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May 11, 2000 - The Panama Canal, then and now'.8A 4,T he swuk rim6s ,May 11,' 000 The Panama Canal, then and now For the past two weeks you have had a glimpse of the Panama Canal through the eyes of a young seaman over 50 years ago. It was a time of war and the world was oh, so different then. I decided to revisit the canal but this time with Barbara and this FOCUS time on one of the many cruise ON ships that make it all so easy. We NATURE were up at 3 by Paul a.m. to catch a Stoutenburgh flight out of JFK at 6:30. Three hours later found us in Miami getting a shuttle to our ship. The plan was to stop along the way in the Caribbean, then go through the canal and eventually make more stops in the Pacific and fly back home from San Francisco. Our first landfall was at Jamaica, where Barbara and I took a dive boat out to the beautiful, clear, blue waters of the Caribbean where I went snor- keling. We saw huge sea cucumbers and a rainbow of small tropical fish. Our next stop in Cartegena, Columbia, in South America was hot and humid as we were now getting closer to the equator. We got to see some of the history of that always - restless area, old forts and monaster- ies. Vendors stood around with ani- mals to photograph. One was holding three baby sloth's, others colorful par- rots, etc. When we returned to the ship there were special dogs at the docks with armed guards to check us over to make sure we weren't bring- ing any drugs aboard. At one point they had a young man take his shoes off and even searched under the inner soles of his sneakers. Cruising the Panama Canal We then headed for the Panama Canal, the highlight of the trip. I have already given you some idea of what it was like when I passed through the canal years ago when I was in the ser- vice. That same seaman, a bit more tattered, was now revisiting that famous canal but under entirely dif- Magnificent frigate birds with their long, narrow - pointed wings and forked tails flew above as groups of black vultures played above the ther- mals of the steaming jungle lining both sides of the canal. In the deep recesses of the jungle, howler mon- keys called and giant sloth's slowly moved about. Thinking back, as we approached the Gatun Locks, visually things really hadn't changed that much. In three steps these locks would raise our ship 85 feet above the Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh ;en on our 18 -day cruise, none were more spectacular than ictured above. With its long, pointed wings, forked tail and is a silhouette easily remembered. The dark side of this mag- tt it robs other birds of their catch of fish, right in mid -air. Atlantic Ocean. Inside the lock, the great doors behind us close and water starts to raise the ship up to the next level. We would then be ready to start our 50- mile trip across the Isthmus of Panama to the locks on the other side that would lower us down to the level of the Pacific. It takes eight to nine hours to transit the canal through the six double locks which act as stairs or steps to raise and lower the ships over the Continental Divide. No pumps Plants are the Number one Gift for Holidays TRI M L3LE95 of Corchaug Nursery Landscape Design and Installation 20985 Main Road, Cutchogue, N.Y. 11935 516 • 734 • 6494 Hanging Baskets (Moss) Vines • Pre - Planted • Annuals • Perennials Containers • Lilacs Service 0 Quality 10 Variety vation in many ways. When they passed cold beers out, they said if you didn't return the bottle you had to pay $1 as that is what their deposit is there. At the top of the Cloud Forest was a huge crater with azure - blue water inside — well worth the trip. On the way down we stopped for a local meal at an outdoor restau- rant. Excellent. Acapulco was our next stop, now a very touristy town with the big attrac- tion being the daring cliff divers. We all got to watch and photograph them. Then it was off to Manzanillo, a stop mostly for supplies for the ship, so we toured the city and visited a local flea market while docked there. At Puerto Vallarta, a tourist city, we chose to take a 60 -foot catamaran, "Simpatico," on a scenic tour along the coastline. We stopped and ate at a fancy restaurant situated high on a solid rock cliff. As we made our way along Baja, Calif., we searched for whales and had luck seeing some of them blow, but only off in the distance. All along I was able with my binoculars to pick up many interesting birds like storm petrels, masked and brown boobies, pink- hooded shearwaters and others with tantalizing names. Our next stop was in San Diego, where we just had to visit the world - renowned San Diego Zoo, We could have spent days there but