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Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 2: Wall to Wall Wrecks
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
The second day’s diving was a day full of wreck diving at Abu Nuhas, which included the Chrisoula K, Carnatic, and Ghiannis D. The first dive of the day was onto the Chrisoula K, also known as the wreck of tiles. The 98m vessel remains largely intact where she was loaded with tiles which can be seen throughout the hold. The stern sits at 26m and the bow just below the surface. One of the highlights of the wreck is heading inside and seeing the workroom where the machinery used for cutting the tiles are perfectly intact. The bow provided some relaxing scenery as the bright sunlight highlighted the colours of the soft coral reef and the many reef fish.
Following breakfast, we then headed to the next wreck, which was the Carnatic. The Carnatic is an 89.9m sail steamer vessel that was built in Britain back in 1862. She ran aground on the reef back in 1869 and remains at 27m. At the time, she was carrying a range of items, including 40,000 sterling in gold. An impressive wreck where much of the superstructure remains, and the two large masts lay on the seafloor. The wooden ribs of the hull provide structures for lots of soft corals, and into the stern section, the light beams through, bouncing off the large shoals of glass fish that can be found using the structure as shelter from the larger predators that are found outside of the wreck.
The final wreck at Abu Nuhas was the Ghiannis D, originally called ‘Shoyo Maru,’ which was 99.5m long and built in Japan back in 1969 before becoming a Greek-registered cargo ship in 1980. The ship then ran aground on the reef on April 19th, 1983, and now sits at the bottom at a depth of 27m. Heading down the line, the stern of the ship remains in good condition compared to the rest of the hull. The highlight of the wreck, though, is heading into the stern section and down the flights of stairs to enter the engine room, which remains in good condition and is definitely worth exploring. After exploring the interior section of the ship, we then headed over to see the rest of the superstructure, where it’s particularly interesting to see the large table corals that have grown at the bow relatively quickly considering the date the ship sank. After surfacing and enjoying some afternoon snacks, we made sure everything was strapped down and secured as we would be heading north and crossing the Gulf of Suez, where the winds were still creating plenty of chop.
The next morning, it was a short hop to Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve for the next couple of days of diving. The 6am wake-up call came along with the briefing for the first site we would be diving, which was Shark & Yolanda. The low current conditions allowed us to start the dive at Anemone City, where we would drift along the steep, coral-filled wall. These dives involved drifts, as mooring in Ras Mohammed wasn’t allowed to protect the reefs. As a dive site, Shark & Yolanda is well-known and historically had a lot of sharks, but unfortunately not so many in recent years, especially not so early in the season. However, there was always a chance when looking out into the blue.
The gentle drift took us along the steep walls of the site, with plenty of anemone fish to be seen and a huge variety of corals. It wasn’t long into the dive before we were accompanied by a hawksbill turtle, who drifted with us between the two atolls before parting ways. Between the two reefs, the shallow patch with parts of coral heads surrounded by sand provided the chance to see a few blue-spotted stingrays that were mainly resting underneath the corals and are always a pleasure to see. With this being the morning dive, the early sunlight lit up the walls, providing tranquil moments. Looking out into the blue, there was very little to be seen, but a small shoal of batfish shimmering underneath the sunlight was a moment to capture as we watched them swim by as they watched us.
Towards the end of the dive, we stopped at the wreck of the Jolanda where the seafloor was scattered with toilets from the containers it was carrying. This provided a unique site to make a safety stop, which was also accompanied by a large barracuda slowly swimming by, along with a hawksbill turtle calmly swimming over the reef as the sun rays danced in the distance.
For the next dive, we headed north to the Strait of Tiran to explore the reefs situated between Tiran Island and Sharm El Sheik, which were named after the British divers who had found them. We started on Jackson before heading to Gordons Reef, where we also did the night dive. All the atolls at these sites provided stunning, bustling coral reefs close to the surface and steep walls to swim along, which always provided the opportunity to keep an eye out for some of the larger species that can be seen in the blue. Midwater around Jackson Reef was filled with red-toothed triggerfish and shoals of banner fish, which at times were so dense that you couldn’t see into the blue. Moments went by peacefully as we enjoyed the slow drift above the reef, watching these shoals swim around under the mid-afternoon sun.
