Central Red Sea
Republic of the Sudan
Port Suakin
Old Suakin
SY "Kamu II" at anchor, south of the ruins of Old Suakin and east of El Kaff, at 5 m depth, on mud.
N 19° 06.53' E 037° 20.33'
Logging the sailed distance of about 60 nm between the Sanganeb Reef and Port Suakin in about 36 hours and beating into another strong haboob (Arabic: هَبوب habūb "blasting/drafting") on our approach to Port Suakin.
Clearing into the Sudan
Refuelling with 120 litres of diesel fuel (US$ 0.70 per litre) in our own jerry cans and 15 litres of petrol (US$ 1.- per litre), delivered to the dinghy by agent Mohammed Abu.
Laundering: US$ 0.33 per piece through agent Mohammed Abu and his local ladies (rock-washed and dried).
Walking through the streets (which looked like livened-up junkyards) and coral stone ruins of old Suakin (whose erstwhile wealth had come from trading slaves who were transported out of Suakin, and then put on ships which brought them up to the Ottoman empire) and the wooden shacks of new Suakin aka El Kaff.
Visiting Port Sudan by local minibus, checking for emails at a very fast internet café and restocking our supplies in the old souq near the port.
Feasting on excellent grilled fish at the local restaurant “Mistero of the Sea Foods” in Port Suakin (US$ 5.- per portion) and defending our meals on the tables against a clowder of fierce and hungry Sudanese cats.
Matt: Hitting a sandbank at full throttle when leaving Suakin harbour after having exactly (!) followed our own GPS track log and having completely forgotten about the third dimension of sea navigation - the tidal differences.
"Any soldier will tell you that going in and coming out on the same route is asking for trouble."
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
2007 Map Konni & Matt
Visit the Konni & Matt online albums and order high res travel photos