the up -and- down terrain shortened my stay. I had visited San Diego when I was in the service and couldn't believe the change that had taken over that city. In no time we were back aboard the ship and.headed for San Francisco, our last stop before our 3:45 p.m. flight. After an uneventful flight we found Evvie Glover at Kennedy Airport at midnight to drive us back home. After 18 days aboard ship it was good to be ashore. The next morning we found our world drenched in green. Spring in all its splendor begged us once again to seek out the wonders of our own North Fork. 4 Trimble S". We have Proven Winners and Blooms of Bressingham Hanging Baskets (Moss) Vines • Pre - Planted • Annuals • Perennials Containers • Lilacs Service 0 Quality 10 Variety vation in many ways. When they passed cold beers out, they said if you didn't return the bottle you had to pay $1 as that is what their deposit is there. At the top of the Cloud Forest was a huge crater with azure - blue water inside — well worth the trip. On the way down we stopped for a local meal at an outdoor restau- rant. Excellent. Acapulco was our next stop, now a very touristy town with the big attrac- tion being the daring cliff divers. We all got to watch and photograph them. Then it was off to Manzanillo, a stop mostly for supplies for the ship, so we toured the city and visited a local flea market while docked there. At Puerto Vallarta, a tourist city, we chose to take a 60 -foot catamaran, "Simpatico," on a scenic tour along the coastline. We stopped and ate at a fancy restaurant situated high on a solid rock cliff. As we made our way along Baja, Calif., we searched for whales and had luck seeing some of them blow, but only off in the distance. All along I was able with my binoculars to pick up many interesting birds like storm petrels, masked and brown boobies, pink- hooded shearwaters and others with tantalizing names. Our next stop was in San Diego, where we just had to visit the world - renowned San Diego Zoo, We could have spent days there but the up -and- down terrain shortened my stay. I had visited San Diego when I was in the service and couldn't believe the change that had taken over that city. In no time we were back aboard the ship and.headed for San Francisco, our last stop before our 3:45 p.m. flight. After an uneventful flight we found Evvie Glover at Kennedy Airport at midnight to drive us back home. After 18 days aboard ship it was good to be ashore. The next morning we found our world drenched in green. Spring in all its splendor begged us once again to seek out the wonders of our own North Fork. SA • The ZuffoJk Times May 1.1, 2000 e Panama Canal, For the past two weeks you nave had a glimpse of the Panama Canal through the eyes of a young seaman over 50 years ago. It was a time of war and the world was oh, so different then. I decided to revisit the canal but this time with Barbara and this FOCUS time on one of the many cruise ON ships that make NATURE it all so easy. We were up at 3 by Paul a.m. to catch a Stoutenburgh flight out of JFK at 6:30. Three hours later found us in Miami getting a shuttle to our ship. The plan was to stop along the way in the Caribbean, then go through the canal and eventually make more stops in the Pacific and fly back home from San Francisco. Our first landfall was at Jamaica, where Barbara and I took a dive boat out to the beautiful, clear, blue waters of the Caribbean where I went snor- keling. We saw huge sea cucumbers and a rainbow of small tropical fish. Our next stop in Cartegena, Columbia, in South America was hot and humid as we were now getting closer to the equator. We got to see some of the history of that always - restless area, old forts and monaster- ies. Vendors stood around with ani- mals to photograph. One was holding three baby sloth's, others colorful par- rots, etc. When we returned to the ship there were special dogs at the docks with armed guards to check us over to make sure we weren't bring- ing any drugs aboard. At one point they had a young man take his shoes off and even searched under the inner soles of his sneakers. then and now Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Of all the birds seen on our 18 -day cruise, none were more spectacular than the frigate bird pictured above. With its long, pointed wings, forked tail and long- hooked bill, it's a silhouette easily remembered. The dark side of this mag- nificent flyer is that it robs other birds of their catch of fish, right in mid -air. Cruising the Panama Canal We then headed for the Panama Canal, the highlight of the trip. I have already given you some idea of what it was like, when I passed through the canal years ago when I was in the ser- vice. That