Through the Suez Canal and into the Med

After the excitement of Petra, we travelled around the Sinai Peninsular and joined the convoy to go through the Suez Canal. Arriving at around 5PM we anchored with all the other ships waiting to go through the next day. Most of the Canal is still one way so there is a lot of planning going into making up the convoys which travel in each direction.

While waiting at anchor we watched the southbound convoy from that day pass into the Red Sea and along a narrow channel between the waiting ships.

The Next Morning before 5 am the convey formed up (at gaps of several kilometres and a speed of eight knots) and we approached the Canal just as dawn began to break. Then we continued all day, past sand, sand and more sand. Through the southern canal and the bitter lakes and on through the northern canal. There is one section where the canal is duplicated and you have the sight of ships appearing to sail through the desert in the opposite direction. We passed military memorials and installations, old and new. tunnels under the canal and mobile and permanent bridges. Besides the sand, one of the most noticeable features was the new cities being constructed in the desert beside the canal. Huge new swathes of construction stand in contrast to the historical infrastructure of the canal.

Pilots change over at halfway in the crazy manoeuvre they do every day to board ships underway.

Once we leave the canal we turn left and steam for Italy at 21 knots.

The next couple of days are spent resting due to the effects of a stomach bug doing the rounds of the ship. Resting up and preparing for Italy.