Thursday & Friday - April 13 & 14 - Suez Canal

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Thursday & Friday, April 13 & 14, 2023 – Suez Canal 

We left Safaga, Egypt fairly late in the evening of the 12^th and slowly headed north. We cruised through the Red Sea all day on the 13^th and could see the mountains of Egypt on our starboard side. The ship traffic has really picked up as tankers and container ships head to the Suez.

The mountains of Egypt

 

The southern end of the Suez Canal is only wide enough for one way traffic. So north bound ships congregate at the mouth of the canal in the Red Sea until it is their turn. I’m not sure of the exact timing, but south bound ships use the canal at night and north bound use it during the day. I’ve also read that cruise ships are typically given the lead position. So we were first to head north in the Canal on the 14^th. At the speed of 8 knots (very slow). We then had a line of container ships following us.

Sunrise as we enter the canal

Container ship following us into the canal.

 

 

 

There is a huge city on the west bank of the Canal and the Red Sea. Dredge equipment was evident in several locations along the way. There were ferry operations sporadically. Small ships that could carry 2 18-wheelers and a few cars at a time. And vehicles were always lined up waiting for the next ferry. There were what we assumed to be portable bridges, shaped like containers that could be linked together to form a bridge.

Dredge equipment keeping the canal open

The city of Suez
 

 

 

Ferry crossing behind us. You can also see the line of ships behind us.

There were guard towers evenly spaced along the east bank. One lone guard in each. What a lonely job that must be. Some had steps from the canal to the tower that could be several hundred yards up a hill. 

We could also see a whole lot of modern apartment buildings that looked to be about 5 stories tall. There would be a break between the blocks of apartments and there would be a mosque. I have no idea what would draw that many people to this area.

These are massive apartment blocks. Between sections would be a mosque

 

 

 

This mosque was not with the apartments, but by itself.

In mid-afternoon we passed under a huge bridge that did not appear to be in use. Then we were in the Mediterranean Sea. 

A quiet couple of days. We’ve come so far and seen so much. And still more to go.