same seaman, a bit more tattered, was now revisiting that famous canal but under entirely dif- ferent circumstances. Today I'm sit- ting on the top deck of one of the many big cruise ships that pass through this vital link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We entered Limon Bay from the Atlantic'side and picked up our pilot to guide us through the canal. I now recalled the red tile roofs of the buildings and the lush green tropical forests that surrounded the area. - Three green range lights beckoned us on. The shipping line had paid extra above the regu- lar fee to the Panama Canal authorities so that our ship could, go throug without having to wait. Otherwise ships wait on standby — first come, first served — possibly waiting for 24 hours or even longer to go through. The locks operate 24 hours a day. Soon a special team of line- handling men came aboard to work the lines that eventually would be attached to the little but power- ful locomotives that would guide us through the locks. remember the ships in those early days were paint - ed in their wartime colors of olive drab or navy gray. Today cargo ships were of various colors, while most of the cruise ships were white. Of course, the most notable change was the flag that flew over the buildings. No longer were the stars and stripes flying there but the flag of Panama, for we had recently turned over com- plete authority, lock, stock and barrel, to that tinv Central American nation. Magnificent frigate birds with their long, narrow - pointed wings and forked tails flew above as groups of black vultures played above the ther- mals of the steaming jungle lining both sides of the canal. In the deep recesses of the jungle, howler mon- keys called and giant sloth's slowly moved about. Thinking back, as we approached the Gatun Locks, visually things really hadn't changed that much. In three steps these locks would raise our ship 85 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Inside the lock, the great doors behind us close and water starts to raise the ship up to the next level. We would then be ready to start our 50- mile trip across the Isthmus of Panama to the locks on the other side that would lower us down to the level of the Pacific. It takes eight to nine hours to transit the canal through the six double locks which act as stairs or steps to raise and lower the ships over the Continental Divide. No pumps are used in filling or emptying these huge lock chambers. The water simply flows by gravity from the giant man- made Gatun Lake that was created high above sea level. Our ship was loaded with sight- seers, of course, and they lined the rails with every conceivable kind of camera and video imaginable. There was a variety of people from various countries. After crossing the Panama Canal our next sto was at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We went on a four - hour bus tour up to the Cloud Forest that took u through green mountains and wonderful jungle scenery. They are leaders in conser- vation in many wa nen mey passed cold beers out, they said if you.didn't return the bottle you had to pay $1 as that is what their deposit is there. At the tol of the Cloud Forest was a huge crater with azure - blue water inside — well worth the trip. On the way down we stopped for a local meal at n outdoor restau- rant. Excellent. Acapulco was our next stop, now a very touristy town with the big attrac- tion being the daring cliff divers. We all got to watch and photograph them. Then it was off to Manzanillo, a stop mostly for supplies for the ship,' so we toured the city and visited a local flea market while docked there. At Puerto Vallarta, a tourist city, we chose to take a 60 -foot catamaran, "Simpatico," on a scenic tour along the coastline. We stopped and ate at a fancy restaurant situated high on a solid rock cliff. As we made our way along Baja, Calif., we searched for whales and had luck seeing some of them blow, but,only off in the distance. All along I was able with my binoculars to pick up many interesting birds like storm petrels, masked and brown boobies, pink- hooded shearwaters and others with tantalizing names. Our next stop was in San Diego, where we just had to visit the world - renowned San Diego Zoo, We.could have spent days there but the up -and- down terrain shortened my stay. I had visited San Diego when I was in the service and couldn't be_ lieve the change that had taken over that city. In no time we were back aboard the ship and headed for San Francisco, our last stop before our 3:45 p.m. flight. After an uneventful flight we found Evvie Glover at Kennedy Airport at, midnight to drive us back home. After 1.8 days aboard ship it was. good