Taking a cruise is the best way to learn and experience the history and essence of the Suez Canal. In 2012 as an Acupuncturist-at-Sea, I experienced the Suez Canal Cruise up close and personal. Read on to see my top 10 photos that will inspire you to take a Suez Canal Cruise.
The Suez Canal was carried out between 1859 and 1869 by the Suez Canal Company, led by the Frenchman, Ferdinand de Lesseps. It’s a sea-level canal waterway, running across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt. The canal connects the Mediterranean and Red seas. Furthermore, it separates the African and Asian continents. Most importantly, it is the shortest maritme route between Europe and the western Pacific Oceans and India.
The Suez Canal is 120 miles (193 km) long. The canal doesn’t take the shortest distance of 7 mi across the isthmus. Instead, it runs through a series of several Lakes, such as, Lake Manzala, Lake Timsah and the Bitter Lakes. No locks are used and there are 8 large bends in the route.
Additionally, the Suez Canal is one of world’s busiest shipping lanes. Thanks to this engineering manmade marvel, ships can take this 120-mile route vs sail around Africa’s Cape Horn to Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, in 2015 the Suez Canal reopened with a 2-way traffic lane, allowing larger vessels and quicker transit times. In comparison to beforehand, there was only 1 shipping lane, requiring ships to wait longer for ships passing in the opposing direction.
My Suez Canal Cruise Adventure
As an Acupuncturist in the Spa onboard a cruise ship, I was able to take time off and enjoy out on the deck to see and take wonderful pictures. Truly, this adventure was one of the best days of my life. It felt so exhilarating to navigate through these waters of tremendous importance and intrigue. The best way for me to tell the story is to share my photos as they speak for themselves, so enjoy.
Enthralled, I experienced numerous, unique scenarios on land and water, such as, other fishing vessels, ferries, a school with children waving at us, striking statues and sculptures, a parallel moving train, military trucks and outposts with soldiers waving at us, a mosque, bridges and even the Peace Boat.
Overall, Changes to the Canal
Since my cruise in 2012, the Suez Canal Authorities added the shipping lane, making it 2-lane with 2-way traffic. So, my photos reflect the route before these big changes. Truly, this was one of the best experiences of my life. It was an opportunity to see one of the most significant manmade maritime achievements and journeys in the world.
Related: Epic & Historic Panama Canal Cruise Highlights
