A few weeks ago, at the Panama Canal Society Reunion and University of Florida's Annual Canal Trivia Game, one of the questions was, what locations has the Panama Canal Dredging Division been.  There are two locations, Paraiso and then Gamboa.  It was decided to move the division to Gamboa.  Lots of careful thought went into this question and a decision was made.

When it came to the question, if Paraiso should remain the division headquarters, It was Mr, John G. Clayborn, head of Dredging Division and author of the book: "Dredging on the Panama Canal", argued Dredging Division had to move to Gamboa instead of staying in Paraiso.  Reasoning being that if there was a slide that closed the Culebra Cut, the equipment would be stranded on the wrong side of the slide for dredging to remove the slide ... Questions like where to dump, lock would run out of water to lock scows down, etc.

 Above the Cranes "Hercules & Ajax"  and other equipment seen in Paraiso at the division headquarters before it relocated to Gamboa.  This is also when the town of Gamboa and Santa Cruz were born.

See the movers and shakers back in the early days of dredging: https://czimages.com/CZMemories/Photos/photoof1130.htm

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