Diary of a freediver, Marsa Alam, Pics etc..
(Gatwick)
After much organisation from Mig, all members of the group arrived successfully on time, all except two members, but they will remain nameless (won’t you, Martyn & JM).
At the time, we weren’t sure whether they were running late for the flight or really, really early to meet us on our return?
The flight, which left on time and arrived slightly early was fairly uneventful, except for the turbulence, during which, I was inclined to think, it was less to do with air pressure and more to do with the cabin crew training to be stunt pilots!!
We arrived at the hotel just after dusk and found our accommodation clean and tidy. At dinner we proceeded to chow down on some local cuisine, after which, it was a wade out the pier. This caused much displeasure with the staff!!
It was then ‘bed’ for some and ‘bar’ for others, where we discussed the technical merits of world cinema.
Day 2.
After a quick bite to eat at the breakfast buffet it was down for orientation and acquisition of any outstanding items, lead weights etc.
We all changed for diving, except Sal, who felt more sleep was required and she wasn’t alone in this chain of thought.
We entered the sea via the shore, checked our weighting and swam out.
Over the next few hours we were utterly amazed at the sheer, diversity of ocean life within the house reef, parrot fish, flat fish, brittle stars, blue spotted rays, cornet fish, pipe fish, puffer fish, all just metres from the shore.
PB’s were bested by many in the first few hours of the first days diving.
Egypt looks very promising indeed.
Day 3.
Truck Dive 1.
Today’s diving was split over two sites, the first of which, we had been told, could be the place to spot a reclusive Dugong ( Manatee)but, we were unsure if we could spot it due to the shear size of the bay.
As the search went on we found giant turtles, blue spotted rays and guitar sharks
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/giantturtle.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/bluespottedray.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/guitarshark.jpg
along with a whole host of other fish, then we the ‘call’.
Andy had seen the Dugong out in deeper water and was following it into a shallower area containing sea grass.
It was a true spectacle to behold; we each took it turns to dive down the -4/5mts to get closer to the huge animal and those with cameras, to photograph it for prosperity.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/dugongfeeding.jpg
After what seemed like an age we left the creature and headed back to shore for cakes and drinks. But on the way back I had one of those special moments only the Red Sea can offer. Just laying on the surface I looked down and saw -3mts below me a huge blue spotted ray, 3mts to the left of it was a giant turtle and 4mts to the right of the ray was another giant turtle!! I just chuckled to myself thought that this is what Red Sea diving is all about.
Once refreshed on the beach we packed up and headed to our second destination.
Dive 2.
The second site was an isolated beach with a fabulous reef system to the North.
We headed out and marvelled at the variety of wildlife, we found another turtle and it must have been camera shy.
Haydn dived down, camera at the ready to photograph it, the turtle swam straight over and proceed to cover the camera lens with its flipper before swimming off??
I had to surface pretty rapidly at this point because I was laughing so hard at -5mts!!
The phrase “Only a Freediver knows the feeling” certainly rang true for me on this day when I found myself freefalling down the reef face to -18mts completely surrounded by vibrant corals and hundreds of colourful fish, including a very large puffer fish (at least 20”).
On the return to shore we stumbled across a pair of lion fish partially hidden under a reef head, the prefect end to a prefect dive.
Day 4.
Sunday, a day of rest some (including myself) for others, it was a wildlife adventure on the immense house reef with creatures spotted including, a very large moray eel, a black tip shark, eagle ray, turtles and a ‘baby’ lion fish seen in only a few inches of water.
To be continued........
Red Sea Safari
Shagra Eco Village
Marsa Alam
Egypt
2006
Shagra Eco Village
Marsa Alam
Egypt
2006
Diary of Freediver
By
Dan Webster
Day 1. By
Dan Webster
(Gatwick)
After much organisation from Mig, all members of the group arrived successfully on time, all except two members, but they will remain nameless (won’t you, Martyn & JM).
At the time, we weren’t sure whether they were running late for the flight or really, really early to meet us on our return?
The flight, which left on time and arrived slightly early was fairly uneventful, except for the turbulence, during which, I was inclined to think, it was less to do with air pressure and more to do with the cabin crew training to be stunt pilots!!
We arrived at the hotel just after dusk and found our accommodation clean and tidy. At dinner we proceeded to chow down on some local cuisine, after which, it was a wade out the pier. This caused much displeasure with the staff!!
It was then ‘bed’ for some and ‘bar’ for others, where we discussed the technical merits of world cinema.
Day 2.
After a quick bite to eat at the breakfast buffet it was down for orientation and acquisition of any outstanding items, lead weights etc.
We all changed for diving, except Sal, who felt more sleep was required and she wasn’t alone in this chain of thought.
We entered the sea via the shore, checked our weighting and swam out.
Over the next few hours we were utterly amazed at the sheer, diversity of ocean life within the house reef, parrot fish, flat fish, brittle stars, blue spotted rays, cornet fish, pipe fish, puffer fish, all just metres from the shore.
PB’s were bested by many in the first few hours of the first days diving.
Egypt looks very promising indeed.
Day 3.
Truck Dive 1.
Today’s diving was split over two sites, the first of which, we had been told, could be the place to spot a reclusive Dugong ( Manatee)but, we were unsure if we could spot it due to the shear size of the bay.
As the search went on we found giant turtles, blue spotted rays and guitar sharks
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/giantturtle.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/bluespottedray.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/guitarshark.jpg
along with a whole host of other fish, then we the ‘call’.
Andy had seen the Dugong out in deeper water and was following it into a shallower area containing sea grass.
It was a true spectacle to behold; we each took it turns to dive down the -4/5mts to get closer to the huge animal and those with cameras, to photograph it for prosperity.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/boom-stick/dugongfeeding.jpg
After what seemed like an age we left the creature and headed back to shore for cakes and drinks. But on the way back I had one of those special moments only the Red Sea can offer. Just laying on the surface I looked down and saw -3mts below me a huge blue spotted ray, 3mts to the left of it was a giant turtle and 4mts to the right of the ray was another giant turtle!! I just chuckled to myself thought that this is what Red Sea diving is all about.
Once refreshed on the beach we packed up and headed to our second destination.
Dive 2.
The second site was an isolated beach with a fabulous reef system to the North.
We headed out and marvelled at the variety of wildlife, we found another turtle and it must have been camera shy.
Haydn dived down, camera at the ready to photograph it, the turtle swam straight over and proceed to cover the camera lens with its flipper before swimming off??
I had to surface pretty rapidly at this point because I was laughing so hard at -5mts!!
The phrase “Only a Freediver knows the feeling” certainly rang true for me on this day when I found myself freefalling down the reef face to -18mts completely surrounded by vibrant corals and hundreds of colourful fish, including a very large puffer fish (at least 20”).
On the return to shore we stumbled across a pair of lion fish partially hidden under a reef head, the prefect end to a prefect dive.
Day 4.
Sunday, a day of rest some (including myself) for others, it was a wildlife adventure on the immense house reef with creatures spotted including, a very large moray eel, a black tip shark, eagle ray, turtles and a ‘baby’ lion fish seen in only a few inches of water.
To be continued........
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