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The next morning, I wake early only to find that we are tied up in the great lake in the middle of the canal. The lake has been designed so that convoys northbound and southbound can cross each other half way. Our convoy has to stay at anchor until 1400 to allow the northbound convoys to pass us before we can resume our journey to Suez. The first in the lake is the last out. We are now the 37th boat in the convoy.
Atlantic Express, Suez Canal, Wednesday 31st of August
Degrubenc2005-12-09 16:46:08
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The next morning, I wake early only to find that we are tied up in the great lake in the middle of the canal. The lake has been designed so that convoys northbound and southbound can cross each other half way. Our convoy has to stay at anchor until 1400 to allow the northbound convoys to pass us before we can resume our journey to Suez. The first in the lake is the last out. We are now the 37th boat in the convoy.
I am amazed during the day time to discover that the entire length of the canal is guarded by the diligent Egyptian army. There is a 10 meter high sand wall erected on the side of the canal with a guard post every 200 meters alongside it. Every guard post has a large orange flag to make sure everyone can see him and take him out easily; he also has a GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) set up next to the hut, with no defensive measures taken to protect the user. Most of the guards are asleep at their post, deep in the hut, turning their back to the supposed enemy or playing cards with the neighbouring guard posts, leaving behind all their weaponry for anyone to take. They have no radio equipment, are often topless and seem to be more concerned about sleeping it off rather than actually guard anything. I am convinced that a small group of 12 year old boy scouts would do a better job guarding the canal than the joke army currently doing the job. I am starting to understand why Egypt got smashed in the war with Israel in such a short time (6 days). I am surprised they even lasted so long. They clearly have not learned their lesson since.
The canal bears no traces of the French influence. The captain tells me that it was all removed by the Egyptian politicians in an effort to convince everyone that the canal is an Egyptian achievement, thus allowing them to charge extravagant prices for ships crossing it (up to half a million USD for a container ship).
During the crossing, I read with interest the story
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See photographs from:
United Arab Emirates Gallery
