Wow. Huge blocks (2-15 tons) made at a rate of one every two minutes for 23 years. It's amazing to walk in the shadows of the only remaining monument of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Great Sphinx is also in the complex.
The busiest, craziest, loudest place we've EVER been. Absolutely insane to think that this is how they shop here. They must burn out their horns in a week.
KT's Birthday in Cairo, an overnight train ride brought us to this crazy city. We'll explore more in the coming days, today we relax and enjoy the gift to the world that is KT!!
Crazy to think we'd want to go sailing again, but it's the Nile afterall! A light breeze (and sometimes paddling) carried us around Elephantine Island on a 2hr Nile Cruise.
It looks like it was carved out of the surrounding cliffs. Also "found" our own ruins Mt biking over a short cut to get to the road. Amazing what else you can see while taking it slow.
A long bike ride into the desert to view the amazing tombs. It took an entire rule of a king to build his burial place. Increadible to think they were carved and decorated by hand.
Marsa Alam, Egypt 25 Feet Good Holding. Two days sailing = 30 miles north before the wind picks up to 25 knots. AND we get up at 5 am to leave, we've had to sail 41 miles to make that 30!!
Renanto Reef, Egypt 45 Feet Our own private reef (literally drop right behind the reef.. and watch out for a southerly switch)
Wind picked up to 20-25 knots and we are hiding here until it dies down a little. If I had know the reefs would have this much of calming effect I would used them more often. Once you get to Egypt you lose a lot of the indented protection of the Marsa and Khor anchorages and this is where you really need them as the northerlies fill in with a vengeance.
You'll still find calm days, but the weather windows are usually shorter than predicted, always have a ditch plan. We know fellow cruisers who had to re-sail hundreds of miles after they got blown out and couldn't make the finally destination.
Outside Port Berenice, Egypt 28 Feet good holding sand/coral. Got it on the 3rd try after an hour of searching in 25-30 knots. Motorsailed 25 miles into the bay through 30-40 knots, uncharted on either side. 6 hours through ridiculously steep seas caused by only 7 miles of fetch. The Yellow note is the off lying reef we just missed and the Red line is uncharted waters to the south
We are Chris & KT Myles aboard the Sailing Vessel Billabong (a 44 foot sloop). We set sail from Ventura, CA in Dec 2003 and spent 5.5 years and 33,000 miles sailing the world. Learn more about our adventure through Our Blog