to be ashore. The next morning we found our world drenched in green. Spring in all its splendor begged us once again to seek out the wonders of our own North Fork. SA • The ZuffoJk Times May 1.1, 2000 e Panama Canal, For the past two weeks you nave had a glimpse of the Panama Canal through the eyes of a young seaman over 50 years ago. It was a time of war and the world was oh, so different then. I decided to revisit the canal but this time with Barbara and this FOCUS time on one of the many cruise ON ships that make NATURE it all so easy. We were up at 3 by Paul a.m. to catch a Stoutenburgh flight out of JFK at 6:30. Three hours later found us in Miami getting a shuttle to our ship. The plan was to stop along the way in the Caribbean, then go through the canal and eventually make more stops in the Pacific and fly back home from San Francisco. Our first landfall was at Jamaica, where Barbara and I took a dive boat out to the beautiful, clear, blue waters of the Caribbean where I went snor- keling. We saw huge sea cucumbers and a rainbow of small tropical fish. Our next stop in Cartegena, Columbia, in South America was hot and humid as we were now getting closer to the equator. We got to see some of the history of that always - restless area, old forts and monaster- ies. Vendors stood around with ani- mals to photograph. One was holding three baby sloth's, others colorful par- rots, etc. When we returned to the ship there were special dogs at the docks with armed guards to check us over to make sure we weren't bring- ing any drugs aboard. At one point they had a young man take his shoes off and even searched under the inner soles of his sneakers. then and now Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Of all the birds seen on our 18 -day cruise, none were more spectacular than the frigate bird pictured above. With its long, pointed wings, forked tail and long- hooked bill, it's a silhouette easily remembered. The dark side of this mag- nificent flyer is that it robs other birds of their catch of fish, right in mid -air. Cruising the Panama Canal We then headed for the Panama Canal, the highlight of the trip. I have already given you some idea of what it was like, when I passed through the canal years ago when I was in the ser- vice. That same seaman, a bit more tattered, was now revisiting that famous canal but under entirely dif- ferent circumstances. Today I'm sit- ting on the top deck of one of the many big cruise ships that pass through this vital link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We entered Limon Bay from the Atlantic'side and picked up our pilot to guide us through the canal. I now recalled the red tile roofs of the buildings and the lush green tropical forests that surrounded the area. - Three green range lights beckoned us on. The shipping line had paid extra above the regu- lar fee to the Panama Canal authorities so that our ship could, go throug without having to wait. Otherwise ships wait on standby — first come, first served — possibly waiting for 24 hours or even longer to go through. The locks operate 24 hours a day. Soon a special team of line- handling men came aboard to work the lines that eventually would be attached to the little but power- ful locomotives that would guide us through the locks. remember the ships in those early days were paint - ed in their wartime colors of olive drab or navy gray. Today cargo ships were of various colors, while most of the cruise ships were white. Of course, the most notable change was the flag that flew over the buildings. No longer were the stars and stripes flying there but the flag of Panama, for we had recently turned over com- plete authority, lock, stock and barrel, to that tinv Central American nation. Magnificent frigate birds with their long, narrow - pointed wings and forked tails flew above as groups of black vultures played above the ther- mals of the steaming jungle lining both sides of the canal. In the deep recesses of the jungle, howler mon- keys called and giant sloth's slowly moved about. Thinking back, as we approached the Gatun Locks, visually things really hadn't changed that much. In three steps these locks would raise our ship 85 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Inside the lock, the great doors behind us close and water starts to raise the ship up to the next level. We would then be ready to start our 50- mile trip across the Isthmus of Panama to the locks on the other side that would lower us down to the level of the Pacific. It takes eight to nine hours to transit the canal through the six double locks which act as stairs or steps to raise and lower the ships over the Continental Divide. No pumps are used in filling