The night dive at Gordon’s Reef was mainly among the stacks of corals surrounded by sand, which was great to explore under the darkness. After some time circling the corals, we came across what we were really hoping to find, and that was an octopus hunting on the reef. We spent the majority of the dive just watching it crawl among the reef, blending into its changing surroundings through changes in colour and skin texture. It’s always so fascinating and captivating to watch these incredibly intelligent animals, in awe of their ability to carry out these physical changes to perfectly blend into the reef. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat to enjoy a well-deserved tasty dinner prepared by the talented chefs onboard.
Check in for the 3rd and final part of this series from Jake tomorrow!
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
If you’re new to this blog, then I am Mia DaPonte and I share my life underwater with you after I got certified as the youngest female Master Scuba Diver in the USA! You can also follow me and all my adventures on Instagram: @underwaterwithmia.
Last week my family and I returned from our vacation in Aruba, where we did lots of fun activities, and my mom and I went diving with AJ and Aruba Premier Boat and Dive.
Before you think I’m going to say it’s not great diving—it’s actually amazing! Aruba diving is truly an experience, but it all depends on who you go with. On our first day, AJ took us to the Antilla wreck. It is SOOOO cool—maybe one of my favorite wreck dives yet (but I haven’t seen too many wrecks). AJ told us the story of the Antilla wreck, and guess what? It is the largest wreck in the Caribbean! AJ guided us through the wreck. It was filled with fish and moray eels. We saw a sea turtle! My most favorite part of this dive was getting to go through some of the easier parts of the wreck. I am really liking wreck diving and want to do more!
The second dive that day, I got to choose a reef or a wreck. I chose another wreck that was more pieces than a full ship. It’s so cool to see wreckage at the bottom of the ocean, especially when I hear about why it’s there and can imagine the story while I dive.
For our second day of diving, we met AJ on the other side of the island. The goal for this day was to see some beautiful reefs! Both dives this day were beautiful. There were so many colorful corals. We saw a stingray and tons of beautiful tropical fish.
It was a lot of fun diving in Aruba, where the waters are clear. I would definitely want to come back and dive in Aruba—especially with AJ! He was so fun and told great stories. I learned so much about the island from him. Side note: during surface intervals, AJ served us butter and Gouda cheese sandwiches and they were so delicious! Oh—and he gave me and my mom great tips on how to treat the sunburns we got on our first day on the island. Haha.
The rest of the vacation was family time. We spent time relaxing on the white sandy beaches, went to the Aruba waterpark, ate at lots of delicious restaurants, shopped, and spent whole days swimming. The waterpark was a lot of fun and they had some bigger slides for older kids. My personal opinion is that the waterpark is made more for younger kids than older ones—my younger brother loved it—but it was still a good day.
Diving is always a favorite for me, but on this trip something else was even better. This was my favorite part: We were at the airport on our way home, and we were unusually early for our flight. Anyway, I knew my parents had a surprise for my brother and me, but when I asked them, they told us it was just a painting being delivered (not really a great lie, but it worked). I was just on my phone and my brother was playing video games while we waited. We didn’t even notice at first, but then my mom walked up to us with a little puppy in her arms.
He was a surprise that my mom and dad adopted from the Sgt. Pepper’s Rescue on the island! I was so excited to have a new puppy—and he’s the coolest island cunucu mutt! It was the best surprise ever. Now we have a new family member! I think it’s OK to talk about him in this blog. We, of course, named him “Reef”! It fits with my scuba theme.
Thank you for reading my blogs—this one might just be my favorite. See you next time!
Book your next dive adventure in Aruba with AJ:
Call: +297-7445406 or +297-744-2009
Email: arubapremiere@gmail.com
Blogs
Excerpts from Jeff Goodman’s Book Action Camera Underwater Video Basics, Part 4 of 6: Pre-Dive Equipment Checks
Sounds obvious, doesn’t it, but even the most experienced professional will occasionally forget to check for grit or sand in the O-ring as they race to get into the water to film something passing, such as a whale or turtle. Ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s okay, but at one point or another, that little bit of sand is going to let in water. Probably not much, but any water at all has the potential to get onto the lens or into the very delicate electronics. Video cameras and modern electronics have a horrible intolerance to water and salt. So without question, before the start of your diving day, have a routine of pre-dive checks and repeat them every time you open the housing.
