The Suez Canal is man made sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows transportation by water between Europe and Asia without having to sail around Africa. The northern Port is Port Said and the southern Port is Port Tawfiq at the city of Suez.
When first built, the canal was 164 km long and 8 m deep. After multiple enlargements, the canal is 193.30 km long, 24 m deep and 205 metres wide as of 2010.
The canal is single lane with passing places in the “Ballah By-Pass” and the Great Bitter Lake. It contains no locks; seawater flows freely through the canal. In general, the canal north of the Bitter Lakes flows north in winter and south in summer. The current south of the lakes changes with the tide at Suez.
We had just travelled under the Suez Canal just north of the City of Suez and we stopped and looked back towards the Canal – we saw the ship moving along through what seemed to be the sand. No water could be seen.
For more information about Sinai Peninsula
- Marah Springs – Sinai Peninsula
- Ninja Turtle – St Katherine – Sinai Peninsula
- Not a blade of Grass – St Katherine – Sinai Peninsula
- Sinai Peninsula – Where not to take photos
- Suez Canal – Boats in the middle of the Sand
- Wilderness – Sinai Peninsula