or emptying these huge lock chambers. The water simply flows by gravity from the giant man- made Gatun Lake that was created high above sea level. Our ship was loaded with sight- seers, of course, and they lined the rails with every conceivable kind of camera and video imaginable. There was a variety of people from various countries. After crossing the Panama Canal our next sto was at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We went on a four - hour bus tour up to the Cloud Forest that took u through green mountains and wonderful jungle scenery. They are leaders in conser- vation in many wa nen mey passed cold beers out, they said if you.didn't return the bottle you had to pay $1 as that is what their deposit is there. At the tol of the Cloud Forest was a huge crater with azure - blue water inside — well worth the trip. On the way down we stopped for a local meal at n outdoor restau- rant. Excellent. Acapulco was our next stop, now a very touristy town with the big attrac- tion being the daring cliff divers. We all got to watch and photograph them. Then it was off to Manzanillo, a stop mostly for supplies for the ship,' so we toured the city and visited a local flea market while docked there. At Puerto Vallarta, a tourist city, we chose to take a 60 -foot catamaran, "Simpatico," on a scenic tour along the coastline. We stopped and ate at a fancy restaurant situated high on a solid rock cliff. As we made our way along Baja, Calif., we searched for whales and had luck seeing some of them blow, but,only off in the distance. All along I was able with my binoculars to pick up many interesting birds like storm petrels, masked and brown boobies, pink- hooded shearwaters and others with tantalizing names. Our next stop was in San Diego, where we just had to visit the world - renowned San Diego Zoo, We.could have spent days there but the up -and- down terrain shortened my stay. I had visited San Diego when I was in the service and couldn't be_ lieve the change that had taken over that city. In no time we were back aboard the ship and headed for San Francisco, our last stop before our 3:45 p.m. flight. After an uneventful flight we found Evvie Glover at Kennedy Airport at, midnight to drive us back home. After 1.8 days aboard ship it was. good to be ashore. The next morning we found our world drenched in green. Spring in all its splendor begged us once again to seek out the wonders of our own North Fork. SA • The ZuffoJk Times May 1.1, 2000 e Panama Canal, For the past two weeks you nave had a glimpse of the Panama Canal through the eyes of a young seaman over 50 years ago. It was a time of war and the world was oh, so different then. I decided to revisit the canal but this time with Barbara and this FOCUS time on one of the many cruise ON ships that make NATURE it all so easy. We were up at 3 by Paul a.m. to catch a Stoutenburgh flight out of JFK at 6:30. Three hours later found us in Miami getting a shuttle to our ship. The plan was to stop along the way in the Caribbean, then go through the canal and eventually make more stops in the Pacific and fly back home from San Francisco. Our first landfall was at Jamaica, where Barbara and I took a dive boat out to the beautiful, clear, blue waters of the Caribbean where I went snor- keling. We saw huge sea cucumbers and a rainbow of small tropical fish. Our next stop in Cartegena, Columbia, in South America was hot and humid as we were now getting closer to the equator. We got to see some of the history of that always - restless area, old forts and monaster- ies. Vendors stood around with ani- mals to photograph. One was holding three baby sloth's, others colorful par- rots, etc. When we returned to the ship there were special dogs at the docks with armed guards to check us over to make sure we weren't bring- ing any drugs aboard. At one point they had a young man take his shoes off and even searched under the inner soles of his sneakers. then and now Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Of all the birds seen on our 18 -day cruise, none were more spectacular than the frigate bird pictured above. With its long, pointed wings, forked tail and long- hooked bill, it's a silhouette easily remembered. The dark side of this mag- nificent flyer is that it robs other birds of their catch of fish, right in mid -air. Cruising the Panama Canal We then headed for the Panama Canal, the highlight of the trip. I have already given you some idea of what it was like, when I passed through the canal years ago when I was in the ser- vice. That same seaman, a bit more tattered, was now revisiting that famous canal but under entirely dif- ferent circumstances. Today I'm sit- ting on the top deck of one of