News
Book Review: Death in Dahab by Avi Bernstein
Death in Dahab, Avi Bernstein’s debut novel, has all the ingredients of a crime-based thriller:
- The drowning of a trainee scuba diver in mysterious circumstances
- An investigation into her death by her instructor and his friends
- The discovery of large-scale shark finning
- Corrupt dive centre owners
- A meeting with Bedouin elders
- Somali pirates and the Egyptian secret police
- A recluse with strange powers and martial art skills.
The book reads like a crime-based thriller, but in the Author’s Note Bernstein maintains “…everything you are about to read in this book is completely true”.
At several points in the book the coincidences and actions do appear implausible – but if we believe the author he has survived an amazing series of incidents. However, one issue dominates the book – shark finning. It’s unfortunate that Peter Benchley’s Jaws served to demonize all sharks. In fact, very few sharks are aggressive and perform a great service by maintaining the health of the oceans. Death in Dahab is not just an amazing story but highlights the plight of sharks today. In his Afterword Bernstein reports that:
“Every day around the world 300,000 sharks are killed. The vast majority of the sharks are killed for their fins which are used in a Far Eastern delicacy – shark fin soup. A genocide of 100 million sharks killed each year is occurring right now, a genocide that is going to have devasting consequences not only for the marine environment, but also for the human race.” (p.543)
Many of us will have seen shark fin soup on exotic menus, piles of fresh fins on docksides or dried ones in markets. Until reading Bernstein’s book I had not fully appreciated the scale of the slaughter nor the wider implications. It is thus understandable that there are sections of the book where the author sounds evangelical in his concern for sharks. His action, in founding Fins4Fins, to protect them is laudable. Elsewhere he explains:
“Fins4Fins is an organisation offering subsistence shark fishing communities an alternative through a tourist industry based on scuba diving. Fins4Fins provides training, facilities and infrastructure to subsistence shark fishing communities giving them the tools they need to make change. Fins4Fins gives ownership of businesses to shark fishing communities helping them become masters of their own future and guardians of their own environment.”
If I have one criticism of Death in Dahab it would be about the language used. This is not the strong language in authentic sounding exchanges, but the repeated use of long, multi-syllable words when a simple word would have been better. In the context of the story they seem inappropriate.
Death in Dahab is set in the Red Sea, an area popular with divers. Indeed, those of us who have been fortunate to dive in these waters will find the description of the dive sites and towns of Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab authentic. Certainly, for me the account of diving the ‘Blue Hole’ in Dahab relived the experience. His sympathetic and sensitive description of the people of the Sinai and the countryside makes this book one to read.
Avi Bernstein is a professional diving instructor who has lived and worked in India, Costa Rica, Cyprus and Israel. He lived and worked in the Sinai for nine years.
Contact Avi Bernstein at: www.facebook.com/DeathinDahab
- Death in Dahab (2013) Bernstein Press by Avi Bernstein
- ISBN 9780992669928 (549 pages)
Find out more about Professor Fred Lockwood, who is also a published author, at www.fredlockwood.co.uk.
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
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More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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