Suez Canal Transit

Naoma Beach,Sharm El Sheikh
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4.26.2007 Suez Canal

Early yesterday morning the ship arrived at Sharm El Sheikh, located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Formerly a commercial port, it is now used only as a marina for yachts and cruise vessels due to strict environmental laws introduced in the 1990’s to protect their tourist attractions. Until then, there was nor much there but today it is hard to picture the development that has taken place based on what we saw during our tour. Between 1982 and 2000 the number of resorts increased from 3 to more than 100 and the number of guests nights from 16,000 to 5,100,000. The resort area draws 60% of its tourists from Russia and 30% from European countries. There is much evidence of a vibrant night life. Many of the tourists are acquiring vacation homes here. The beaches and waters are beautiful. We went on a glass bottom boat ride and saw beautiful coral and a wide variety of beautiful marine life.

Developed land
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The city is known as “The City of Peace” for it has served as the venue for a significant number of international peace conferences. On July 25, 2000 three terrorist suicide attacks killed 64 people in the Noama Bay area where we visited. We past by the hotel.

The ship left for the Suez Canal at 3 PM. Sallie and I had an enjoyable visitr with Sherry and Carl Migdall of Chevy Chase during the cocktail hour and then dinner with Pat and Gus Crowe from Pasadena, CA and Brian Minshull from Cowbridge, Great Britian.

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We have never been through the Suez Canal and all day as we had breakfast, worked ou t, had lunch and played bridge we have enjoyed the sights along both sides of the canal. There is plenty of sand and although it is the world’s largest canal without locks it is easy to see why it was such a challenge to build back in the 1860’s opening in 1869. It’s the shortest link between east and west linking the Mediterranean Sea at Port said and the Red Sea at Port Suez. It has an interesting history and in today’s world it is certainly strategically positioned.

Undeveloped beachfront
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In addition to everything else, I attended 2 lectures today. Sallie and I heard the famous Dr. Zahi Hawass speak on “The Secret of The Pyramids and The Sphinx”. He is the chief Egytian Archeologist who has been on many TV presentations we have seen. He will probably be in world news again before we get home because he really thinks he’s on the verge of discovering the tomb of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. The second lecture I attended was on the Suez Canal by an official of the canal operating company. Hard to understand but his slides helped.

Hilton Hotel
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Today we had lunch with Rosemary and John Galbrath from Charlottesville, Va. Sallie had lent them the book, “Thunder At Sea” and he enjoyed it so much they invited us up to their master suite so that he we could talk about his experiences in the Pacific during WWII as a pilot and how it tied in with the book. He had a large atlas and we got a free history lesson. I think they are a little lonely for company.

Tonight Joanne and Don and we are included in a group from The World Tour invited to a special set menu dinner on the deck. Unfortunately, now that we are headed north it suddenly seems cold outside. Our bodies have been used to hot days. Fortunately, dress is casual and we can wear some warm clothes.

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It is now 5:15 PM and the Captain just announced that we will be leaving the canal in 30 minutes. Ships go through the canal in convoys. We have been the lead ship in a convoy of 29 ships that assembled during the morning hours and started through the canal at 6AM.