Description & Facts: During the quarter of a century that I've lived in Egypt I have always been intrigued to see vessels plying the Suez Canal. Indeed, the ship convoys often appeared to be floating across the desert as if by magic if I was situated far enough away from the canal at the time of sighting. So I'm sure no one will be surprised when I admit that I have long wondered how a local resident could sail through the canal. Unfortunately, I never found an answer to that question. However, in the autumn of 2004 and again in the spring of 2008 I was able to join two international cruises which included Suez Canal transits. In November 2004 I sailed south from Alexandria to Mombasa, Kenya on the 10000-ton, 208-passenger Seabourn Spirit; and in May 2008 I sailed north during an Africa circumnavigation cruise on Holland America Line's 38000-ton, 793-passenger Prinsendam. The Suez Canal was constructed by forced labor at a cost of USD 100 million over a 10 1/2-year period by Ferdinand de Lesseps' Universal Company for the Suez Maritime Canal, which was formed in 1858. The canal was opened on November 17, 1869 by the French Empress Eugenie. 163 km (101 miles) long and 600 meters (1968 feet) wide in its narrowest stretch, the canal links the Mediterranean at Port Said to the Red Sea at Suez. With an average transit time of 15 hours, the canal saves ships 11829 km (7350 miles) compared to the circumnavigation of Africa. The Suez Canal, which has no locks, accommodates about 50 ships daily and is