# Rowing through the Panama and Suez canals **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790 "2014-03-15T20:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790/21 "2015-02-26T04:21:56Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Way off topic, but I must share. My grandparents rode through part the Panama Canal on horseback on their honeymoon in 1911. I’ve seen pictures of it. This was, of course, while it was being constructed and before it was filled with water. And I, way back circa 1971, got to walk part way and back through the BART trans-bay tube. (After it was built but before it went into operation, they sometimes gave guided walking tours like that. Can you imagine anything like that being allowed these days?) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790/22 "2015-02-26T10:25:12Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I’m glad you did share-this is fascinating. Do you have any pics at all of the trip? Can you expand a bit on their itinerary, etc…? > > Thx, > hh I know my Grandparents went through the Panama Canal in 1921 Atlantic to Pacific - they did a honeymoon trip to China and Japan [my Grandmother had a pair of Chinese women as college roomies and they went on the same ship with them. Not sure if the footage still exists but at one point in time I can remember seeing a short film of them going up some mountain road on donkeys in Japan. I can remember being given some assorted souvenirs they brought back when they were sorting out stuff after my grandparents had passed.] ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790/23 "2015-02-26T12:24:33Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > And I, way back circa 1971, got to walk part way and back through the BART trans-bay tube. (After it was built but before it went into operation, they sometimes gave guided walking tours like that. Can you imagine anything like that being allowed these days?) Pretty sure I remember them doing that for Boston’s Big Dig. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790/24 "2015-02-26T13:24:16Z")
> [@tjnickle](#): > > UDS Is right. You have to be very very well connected to take a small boat thru the Suez Canal. We did it in a 2 man kayak and were the first to ps. One ship came so close to the ship in front we believe it was try to ram us. His bow was in the prop wash of the ship in front and pwe were in between. > > Forgot to mention one small detail, the banks of the canal were lined with mines! > > As far as rowing or paddling through the suez, don’t even think of it. > > We claim the record of being the smallest boat thru the canal as well as paying the smallest fee - $14. 🆒 Facinating. The Dope has just about everything!🆒 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790/25 "2015-02-26T23:01:38Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > And I, way back circa 1971, got to walk part way and back through the BART trans-bay tube. (After it was built but before it went into operation, they sometimes gave guided walking tours like that. Can you imagine anything like that being allowed these days?) Not sure what your point is about “being allowed these days”. Most big civil engineering projects have some pre-opening celebration for the public. Especially taxpayer-funded projects. Here’s a recent event in my area where they had the public out wandering around on a new runway at a busy airliner airport. And yes, they were on the new runway itself, not a nearby apron or taxiway or parking lot. Video from local news media: [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/soflanews-fun-day-on-the-runway-20140906-embeddedvideo.html](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/soflanews-fun-day-on-the-runway-20140906-embeddedvideo.html) Pix: [“Fun Day on the Runway” | The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Inte… | Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/suresh_atapattu/14993144387/in/photostream/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowing-through-the-panama-and-suez-canals/683790.md?page=1)