Batteries
Did you put your camera and light batteries on charge, and are they at high enough capacity to last the duration of your diving? It is always a good idea to charge all batteries overnight, long before your dive. If any battery will not last a whole day, then carry at least one spare for that device.
Dirt
Is your lens clean and the inside of your port free from dust and hairs, etc.? To clean either, first gently blow away any visible debris. This is best done with a gentle squirt from a can of photographic compressed air. You can lightly blow with your mouth, but if you do, make sure it is free from any spittle. Next, gently wipe the surface with a good quality lens cloth, or a clean soft cotton hanky. Lastly, give the lens and port one more gentle squirt of air. If either is greasy, use a good quality lens cleaning liquid and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Ports are mostly made of plastic and will scratch easily if rubbed too hard.
Memory cards and hard drives
Whether you are using a memory card or your camera’s hard drive, make sure you have downloaded previous material onto a laptop or other storage device and that you have plenty of space for the next video session. Regular formatting of your card or drive is recommended over just deleting files, as this will make more space for new data to be written perfectly and will help stop card or drive corruption. Formatting is preferred over deletion, as your device will then overwrite old material as needed, rather than delete all of it straight away. So, in the event of losing your downloaded files, some of your older material may survive on your memory card.
It is also advisable not to use the same card for more than one device, as this can damage file structure and lead to storage media corruption. If this happens, the card or drive has to be replaced.
It is heartbreaking to go into the water with only a short amount of time left on your card because, as luck would have it, that will be the time a dolphin decides to come and play with you for an hour, or you find you are swimming with two mating turtles. In addition, should you have a leak, then not only will you lose your camera but also all the wonderful material you shot on your previous dives.
O-rings
O-rings are incredibly cheap compared to the overall cost of a camera. They are crucial to keeping the water out of your electronics and optics. Action cameras are pretty well foolproof against flooding. However, it does happen and this is usually down to operator error. If the camera is in a housing, make sure the O-rings are clean and free from sand or grit. A plastic guitar plectrum is the ideal tool for removing one, as it will not tear or damage it. Take the O-ring out and clean it gently between your fingers, also making sure the groove in which it sits is free of dirt. Blue paper cloth is useful for cleaning and is often available in dive centres and on dive boats.
Inspect the O-ring for any damage such as deterioration, cracks or nicks. Generally, if it is black, then it will need a small amount of silicone grease to lubricate it. Do not put on too much, as this will decrease the O-ring’s efficiency and may cause leaking. Just put a small amount of grease between your finger and thumb and then gently pull and roll the O-ring through to make sure of even coverage. When finished, it should have just a light sheen. This type of O-ring is mostly found on lights as well as more professional housings.
If the O-ring is orange, red or white, then the general rule is to not apply grease, as this may well deform it and cause a leak. Simply roll and slide it across your tongue to feel if there is any grit present, and at the same time your spit will be sufficient lubrication.
Before doing either of the above, make sure you read the manufacturer’s notes to see if the supplied O-ring needs lubrication or not.
Having re-seated the seal into the housing, close the port, making sure it pushes the O-ring firmly into place without trapping it. A pinched, twisted or trapped O-ring in the lid will let water into your housing.
Many action cameras are waterproof in their own right and so have no additional housing. For these cameras, there still may be a port to access the memory card and battery. Here the O-rings are usually flat and not removable. They also will not need lubrication, but do make sure they are clean and undamaged.
Whether your camera is old or new, it is important to have spare O-rings with you at all times. Action camera O-rings are very sturdy, but it is always possible for damage or loss to occur. Whatever camera I am using, I always make sure I have at least two spare O-rings on hand.
Make sure your housing is closed properly, that all the catches work easily and smoothly and are locked in place so they won’t be accidentally snagged and opened while underwater. If you feel some resistance to the catch closing, then it probably means the O-ring is not seated fully and is trapped and being pinched. Do not force it. Open the case and check all is clear.
NEXT WEEK:
Part 5 of 6 – Filming Techniques
Action Camera Underwater Video Basics by Jeff Goodman is available now from DIVEDUP Publications:
https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/
About Jeff Goodman
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