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We travelled through the Suez Canal last year but this year we entered the canal as the sun was rising and there was so much more that we saw. At different points along the canal we noticed maintenance teams working to strengthen the canal banks so that there is less opportunity for the erosion of soil from the canal banks to occur. Soil erosion silts up the canal which can block the passageways and delay the flow of vessels through the canal. 

This year we saw an increased number of heavy earth-moving machinery and huge trucks that are employed in constructing a new dual-traffic tunnel so that vehicles can cross the canal by passing under it through these tunnels. 

At present, the canal can be crossed via a very high suspension bridge, a railway bridge, punts that ferry vehicles across the canal and several portable floating roadways which are maneuvered into place to allow traffic to cross over the waterway at different spots. When these new tunnels are completed they will be more confident and efficient than the ferry crossing and floating bridge platforms.

The Suez Canal is a 192 kilometres long man-made waterway, which connects the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea, to the Mediterranean Sea.  The canal separates the bulk of Egypt from the Sinai Peninsula and it is an important international navigation canal that provides the shortest route between the east and the west.

The Suez Canal Company led by the clever French engineer, Ferdinand de Lesseps took 10 years to complete this massive project.

It is estimated that 1.5 million people worked on the Suez project. Many were slave labourers and tens of thousands died from cholera and other causes whilst working on the canal's construction. This ambitious project was funded by British, French and American investors and the total cost of the Suez blew out to $100 million, double the original estimated cost.

In 2014 an $8 billion expansion project to widen the Suez from 61 metres to 312 metres over a distance of 18 kilometres, was undertaken by the Egyptian government. It took a year to complete which is amazing - the advancement of modern machinery and computer technology  since the canal's inception made this possible. If you look at the map you can see where the widening of the canal has been completed. Note also that part of the canal traverses through a large lake area.

Today this upgrade means that ships can pass in both directions simultaneously. An average of 50 ships navigate the Suez Canal each day with more than 300 million tons of goods being moved through this strategic waterway each year. 

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When construction began, Egypt was ruled by Britain and France and although there was political turmoil in the region, rebellion in Egypt against colonial rule which interrupted construction, the Suez Canal was opened on November 17, 1869.

The Suez Canal Company was given a 99 year lease over the waterway and surrounding area. The canal was intended to be open for use by ships from all over the world but this hasn't always been possible, due to international disagreements and war between nations and the Suez Canal has been a centre of conflict since its completion.    

The British defended the canal during WW1 against the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and in 1936 the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty reaffirmed Britain's control over the waterway. This was vital during WWll after Germany and Italy attempted to capture the canal. As a result the ships of both countries were barred from using the Suez Canal for most of the war years. 

In 1951 Egypt withdrew from the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty But it wasn't until 1956 that the British withdrew their troops from the Suez Canal and handed control over to the Egyptian  government under Nasser's rule. 

In that year, Nasser nationalised the canal's operations by transferring ownership to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) ad this angered Britain and America who withdrew promised financial funding intended for planned improvements to the canal and the construction of the Aswan Dam project. When Egypt turned to the Soviet Union for funds and decided to close the Straits of Tiran, (a body of water that linked Israel to the Red Sea) to all Israeli ships Britain and France and Israel sent troops to invade Egypt which resulted in the 'Suez Crises'.

In November of 1956, The United Nations sent a peacekeeping force to protect the canal and ensure access for all nations was maintained.

Then in 1967 at the beginning of the "Six-Day War", Nasser ordered the UN peacekeeping force out of the Sinai Peninsula. Israel responded by deploying their troops into the region and took control of the east bank of the Suez Canal. Nasser then imposed a blockade on all maritime traffic and essentially trapping 15 cargo ships that were traversing through the canal at the time. These ships remained entrapped and decaying  for nearly 8 years. 

In 1975 when a new president, Saddat governed Egypt, British and US minesweepers cleared the canal and once again ships were able to pass through the Suez . However, even though an Egypt-Israeli Peace Treaty had been drawn up in 1979, Israeli troops remained in the Sinai Peninsula until 1981. Since that year and up to today, a Multicultural Force and Observers have been stationed in the region to maintain order and protect the canal. We saw tanks and soldiers who are part of the peace maintenance teams protecting the Suez Canal so that nations can use this vital waterway in safety.

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About 8% of the world's sea trade passes through the Suez and today it's a good income earner for the state owned Suez Canal Authority.

Ships sailing from Asia to the Eas Coast via the Suez Canal have to pay an average of US$235,000 per voyage. It sounds expensive but when you consider for example, that there are over 2000 passengers on the Sea Princess, it works out to be about US$120 per person. Container vessels and other ships find their canal fees are far less than the fuel costs that would be incurred if they sailed around South America to get to Places like Britain, France and other poets in the the Mediterranean.

The complete passage through the Suez takes between 11 and 16 hours at a speed of about 8 knots (15 km per hour). This low speed has been set as a means of preventing bank erosion and the flooding of low lying areas along the canal, by the wake of ships as they sail through the canal. 

Ships' passages are closely monitored and the 'rule of entry' is that the first ship to arrive at the entrance of the canal will be the leader of the convoy. Distances between ships is also kept at a measured pace and there is no over taking or  breaking of the speed limit.

We were the second ship to enter the canal at Port Suez, earlier this morning. Ahead of us was a warship disguised as a merchant ship. We only know this because the captain reported this to us in his interview on board a few days after passing through the Suez Canal. It is comforting to know that the Peace forces are maintaining their presence in this 'political hot-zone' area. 

