV series & movies). Also the 13 slaves houses & heard their Gullah history & culture from the Low Country, West Africa from a g-g-granddaughter of one of them.
3 days at sea.
At 7pm on the 3rd day the Captain announced that we had turned around to answer a May day call from 3 crew on a small supply ship that was sinking!!!!
5 hours later We 'found them in a lifeboat & brought them back to the ship.
We arrived at the island of Curacao (Off the north coast of South America) 7 hours late, all the ship's excursions had to be cancelled. We had booked to go to the Curacao liqueur factory & an aloe vera farm.
Spanish discovered the island in 1499 & eliminated the native Indians; Dutch arrived 1644. Island in the middle of slave trade - 100,000 slaves traded. 1654 Jews arrived.
1920s oil discovered (We 'parked' next to HUGE oil rig).
We all just walked into the town of brightly coloured buildings & MODERN shops - closed ad they did not think we were stopping!
VERY HOT!!!!!
Since the Spanish arrived in 16th century there had been a desire to create a crossing of the Isthmus.
The French started in 1880 but financial problems & tropical diseases ruined plans to continue.
Panama independence in 1903 agreed with USA & construction began. Canal completed 1914 & run by US until 31 Dec 1999 when Panama resumed control.
We arrived at 6am in the entrance bay from the Caribbean Sea. First passed through set of 3 locks - Gutin Locks - which raises ships 27 meters above sea level to Gatun Lake. We went through old locks.
There was 24 inches between us & the sides of the locks.
After crossing Gatun Lake we passed through the narrow Culebra Cut - 12.7 kms. Incredible! Land very close on both sides are the tops of the original mountains before the cut. We could hear screeching monkeys & see crocodiles & birds.
On the other side we passed through the Pedro Miguel Lock, Miraflores Lake, two Miraflores Locks before sailing into the Pacific Ocean!!!
Distance - 80 kms
Cost us - $363,024
Amount of rock & limestone excavated from Culebra Cut could have built 63 Egyptian pyramids!!!!
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