Why Cruise The Suez Canal?

When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, sea travel around the world changed dramatically. Added to the recent completion of the American transcontinental railroad, the opening of the Suez Canal made circling the globe a much faster process. No longer did ships have to travel around the horn of Africa to cross from Europe to Asia or back.

The Mediterranean being connected to the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden leading into the Indian Ocean changed everything. Now a destination for educational and enjoyable cruise holidays and expensive holidays, the Suez Canal still remains in use. Cruise ships now sail up and down the waters of the Suez Canal, including through the Great Bitter Lake which is located in the middle of the canal. This lake keeps water flow steady to both sides of the canal, and the sides are almost equal in length and in height above sea level. Popular ports of call offer tours inland, to enable visitors to see Cairo and Luxor in Egypt. Canal building attempts didn't stop with Senusret II, there were many east-west attempts and only one was successful.

The original attempt was to be a north-south canal; this is known as the remains of a trench were discovered in the 20th Century connecting Lake Timseh to the Ballah Lakes near Great Bitter Lake. A canal did manage to connect the Nile and the Red Sea during the reign of Darius I, but Ptolemy II later improved it and built the first known functioning sea-lock. Archaeological sites can be seen today where this original attempt was made.

The remains of a trench were discovered in the 20th Century connecting Lake Timseh to the Ballah Lakes near the Great Bitter Lake, the only north-south attempt at a canal before the current version.

There were also numerous east-west attempts, only one of which was successful. During the reign of Darius I a canal did connect the Nile and the Red Sea.

It was later improved under Ptolemy II, who built the first known functioning sea-lock at the ancient city of Bubastis. When you take a cruise along the Suez Canal, you will discover that most of the evidence of these ancient canals has disappeared beneath the sand, but you will feel the legends that are still very much alive.

There is so much history to absorb yourself in, and will have many other opportunities to be entertained else wise. Stop at Port Said and Port of Safaga for an amazing assortment of nightlife, or to arrange a day trip inland to visit the interior of the surrounding areas.
Sarah Van Rensburg is a travel lover and avid writer, focussing on a range of travel topics particularly cruise holidays .

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