Canal Zone, Panama.

This week, Erika V. suggests that we review the concept of change, transitions, and time passages. She writes, “…share a photograph that signifies transition and change to you.” You can read the entire challenge post here.  My immediate thought of change involves something pretty obvious. In my case, what came to mind was our trip through the Panama Canal some years back. Transitioning between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans involved a long, arduous journey around the southern tip of South America until the early 1900s when engineers were given the opportunity to design and build a system of locks and a canal through Central America that allows a vessel to be lifted above sea level in steps to transition via Lake Gatun which lies at 85 feet (26 m) above sea level.

In the image above, the Norwegian Sun is being raised in a lock to the next level as it transitions through three locks to be lifted up from the Atlantic Ocean to reach the surface of the lake. This cruise was one of the most fascinating trips we’ve taken over the years as we learned how the process worked through the system.

One more image involving transition from our canal trip is a panoramic view of the Bridge of the Americas. As a vessel passes from the last locks and into the Pacific Ocean, it goes under a bridge that reconnects the two American continents and allows vehicles to transition between North and South America. Click on each image, and if your browser supports it, a larger version will be presented.

John Steiner