Charlie's birthday went by with little fanfare in a flurry of
getting ready to leave for Port Suez. Charlie and Clay dropped Jeannette me off at the internet cafe, which in Safaga is the place people go to smoke water pipes.
Water pipes are a big item here. The chunk of (?) tobacco is placed on top in a pile of coals and a long hose is connected to an apparatus and the user sits with the hose
and puffs away. There are cafes for pipe smoking and people go there to have coffee, smoke and talk. Turkish coffee is another big hit and one for which I do not think
I will develop a taste. It takes a special coffee maker and the coffee is thick with fine grounds many of which end up in your mouth.
Charlie and Clay went into town to get fresh vegetables, eggs and bread. Then they came back to the internet and Jeannette left and took the food to the boat and I stayed and
finished sending the log in to our website. I like to keep you up to date for it is more interesting to read current news. We hurried through and headed out for Sea Gem and to
make preparations for leaving. We lifted the engine off the dingy, deflated the dingy and rolled it for storage. After raising the anchor Charlie secured it with the heavy pin and we
made the decks ready for what we knew would be a rough ride. We were not disappointed for the winds were high for most of the trip and right on our nose. The higher in the Red Sea
the narrower it becomes and many times it is like traveling up a river where you can view both banks. The number of ships is large and they are running both north and south. At
night the flames from the oil rigs give the sea an aura of Dante's Inferno and you know you can avoid those that are burning and just worry about the ones that may have lost their flame
and still have the rigging standing. We had some warnings over VHF of well locations but we had already past the area. Cruising the Red Sea if kind of like taking a stroll on the
interstate --just for fun.
With
the waves crashing over the deck and running into the aft cockpit
we started getting water into the aft cabin. I found out later
that our scuppers had stopped up with garbage from a sack that had
split. The first time that has ever happened on Sea Gem.
We stopped water from entering by installing the ben boards.
The last night we were in the Red Sea Charlie and I remained on
watch all night. It was cold but there were so many ships
coming and going there was no chance to nod off. We found
later that Stu on Stampede had so much water coming into his cockpit,
and into his face, that he put on his snorkle and mask while at
the wheel. We are fortunate on Sea Gem to have a fairly dry
cockpit with zip down curtains which help break the wind.
We did have water wash through the floor every few minutes but it
ran right out again.
The wind was high for most of the trip. We saw thirty five knots apparent for long periods and on occasion up to thirty six. We pounded northward on one engine for some time
because the port engine was over-heating. Charlie found that the problem was a broken fan belt. He knew it would be difficult to crawl behind the port engine in such rough weather but
he also knew that it was extremely difficult to make headway with only one engine. He went below and started work. We woke Jeannette to assist him as once you are behind the engine
you need someone to hand tools to you as you need them. Clay and I were on deck, with some main sail out to add stability. We were cutting across the channel and carefully
watching the oncoming traffic. Charlie got the new belt installed and the port engine was once more on line. What a relief to have both engines.
As we neared Port Suez the water calmed and Charlie picked our way through the huge container ships toward the port. By late afternoon we were headed into the channel and
called Captain Heebi (son of Prince of the Red Sea) and our agent. In no time at all a "Pilot Boat" was approaching and shouting directions and of course we thought Captain Heebi
was aboard. As the pilot boat continued to get closer and force us over and out of the channel we were very suspicious of these folks. In a few more minutes Captain Heebi's boat
approached and he started yelling at the pilot boat. He then called the harbor patrol and the pilot boat left. Charlie asked him, "What was that all about? They almost pushed us out of
the channel." Captain Heebi responded, "They want cigarettes."
We purchased cigarettes for baksheesh for anyone who asks. Being "anti-tobacco" we hate
to give anyone cigarettes. Those who aggressively demand their "pay-off" we pay in cigarettes. For the most part the Egyptians are very tourist oriented, friendly and helpful.
They have a poor attitude where women are concerned but are interested enough in selling that they cover it for westerners. We also found that there is determination to keep tourists
safe from the fundamentalist terrorists. There are guards everywhere and at one point our group of eight was assigned a guard to go with us.
We docked in Suez at seventeen hundred March 28, and our first step was to fill our water tank for we had run out while in the Red Sea. Both water makers shut down bec ause of the
high salinity in the Red Sea. We also were able to wash the cakes of salt off the boat and wash down the cockpit and get ourselves somewhat organized. We were able to stay at the
water dock overnight which we thought would be an advantage until we were warned, "Be sure you close up good, there are a lot of rats." The thought of getting another rat aboard
made us really anxious to get away from the dock. We really didn't want one of Basil's Egyptian cousins.
The restaurant in the Red Sea Hotel is pleasant, with good food and a spectacular view from
its sixth floor location. As you have your meal you can watch the ships entering and leaving the canal and realize just how much traffic you have avoided on your passage. Until later from Port Suez. . .
Charlie's birthday went by with little fanfare in a flurry of
getting ready to leave for Port Suez. Charlie and Clay dropped Jeannette me off at the internet cafe, which in Safaga is the place people go to smoke water pipes.
Water pipes are a big item here. The chunk of (?) tobacco is placed on top in a pile of coals and a long hose is connected to an apparatus and the user sits with the hose
and puffs away. There are cafes for pipe smoking and people go there to have coffee, smoke and talk. Turkish coffee is another big hit and one for which I do not think
I will develop a taste. It takes a special coffee maker and the coffee is thick with fine grounds many of which end up in your mouth.