Agua Clara Locks, Panama Canal

A leisurely start today; we read, we swam, we ate. The port of Colon is not famous for a lot and not known for its safety. So we jaunted to the duty free area and back to the boat, before relaxing before our 2pm tour.

Our fabulous guide Alexis began by narrating our way to the Agua Clara locks, the newest locks on the Panama Canal completed only in 2016. Driving through town, the poverty and run down state of the buildings was clear to see, juxtaposed to the commerce; a canal which costs upwards of $350,000 in fees to traverse and a huge commercial duty free zone.

At the Agua Clara locks, we were treated to a huge container ship entering the lock, and so got to watch the whole process unfold - the scale is breathtaking. It took nearly half an hour to enter and empty one chamber of the three in the locks, the while process taking at least two hours.

Back on the bus, we drove over the newly completed bridge which is part of the Pan-American Highway as we headed for Lake Gatun and some canoeing.Read more