The Great Bitter Lake (; transliterated: al-Buhayrah al-Murra al-Kubra) is a saltwater lake in Egypt. Today, it is part of the Suez Canal, which connects it to the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. It is connected to the Small Bitter Lake (Arabic: البحيرة المرة الصغرى; transliterated: al-Buhayrah al-Murra as-Sughra), through which the canal also runs. Before the canal was built (1869), the site was a dry salt valley or basin. Even the ancient Pyramid Texts mention it. Ships traveling through the Suez Canal use the Great Bitter Lake as a "passing lane", where they can change their position in line or turn around.