Get ready for more shortages in stores...

[stevej37]

200 vessels waiting to use the canal....an average wait time of 21 days.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/09/panama-canal-shipping-pileup-due-to-drought-reaches-154-vessels.html



A couple pics that I took when I was there. Never knew the city was so modern until getting there.

[flatbutt]

Huh I was under the impression that the canal used seawater.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Huh I was under the impression that the canal used seawater.

Yes..for raising and lowering the water in the locks. They are talking about the captive water between the two coasts....which is a huge amount of water.lo

It's nine miles between the locks.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Huh I was under the impression that the canal used seawater.

The ships traverse a large lake between the locks. I think the water level in the lake is the problem.

[stevej37]

I found this...a real good explanation of the whole process....

https://www.marineinsight.com/guidelines/how-the-water-locks-of-panama-canal-work/#:~:text=The%20Panama%20Water%20Lock%20System%20co nsists%20of%20a%20total%20of,both%20ends%20of%20th e%20canal.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

The ships traverse a large lake between the locks. I think the water level in the lake is the problem.

This is what I saw on the news a few days ago.... each time a lock is filled/drained .... it takes a bigly amount.....

I used to go through a lock on the Cross Florida Barge canal (that went to nowhere) ... in a bass boat .

Designed for bigly barges .... used by bass boats .... highly efficient

[stevej37]

There is a member of ppot that lives in Panama...I know his first name is Gus. (can't remember the last name)
Maybe he will answer with how the conditions are down there.

another pic I took from the viewing deck...

[The Synergizer]

What should we buy?
More toilet paper?

[stevej37]

^^^ as much as you can of everything.

[faverymi]

Start hoarding Christmas stuff....ha

[masraum]

Hasn't the PC been constipated for a while now? I feel like I heard about a blockage/slow down sometime in the last year or two.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Huh I was under the impression that the canal used seawater.

From what I recall from a 5th grade science project, there's a lake in the middle (Lake Gatun?). Its elevation is greater than sea level. Water from that lake operates the locks on both the Pacific and Gulf sides. The water just "flows" downhill to the sea (via the locks). No seawater is used for operating the locks.

[stevej37]

From Google....

Moving ships through the canal's system of locks consumes vast amounts of fresh water, ranging from 55 to 125 million gallons per ship, depending on its size.


The water goes into the Locks from Gatun Lake and is discharged into the ocean (depending on which end of the canal)

[stevej37]

well worth watching...

[Henry Schmidt]

Start pumping. We managed to pump enough water to feed LA for decades

[john70t]

I wonder if that uses Archimedes' screw (powered by humans and animals and invented several thousand years ago):

[afterburn 549]

The sooner we cut the cords to cheena the better

[2.7RS]

Agree.

Time to made in the usa again

[Arizona_928]

Not as the coffers are to be filled...

[The Synergizer]

There's an overabundance of cheap stuff in the Dollar General today. I need to stock up.