News
Chillin’ in Naama Bay
Another great thing about being based in Sharm is that, if you fancy a quieter, more relaxed day, with a later start and a more sedate pace, then you can ask to do some shore diving instead of heading out on the boat. As we have been hard at it since we got here, we decided this would be just the ticket for today. The dive in Naama Bay is incredibly chilled out, but that does not mean there isn’t plenty to see; with eagle rays, artificial reefs, hoards of lionfish, huge grouper and even a barracuda trying to hunt a pufferfish in the sandy shallows to entertain us.
After chatting through what we wanted to photograph with Beth, our private guide, we donned our wetsuits whilst still at Camel Dive Club. We set up our gear, which was then put on a trolley and wheeled down to the beach, by one of the lovely local staff, which is just 2 mins away. Once in our gear, we strode into the water and slipped into the clear blue sea and started exploring. Once past the first shallow coral bommies, we reached the artificial reefs. Here a number of wire sculptures have been sunk, several years ago now, to create a new reef system. There is a globe, a pyramid (of course), a boat and a dolphin that provide a perfect hide out for juvenile fish, lionfish and gorgeous angelfish. A playful school of juvenile bannerfish followed us around each of these structures, as well as a pile of amphora that adds to this reef scene.
Beth told us to keep an eye out on the sand, as this is also a regular site to see young spotted eagle rays. We were in luck, as we made our way to one of the deeper reefs, we caught a glimpse before it went on its way. The larger, and deeper piece of reef, lying at 12-16m, is home to a huge grouper, young napoleon wrasse and lots of lionfish. Enigmatic porcupine fish also patrol this part of the dive. It is a novice photographers dream and needs to be done in both wide angle and macro.
On our way back in we stopped to watch a pufferfish swim right up, unknowingly, to a large barracuda. As the barracuda went to strike, the puffer inflated and the bemused predator skulked away. It was a relief, as whilst a barracuda has to eat, those pufferfish are just too cute to be dinner for anyone.
The great thing about diving Naama Bay from Camel Dive Club is that you set the pace of the day. Want to do three dives, no problem. Two dives in the morning, spend the afternoon catching some sun by the pool and then do a night dive – perfect. You can decide what suits you best.
www.egypt.travel/diving-in-egypt
For more from Nick and Caroline visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
In a video shot exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman reviews the Gemini Switch Box from Lungfish.
For more information, visit www.lungfishdivesystems.com and www.facebook.com/divelungfish
A career in doing something that you love… I have heard so many times that diving is just a hobby and not a career. A career by definition is ‘an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.’
I started diving at the age of 17. I became a PADI Divemaster and from this point progressed to an Open Water instructor, to Staff Instructor, to Master Instructor, to Course Director. Surely by definition this is a career path? The only difference (in some cases) that would dispute this matter… the controversial subject of pay!
I am 100% not going to say that no dive centres in the world pay. I myself do, and I know others that do, too. It does however seem to have become very much the norm, that the ‘because I enjoy it’ philosophy has eradicated the UK diving career path for years. Divers volunteering their help for little or no reward (again… not everyone before you stop reading). To eventually realising, that they are doing hard work, for not much to gain… even paying to carry on doing courses, and to become an instructor to work for that centre. What is all that about?!
If you are the type of person to be happy with that, that is completely fine, so long as you are happy. I was at one point… and then realised that I had invested a lot of my time and money, and when this realisation hit, started to feel undervalued. The instructor I was ‘working for’, for a free hot chocolate at the end of the day, would sit in the cafe whilst I taught in the 3 degree waters in the middle of winter. Obviously the paying customer had booked his course through this person and not me… I was happy with a hot chocolate and having fun… but aren’t all of the best careers the ones that we do not see as work. They aren’t all volunteer roles.
Those of you looking for a career in diving, don’t be put off. There are places that you can work, and a career in diving can literally take you all across the world. Those saying that there is no money in diving… ignore those guys too. There is. Obviously working for free is never going to get you there, but if you want to do it, then do it. There are plenty of places not only looking to employ scuba instructors, there are other jobs at aquariums, conservation roles, the Navy and many others for you to take a look at.
There are also grants to look at for education, the open water instructor course, or anything else after that is not exactly cheap… but still nonetheless worthwhile.
So, please do not take away the fact of diving being a career. It is. The only thing that I will leave you with (dropping a bombshell), is that if we accept the fact of ‘working for free’ then it will never change and still be hard to make a career in diving… I mean, of course there is limited need when there is still the alternate option for a business to have free labour.
Clare began Duttons Divers at just 19 years old and a short while later became one of the world’s youngest PADI Course Directors. Find out more at www.duttonsdivers.com
WIN a c-monsta Wetsuit Hanger!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with c-monsta to give away one of their wetsuit hangers as a prize!...
WIN a Sharkskin Performance 40L Duffle Bag!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Liquid Sports to give away a Sharkskin Performance 40L Duffle Bag as...
Win a Vasili Lights Fish Lantern!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with Vasili Lights to give away one of their beautiful Fish Lanterns! Inspired...
WIN a Beuchat Maxlux S Mask and Spy Snorkel!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Beuchat to give away Maxlux S Mask and Spy Snorkel!...
-
News2 months agoIrish Marine Science student wins European Scuba Diving Scholarship
-
News2 months agoDiving with… Pablo Calderon Cadiz, Takata Experience, Mahaual, Mexico
-
Winners - Underwater Videography Contests3 months agoMay 2022 Video Contest Winner and Review
-
News2 months agoDiving Loch Long
-
Winners - Underwater Photography Contests3 months agoMay 2022 Photo Contest Winner and Review
-
Gear Reviews1 month agoGear Review: Mares EOS LRZ Torch Range
-
Marine Life & Conservation1 month agoJeff chats to… Esther Jacobs from Fire Island Conservation in Mozambique (Watch Video)
-
News3 months agoFinal few days to enter the OrcaTorch Search for Atlantis photo competition