Went through in HMS London in 1964 - anchored half way through in the Gatun Lake and turned on the pre-wetting to wash down the paintwork with freshers. Also the pilot who was getting into his boat.
It always leaves me bemused why a ship must additionally carry a pilot to transit a canal.
If it's their canal, they call the shots, I s'pose. On some levels, it does seem odd that a warship and it's contents are technically under the command of another nation during transit, but at the same time it is odder that someone who doesn't have any experience of that particular ships handling characteristics, is given control.The Panama Canal transit is the only occasion a RN Commanding Officer is not culpable if he/she hits something. The Panama Canal Company insists that their Pilots "have" the Ship for the duration of the transit.