Thread: Did you actually ENJOY the Panama Canal?

char - a friend of mine told me that they used to use real mules in the old days

Originally Posted by patsea

char - a friend of mine told me that they used to use real mules in the old days

Here is a little info about them:

From the outset, it was considered an important safety feature that ships were guided though the lock chambers by electric locomotives, known as mulas (mules, named after the animals traditionally used to pull barges), on the lock walls. These mules are used for side-to-side and braking control in the rather narrow locks (narrow relative to modern day ships). Forward motion into and through the locks is actually provided by the ships engines and not the "mules". A ship approaching the locks first pulls up to the guide wall, which is an extension of the centre wall of the locks, where she is taken under control by the mules on the wall before proceeding into the lock. As she moves forward, additional lines are taken to mules on the other wall. With large ships, there are two mules on each side at the bow, and two each side at the stern — eight in total, allowing for precise control of the ship.

The mules themselves run on rack tracks, to which they are geared. Each mule has a powerful winch, operated by the driver; these are used to take the line in or pay it out, to keep the ship centred in the lock while moving it from chamber to chamber. With as little as 60 cm (2 ft) of space on each side of a ship, considerable skill is required on the part of the operators.

Smaller vessels, such as small tour boats and private yachts, are taken as handline transits, where mooring lines to the lock walls are handled manually by line handlers on the ship.

so she didn't know the right answer anyway. i figured it could be right since it was a long time ago

They did use mules to pull barges, but not in the Canal.

Originally Posted by Char

Good video! Gives you an idea of what you will be seeing up close & personal on YOUR voyage!

Do U bring binoculars,or is it even worth the bother.

Tom, take the binoculars. Unless you have really young eyes that is.

Originally Posted by hanna

Tom, take the binoculars. Unless you have really young eyes that is.

Thanks Hanna,although i have very young eyes,will bring binocs too

Originally Posted by seamus

Do U bring binoculars,or is it even worth the bother.

Tom, for SURE bring binoculars! There is so much to see .... you don't want to miss any of it.