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.
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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Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
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SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
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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