Bridge of the Americas & Miraflores

Between 51 miles of lakes and lock chambers lies a narrow channel carved along the Chagres River. Thick wet air clings to every pore and 93 degree heat challenges one’s conviction to observe from outside. We push through and imagine the engineering effort and work crews who blasted off mountain tops, sculpted cliffs atop bedrock, and stabilized shorelines to ensure the continued operation of a system which shaves 7,800 miles off the alternative route. For our journey, Holland America Line reserved a precious daytime transit slot for $35,000. Combined with the fee for our passenger vessel capacity and occupancy, the total cost was $366,735 or just over $300 per passenger. We exited Miraflores lock nearly an hour late and traveled beneath the mile-long-arterial which spans two continents. And just like that, we traveled from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean where we will spend the night at anchor.Read more