Copyright © Mike Valentine – Gatun Locks, Panama Canal – looking backward at ocean entrance where twenty six million gallons of water raise elevation of ships 27 feet in 8 minutes and the electric rail cars beside tow the ships to positions in the locks. This cruise ship is the largest that fits between the walls of the original canal. A new, wider set of locks is under construction that will allow much bigger (mostly cargo) ships to pass through the canal. It’s incredible that this has been working so well for over 100 years now. We passed through just beyond the 100th Birthday (August 2014) of the canal in November of 2014.