The Red Sea Trip
Suez to Sharm el Sheik
Arrived in Port Suez at night which is always a bit daunting especially when you have to moor up to buoys which are very close together, everyone is shouting where you are to go and Egyptians in little boats trying to get your lines tied to a buoy. It is only when you get up in the morning you realize where you are.
The town is a little way from the port so a mini bus ride was necessary and was an experience in itself. The town was nice and good shopping.
Then into the gulf of Suez to the first anchorage. I was told that there were oil rigs everywhere but there was only the odd one. The first anchorage was Ras Sudr on the Sinai peninsular. We only stayed one night here as it was very rolly and uncomfortable.
The first problem occurred. The water maker stopped working and I was unable to get it going. Not to serious as I had made plenty on the way across from Finike and I can get water in Sharm el Sheik.
Between Suez and Sharm el Sheik there are only a few anchorages and no chance of getting supplies as we are not allowed to go ashore for some reason. So supplies have to last for 2 weeks. We seem to be able to catch tuna so they make a very nice meal. I did a BBQ for 9 with the tuna cut into steaks.
Through Jean-Jacques and Françoise we have got very involved with a French yacht called Misscat. We had a wonderful meal with them and did a return meal last night with the Tuna I had caught. Jacques, the skipper of Misscat, did some sushi, raw tuna, which was really nice. Our fish was baked in the oven with spices and wine and fried rice with onions. And of course, plenty of wine. Cheese, fruit salad coffee and brandy to finish.
Jacques has a small sailing boat and he organised a yacht race. Great fun including a few dunkings.
We stopped in El Tur, a small fishing harbour, but they did not want the yachts there and we were told to leave after one night. Again we could not go ashore to walk around or get anything. The hotel had a private beach and a restaurant but did not want our custom. It is all rather strange when we are willing to spend money with them.
Sunday the 27th November 2005
We have now arrived at the southern end of the Gulf of Suez and anchored in a wonderful coral bay with warm turquoise water and coral reefs which we have been snorkelling on. The weather is cool at nights but about 26 degrees C during the day, just right. So far there has been little wind so it could not be better. There are 12 boats here from Holland, France, Canada and England. The scenery is flat sand covered islands fringed with the darker coral reefs. In the little bays formed by the coral reefs the bottom is sand, which is good to anchor in without damaging the coral.
There was beach party last night with the Dutch organisers providing nibbles and the drink. Jacques, on Miss Cat, is an enthusiastic organiser and has been going out diving with the people on board his boat. He bought calamari and two big groupers from the local fishermen which he prepared and cooked on the fire. It was superb. There was some singing and three Egyptian fishermen turned up and we got them singing Arabic songs. All very friendly.
We bought some calamari from the fishermen and they looked so sad with there very big eyes looking at you. I would have left them swimming but I have to admit that they do taste nice grilled and after nearly two weeks without being able to get provisions they are a necessary source of food.
I caught another 2.5 Kg tuna and a bigger one that took away my fishing tackle. Five nice fish caught to date.
At night you can see the flares from the oil rigs that are all around. It looks quite eerie. The oil rigs do not mar the scenery so all you have to do is miss them. Crossing the shipping lanes involves playing dodgems with the big freighters and oil tankers. Done properly it is not dangerous but you have to be careful.
Tomorrow we all go to Sharm el Sheikh for 7 days before heading up the Gulf of Aqaba to Jordan and Elat.
If you have a detailed map my exact position on the surface of the world is:-
N27° 40.293, E33° 44.297