Livorno to Port Said (and Starboard Said as well!)

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PP:
16th April 2009: As most of our friends will know by now CS reluctantly jumped ship in Italy in order to return to work commitments back home so I have been a lonesome traveller for this leg. At least it meant the pirates were spared the risk of running into CS in a bad mood....
........There was some tricky loading of extra large gas tanks onto the deck before departure today, and we managed a quick lunch in the cafe at the gate. It had rained during that loading and we departed into fairly steady rain. Headed southerly, but west of Napolean’s first internment place - Elba. We came out of the rain towards Corsica and into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
17th April: We cruised parallel to the coast all day in fine weather, and passed Mt. Stromlo, a smoking volcano and the eastern end of the Lipari Islands, mid-afternoon. We had to pick up a pilot to pass through the Messina Strait, as it is less than 2 miles wide. There are quite heavy population centres in Sicily and on the mainland of Italy’s “toe” at the strait. Then on into the evening and the Mediterranean proper.
18th April: A quiet day at sea in smooth conditions. The Captain called an emergency drill just after 1500 hours, and we were at the muster station and then at the Bridge (the passengers place for fire drill) as we passed Crete - with snow-capped mountains to be seen through quite a strong haze. The mountain peaks are over 8,000 feet high there.
19thApril: No sight of land until we approached Port Said late afternoon. Had to wait until dark before we moved into the Port and canal area (Craig’s revenge) where we lost Daff (going home to his daughter after over nine months - she was just a couple of weeks old when he left for this contract). Daff’s replacement, Dan, joined us there. As part of a convoy we traversed the first part of the canal until the “wee hours” and moving very slowly. The first part at Port Said is quite narrow, with much activity on each side, plus cruise ships and others lit up at the dock. The canal widened a little after a while, then narrowed as we passed under a large suspension bridge not long after midnight. We put down the anchor at Bitter Lake in the early hours of the 20th, a lake just past midway through the canal. We will stay here until a northbound convoy passes, and at about 1300 hours will enter the southern part of the canal to the town of Suez. The Suez Gulf runs into the Red Sea when we clear Sinai.

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Photos

Heavy Load!
A 2 crane lift

Slowly Does it!
Thia took about an hour.

Belch!!
Mt. Stromlo