O Brien (DD 975) - Naval Cruise Book

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A Uss OBRIEN PANAMA AND THE CANAL O D ember 1977 the USS OQBRIEN sat anchored in Limon Bay, Cristobal, Republic of Panama awaitingh t n is .Gurney thfough the Panama Canal. We were on our way home following our Pascagoula, Mississipeg cldiinimissioning. This was to be the first of our three transits of the Canal. We would have the opportunity tgpag through the Canal again on April 10, 1978 on our way back to Pascagoula for PSA, and on June, 1978 for the return trip to San Diego. The canal was finished in 1914, after 10 years of labor by the United States at a cost of S387 million. It was constructed to save ships the 7,000 mile journey around South America by providing a shortcut through the Isthmus of Panama, It takes a ship nine hours to complete the fifty-one mile transit. As you leave Limon Bay, and enter the canal, you pass through mangrove swamps and lush, tropical forests. The scenery reminds you of old jungle movies, and you half expect to see someone come swinging by in a loincloth.Thg canal widens to 500 feet as you begin the approach to the Gatun Locks. A ship is raised or lowered eighty-five feet in three steps. Water used to fill each lock chamber is gravity fed by letting water run downhill, from Gatun Lake, which provides the water used for filling the locks. The water passes through I8 foot culverts found in the center and sides of the locks. From these, the water flows through smaller culverts which open into the floor of the lock chambers. Each chamber is 110 feet wide and 1000 feet long. While here, we picked up visitors. Military Personnel, and dependant families boarded the O'BRIEN to join us in ,our transit of the canal. Our guests were given a tour of the ship, ate lunch on the messdecks, and walked about the ship, conversing with the crew. water in the world. Ships travel24 gives impression of a huge man-made 1 rs, form walls in the canal at this point. A waterfall tumbles into the cut from 3 u tree lined hill. t as You then enter the Pedro Mifuel Locks at the south end of Gaillard Cut. Lines are tossed to the crew ofthe l0Ckl und the shin is ti l ff . l li. W ' ' ' I I I I ec o to occ motixe engines. They huft and puff as they move the ship through the locks, l0W9flnl .ll leet in ai single step. p ure then lowered the rem iiinin two s K g , It A 1 S at level and the Pacific Ocean at Miraflores Lock. The Mirafl0l'B5 ocks nre the highest ot the three sets of use of the extremep i ,, agiations ofthe Pacific 006811- ,0ur transit ot the canal ended at the base Ho After Win! . , . a , ht pier. visitors were put Ovsilgnligs to us. mfg 'EIFVPTS A cabs seisgtaiaeaeaari 5081132 r me CC1ty. For S3.00,Qyou was ity. couple of beers. orb and De Panama, which officer and enlist swimming pool 3I'ldii'B3S9 fleas , lmerest- A Derson cali enjov a senic A . OUT to and hack. Panama City has aD.Q Cial me sgrgtllxd the canal in 1880. Builfdiiigsialfidn F footpaths lead provides a leaves on the lush Col. David Dubose Gailllfif

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