Exploring the Red Sea
Once it was the great pyramids, the Sphinx or the Valley of the Kings that drew travellers to Egypt’s sandy shore but the Red Sea and its bountiful depths are becoming a popular lure. Nestled between the edges of the Africa and Asian landmasses, the Red Sea is blessed with deep waters, so if you don’t fancy getting wet, you can peer down from the safety of your boat into the crystal clear waters below.
However, should diving or snorkelling feature highly on your to do list, there are more than 1000 species of fish to frolic with beneath the surface, gliding through stunning synchronised performances that show off a startling array of fish in a rainbow of colour. Along with this exquisite collection of fish, there are also a great many other species and around 200 recorded coral types. To dive into the Red Sea is to open your eyes to an exceptional underwater world and one of the best diving and snorkelling spots in the world.
Coral reefs close to shore offer those with a snorkel the perfect opportunity to swim surrounded by teaming schools of brightly coloured fish whilst leaving the deep sea diving to those more at home in deep waters. Some reefs stretch far out to sea and create stunning underwater caves and lagoons each teaming with small flickering fish, eels, sharks and possibly a resplendent turtle or two.
Whilst a haven for divers, the Red Sea is not so kind to ships and many have floundered within its water. The famous Thistlegorm wreck is one of the most popular dives in the area, a veritable museum beneath the waves. Settled on the seabed she remains filled with her cargo of World War II motorcycles, jeeps, trucks and rifles interspersed with moray eels and shoals of fish. Beside the wreck you can also find the locomotive engines that toppled from its deck during the explosion that caused her watery demise.
The Dunraven is another popular wreck. A Victorian steam and sail ship, it sank after catching fire and grounding upon a reef before sinking out of sight and landing upside down on the sea bed. Stripped in the 80s by a team of archaeologists, the inside is a veritable haven for fish, with schools of yellow goat fish and giant morays.Due to its lengthy time below, the exterior has been coated in coral filled with marine life including schools of bat fish, pipe fish and the rare ghost pipe fish.
Diving in the Red Sea is an utterly addictive experience that tempts travellers back to Egypt holidays time and time again due to its calm, silt free waters and year round warm temperatures.
Matthew Pressman writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:42 am
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