the many big cruise ships that pass through this vital link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We entered Limon Bay from the Atlantic'side and picked up our pilot to guide us through the canal. I now recalled the red tile roofs of the buildings and the lush green tropical forests that surrounded the area. - Three green range lights beckoned us on. The shipping line had paid extra above the regu- lar fee to the Panama Canal authorities so that our ship could, go throug without having to wait. Otherwise ships wait on standby — first come, first served — possibly waiting for 24 hours or even longer to go through. The locks operate 24 hours a day. Soon a special team of line- handling men came aboard to work the lines that eventually would be attached to the little but power- ful locomotives that would guide us through the locks. remember the ships in those early days were paint - ed in their wartime colors of olive drab or navy gray. Today cargo ships were of various colors, while most of the cruise ships were white. Of course, the most notable change was the flag that flew over the buildings. No longer were the stars and stripes flying there but the flag of Panama, for we had recently turned over com- plete authority, lock, stock and barrel, to that tinv Central American nation. Magnificent frigate birds with their long, narrow - pointed wings and forked tails flew above as groups of black vultures played above the ther- mals of the steaming jungle lining both sides of the canal. In the deep recesses of the jungle, howler mon- keys called and giant sloth's slowly moved about. Thinking back, as we approached the Gatun Locks, visually things really hadn't changed that much. In three steps these locks would raise our ship 85 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Inside the lock, the great doors behind us close and water starts to raise the ship up to the next level. We would then be ready to start our 50- mile trip across the Isthmus of Panama to the locks on the other side that would lower us down to the level of the Pacific. It takes eight to nine hours to transit the canal through the six double locks which act as stairs or steps to raise and lower the ships over the Continental Divide. No pumps are used in filling or emptying these huge lock chambers. The water simply flows by gravity from the giant man- made Gatun Lake that was created high above sea level. Our ship was loaded with sight- seers, of course, and they lined the rails with every conceivable kind of camera and video imaginable. There was a variety of people from various countries. After crossing the Panama Canal our next sto was at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We went on a four - hour bus tour up to the Cloud Forest that took u through green mountains and wonderful jungle scenery. They are leaders in conser- vation in many wa nen mey passed cold beers out, they said if you.didn't return the bottle you had to pay $1 as that is what their deposit is there. At the tol of the Cloud Forest was a huge crater with azure - blue water inside — well worth the trip. On the way down we stopped for a local meal at n outdoor restau- rant. Excellent. Acapulco was our next stop, now a very touristy town with the big attrac- tion being the daring cliff divers. We all got to watch and photograph them. Then it was off to Manzanillo, a stop mostly for supplies for the ship,' so we toured the city and visited a local flea market while docked there. At Puerto Vallarta, a tourist city, we chose to take a 60 -foot catamaran, "Simpatico," on a scenic tour along the coastline. We stopped and ate at a fancy restaurant situated high on a solid rock cliff. As we made our way along Baja, Calif., we searched for whales and had luck seeing some of them blow, but,only off in the distance. All along I was able with my binoculars to pick up many interesting birds like storm petrels, masked and brown boobies, pink- hooded shearwaters and others with tantalizing names. Our next stop was in San Diego, where we just had to visit the world - renowned San Diego Zoo, We.could have spent days there but the up -and- down terrain shortened my stay. I had visited San Diego when I was in the service and couldn't be_ lieve the change that had taken over that city. In no time we were back aboard the ship and headed for San Francisco, our last stop before our 3:45 p.m. flight. After an uneventful flight we found Evvie Glover at Kennedy Airport at, midnight to drive us back home. After 1.8 days aboard ship it was. good to be ashore. The next morning we found our world drenched in green. Spring in all its splendor begged us once again to seek out the wonders of our own North Fork.