P Day Excursion to See the Widening of the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal

On Monday, September 15, President and Hna. Boren drove us to the Atlantic side of Panama to visit the construction of the new Gatun locks. It was pretty impressive! It took us about an hour to drive from the temple compound to Colon. Panama is a beautiful country and the road from here to Colon was a nice four-laned freeway with lush vegetation bordering it the entire way. Every once in awhile we could glimpse the river, Gatun Lake or house nestled in valleys or small slopes. 

This is a view of the Chigres River and surrounding countryside from the van. This is looking in the direction of where the Embera natives live, but further down the river. 

This is a sign along the road near the locks. 

Here's our group, minus the photographer. Elder Mathieson, President & Hna. Boren (Hugo & Camille), Hna. & President Martin (Celia & Andrés) and Hna. & Elder Bjornason (Kathy & Leon). They are standing in front of the visitor centre entrance of the expansion. 

I just had to have a picture of me in front of this beautiful orchid near the entrance. 

The Bjornasons, Jim and the Borens in front of Gatun Lake. This is where the ships end up aftering leaving the locks on the Atlantic side. They travel through this lake to get to the Pacific side and vice versa. 

This is looking at the construction of the widening. You can see several of the gates sitting, waiting to br put into place. The water in the background is the Carribean Sea. 

I believe these spaces are where the gates will be placed. 

These are so e of the gates that were just shipped over from Italy, where they are being made. They will eventually be hauled over to the expansion site to be put into place. There were already a few there, but not in their places yet. Apparently there are still about 8 remaining to be shipped over from Italy. 

Jim standing in front of the expansion. From here you could see ships in the original locks. There's a small white tower looking structure just to the left of the top of Jim's head. This is a ship travelling towards the Atlantic. There's another ship just a short way in front of it too. 

I zoomed in on the ship so it would be easier to see the ship travelling through the lock in the near distance. 

Hna. Mathieson with her dear friend, Celia Martin. Celia and her husband go home to Argentina at the end of October and will be greatly missed!

Elder Martin, Elder Mathieson, President Boren and Elder Bjarnason in front of Gatun Lake. Gatun Lake is where the ships enter as they leave the locks on the Carribean side. 

Ships anchored in Gatun Lake. 

Hermanas Boren, Mathieson, Martin and Bjornason just prior to starting the nature hike at the lock widening centre. 

While hiking along the nature trail nearby and we saw a golden silk spider. I know it's hard to tell the size, but it was enormous!

This is the entrance into the current Gatun Locks. We got there just after they closed to visitors, so it'll be nice to go back one day to experience watching the locks work. 

This was a ship that we saw while driving away. It was almost nearing the end of the locks to exit into the Carribean Sea. 

There is a one lane bridge that goes past the entrance into/exit out off the locks. This is what the gate looked like as we drove over the first time. 

This is what it looked like as we drove back over. 

This is what going over the bridge looked like, from the other side of the van, on the first trip over. 

Same spot, just minutes later. We are guessing that they are emptying water to lower the ship into the Carribean Sea. 

It had started to rain, on the way back to Panama City, so the windshield wipers got in the way. This highway was absolutely beautiful...Tree-lined and windy. 

Another view of the drive home. 

The guys always sit at the back of the van. It's probably the least comfortable seat, so they are being very gracious to us. 

This selfie is not very flattering, but it shows how we usually sit. President and Hermana Boren sit in the front, of course, unless Elder Bjornason drives. I'd be willing to drive, but it seems to just be a guy thing and Jim has no desire to drive. Plus, we don't have access to the van as it is intended for President Boren's use. This May be our last P Day excursion for a while, as we just got a new couple on Thursday night, the Nelson's from Cache Valley, Utah. The van only holds 8 and we are now 10. 

This is a diagram of the expansion project. I've heard the ferry trip down the canal is fabulous. We'll have to see if we could do it while the van is too small for us all. 

Here's the link for the official expansion website: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/ 

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