Diary of Peter and Lorna Prewett

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PLACES VISITED

Date Place Suez Canal

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smoke as they carried on the endless task of keeping the channel clear. El Kantara with its important Canal Signal Station came into sight and soon we were passing the town. It was not very imposing by our standards, being mainly mud huts with an occasional concrete building, a small station for the single track, a tall white mosque in the centre and rather more palm trees than [many of 'struck through'] the previous villages. At this point the Sweetwater Canal swung away at a tangent and we could follow its course across the flat countryside because of the palms and greenery along the banks. When El Kantara was behind us we entered another rather bleak

Last edit over 4 years ago by Prewett
Page 42
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Date Place Suez Canal

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area. Small shallow lakes, salt, probably, were dotted amongst sand dunes, and there were no trees or buildings to add variety. One lake for some reason, was a vivid red colour, although its neighbours were normal blue. We haven't discovered any reason for this!

At about that point we turned into a cutting by-passing the main canal and learnt that we should have to remain there some hours to allow a large north bound convoy to pass in the main canal. Behind the Orcades were about six other ships and these gradually all closed up together and we were all moored in the cutting. The northbound convoy was larger than

Last edit over 4 years ago by Prewett
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Date Place Suez Canal

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expected and after 19 ships had passed, all within sight and quite close, it was about 5 o'clock before we were able to cast off. The stay there was rather uninspiring as there was nothing but sand dunes in all directions and not much traffic on the road, [a part word struck through] (I did see a little dog all by himself trotting somewhere very energetically, although we seemed to be miles from anywhere!) The hawks circled all day accompanied by a few gulls, and all the passengers were bored. The weather, which had been fairly warm until lunch time, suddenly turned chilly, a strong wind blew, huge black clouds appeared overhead and what

Last edit over 4 years ago by Prewett
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Date Place Suez Canal

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looked like a minor sandstorm obscured the horizon. This lasted for quite a while, but when we left the cutting the sky had cleared and the sun was setting over the dunes. As there were no houses or, consequently, people, each [boat] ship carried its own little native craft and 2 or 3 boatmen which was lowered over the side to moor, and cast-off, the ships in the cutting. We watched the tanker behind us as the little rowing boat, with the natives still in it, was winched up from the Canal. Bollards were placed every few yards along the canal, and when we regained the main channel we passed several spots where the prevailing

Last edit over 4 years ago by Prewett
Page 45
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Date Place Suez Canal

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wind must have been continually blowing the sand dunes over the banks and bollards. The dunes reached tremendous heights and must be quite a problem for the Canal Authorities.

As darkness fell we saw the lights of a small town ahead and it looked quite attractive as we passed with the sun setting behind it and the little mosque almost glowing in the centre.

After dinner that night we returned to deck and watched "Orcades" progress through one of the lakes. We could see the rest of the convoy astern, each a cluster of lights with one large spotlight on each prow, and at intervals we

Last edit over 4 years ago by Prewett
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