Ain Soukhna on the Gulf of Suez

Last weekend we went to Ain Soukhna, a resort area on the Gulf of Suez, which is part of the Red Sea. We stayed at the Palmera Resort, an older, but pleasant all inclusive resort. Friday was a beautiful, sunny, windless day. Jack captured this picture on our way to breakfast. Not a ripple on the swimming pool.

We sat on the beach along with all the other Egyptians at the resort for a little rest and relaxation. I began knitting a sweater, and Jack read. It was a very pleasant day. In the evening we went into a pavillion area after dinner to watch Egypt win a very important soccer match that was part of a play-off series for the African Cup of Nations.

Everybody was out enjoying the balmy, delightful weather. Kids were swimming as their parents watched.
But it was not to last.

During the night the weather changed from the balmy and beautiful, to stormy. The waves kicked up and built. The next day was dull and blustry. It was a 180 degree difference from the day before. There would be no lounging on the beach this day. The beach was underwater.

After the storm we walked down to the sea front to see what damage had been done by the high wind and waves. We found these. GRENADES! (or whatever they are called) Washed up on the shore.

At the height of the storm the water came well up the beach and did damage to the resort's beach area.

You can see how high the water came. This storm was the day after the full moon when the tides are at the highest for the month. Combine high tides with wind and you have the makings for damage to the seafront and beach erosion.

These pictures do not do justice to the amount of water coming up the beach or the height of the waves. We suspected that at the height of the storm the waves averaged about 5 feet as they came onto the shore, and the winds built to about 30-35 mph., gusting to, maybe, 40 mph. It was enough to move you backwards when you stood still.

It was a wild storm, that the locals said happens about once a year. It was fun to be there and see how churned up the sea can get. It reminded me of my summers on Lake Michigan when the waves crashed ashore like that and you went out afterwards beachcombing. No bombs, though.