As seen on Buzzfeed :
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ayao2/photos-that-reveal-the-timelessness-of-the-100-yea-qxb7

PHOTOS REVEALING THE TIMELESSNESS OF THE 100-YEAR-OLD PANAMA CANAL

On August 15, the Panama Canal will welcome its Centennial celebration. Here are photos that show that after 100 years, little has changed at the Panama Canal and it remains as ageless as Joan Rivers.

Gatun Locks – THEN

Roscoe G. Searle, National Geographic; US Library of Congress / nationalgeographic.com; canalmuseum.com

We start on the Caribbean side, where the Gatun Locks connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Panama Canal. These gigantic metallic gates “lock” and fill up with water, to lift (or lower) boats from sea level, to dry land – and connect inland with a natural freshwater lake, The Gatun Lake.

Gatun Locks – NOW

The locks fill with water, elevating the boat on level with Lake Gatun.

Culebra Cut – THEN

US Library of Congress / Via canalmuseum.com ; historycentral.com ; wikimedia.org; wikipedia.org

The Culebra Cut are the man-made dredges that connect the Gatun Lake (a natural fresh water lake) to the Pedro Miguel Locks (which eventually connect to the Pacific!). It took 32 years (of combined French & American effort) to excavate the dirt from the mountain ridge.

Culebra Cut – NOW

    Ships pass through Gatun Lake to traverse over to the Pacific side. The path has become a popular route for cruise ships.

   small boats mingle with large container ships.

 

 

Pedro Miguel Locks – THEN

US Library of Congress / Via canalmuseum.com; sheppardsoftware.com;

The Gatun Lake eventually make way to the Pedro Miguel Locks, which lead the way to the Miraflores Locks, the gatekeeper to the Pacific Ocean!

Pedro Miguel Locks – NOW

 

Miraflores Locks – THEN

US Library of Congress; Ernest Hallen, National Geographic / Via canalmuseum.com; panamascanal.com; wxxi.org; nationalgeographic.com

Finally – the Miraflores Locks connect the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean! The gates lock and fill with water, and raise (or lower) boats 43-64 feet to sea level, where they carry their journey to the Pacific!

Miraflores Locks – NOW

The birds are the gatekeepers to the Pacific

Even massive ships like these are guided through to keep steady while the water floods into the canal.

 

Over the years a few things have changed…

The Port of Balboa (Pacific side) –

Via aquaticcommons.org    Panama Railroad Station, Balboa, 1928

—– NOW

The Port of Colon (Caribbean side) –

Via czimages.com     Fort Sherman – 1917 – Barracks

—- NOW

     Barracks, unused

   Fort Sherman – unused, deserted

But – through the years, the Canal continues to inspire…

 

Humility, in witnessing the many hands that help guide your ship,

Awe, in realizing man’s smallness …

 

… And the burst of excitement when finally arriving at the other side – and entering the wide, wide Sea!