We were to spend the rest of the day really watching the 'passing parade' as we gently glided through the waters of the Suez towards Port Said in Egypt. We began by having our breakfast out on our balcony so that we could get a good observation of all that was to transpire over the day. Even though it was about 7.30 and our balcony was shaded the air was beginning to warm up and when we looked across at the desert around us already the sandy shoreline was absorbing and reflecting the heat from the sun's rays.

After breakfast we spent some time on the small deck at the front of the ship where we had a wide view of both banks of the canal. We saw so many interesting activities on the waters of the canal and the along the banks so we spent the rest of the day alternating from our balcony view and the vistas from the outside deck where a running commentary broadcast was given at different stages throughout our canal journey. 

It seemed to us that this canal has become a highway through the desert, a snaking blue ribbon of water along which whole communities have settled and established themselves. It was fascinating to look out across the vast desert landscape with its sandhills, palm trees and then to be presented with views which followed a pattern of: desert 'emptiness' for several kilometres, then small settlements or outposts and several larger towns, all separated by open desert sands hill.

As we neared Port Said, larger towns emerged along canal. The houses were substantial, the infrastructure advanced with roads, vehicles, commercial buildings, mosques and satellite towers. there were substantial date palm groves and small agricultural plots -oases in the desert. Many of the residential buildings were decorated with strings of colourful, freshly-hung  laundry items and a variety of pot plants. The extension and maintenance of the Suez provides ongoing work for engineers, tradesmen and service providers, hence the establishment of these thriving towns and 'cities' in desert areas which was once the domain of camel teams Bedouin tents and traders.

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Throughout this interesting day, we saw a variety of everyday activities as well as some unusual and even comical sights from high vantage point on decks 10 and 14. Here are just a few of them.

We passed several small craft sailing beside or near our ship. They looked so tiny in relation to our huge vessel. Some of these craft were manned by fishermen with their mesh of nets piled high in their hulls. Other craft were tiny rowing boats with several rowers or small single-sailed low lying faluka-type craft that we once sailed on the Nile when we visited Egypt about 20 years ago. The crew of these craft often greeted us with friendly waves, shouts and much excitement, even though they were jostled about by the wake of our ship.

Due to the new tunnel-under the canal construction many trucks remove the mined sand onto ever enlarging sand mounds. When we came across a sand truck perched atop one of these mounds, we were astounded at how precarious an operation this must be fore these men with nerves of steel.

At another point along the canal where there was mainly desert sand hills lining the canal bankside, Ken and I noticed the movement of "some kind of animal" along the top of the sandhill and the these animals slid down the steep embankment right into the water. We assumed it may have been camels but when Ken took a telescopic photograph all was revealed. It was a gang of desert dogs seeking the coolness of the waters of the canal. We watched them for some time. They frolicked about and chased one another around the shallows and we wondered how they would climb back up the steep slopes. We guess that they'd done this before and that they'd probably wind their way back up in a zig-zag switch trail up the sandy desert slopes of the canal bank. Were they wild desert dogs or domesticated dogs belonging to a gang of canal workers camped nearby?

The other thing we noticed was that in the area of the newly created dual-canal section of the route we passed side canals that joined  the two canals ( these are not for general traffic but to provide access for emergency assistance to either canal routes). What we found weird was that when another ship or tall cargo ship was mowing in the opposite direction in the second canal all we could see was the top of the ship's mask or the top few rows of the cargo containers,  floating by behind the sandhills that are piled up between the dual canals. It was uncanny to imagine that the containers were moving through like a conveyer belt because we couldn't see the ship that was carrying the many tiers of containers on top

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You may recall that on the map of the Suez Canal, that there's a large lake which the canal joins and crosses before exiting to rejoin the canal passage which will eventually lead into the Mediterranian. When we entered the lake the waters were a brilliant blue, the sun was high in the sky and there were several resort-type settlements on islands within the lake.  The island area looked resplendent in the brilliant midday sunlight. It looked like a relaxing and idealistic holiday venue -a little off the beaten track but the water was extremely blue and looked inviting and refreshing.

Several sailing boats, with a gentle breeze billowing their sails, could be seen skipping across the lake. We also saw groups of rowing boats anchored out from the shore of the island in the lake. Maybe the occupants were on a recreational fishing jaunt and we wondered whether as our ship passed them, whether some fish were swept in the direction of the baited hooks of these would be fishermen. 

As we came closer to the Egyptian exit point of our canal journey we came across a mosque high a walled canal bank. It looked fairly new and modern with well a established network of roads leading to Port Said and there was a ferry point at this spot as well. Not long after this edifice we passed some huge monuments which have been built at the exit (for us) or entrance (for those going the other direction) 

One monument was a huge bronze statue with Egyptian figurines and hieroglyphics. It celebrates the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the engineering feats achieved over its' 10 year  program. Adjacent to this monument is a metal globe-design Suez monument which is about as high as a two-storey building. Both of these looked impressive edifices stand proud and high on the golden-coloured desert sands.

At our exit point (Port Said) we passed a check point area with a walled section of the Suez Canal, military vehicles and a peacekeeping contingent of soldiers. In the background was a modern city of residential homes where many of the canal's workers and their families reside. As we slipped into the Mediterranean we said goodbye to Egypt and the delightfully enjoyable cruise we had travelled over the past 11 hours. 

We trust our photographs give you some idea of the views we enjoyed from our Sea Princess balcony and deck viewing platforms vista variety.