PADI advanced course

Marsa Alam, situated on the south of Egypt’s east coast offering the perfect destination for divers to complete their PADI advanced course. The dive sites are located close by for all levels of divers, from beginner’s right up to the deepest technical diver. The sites are uncrowded in comparison to other dive areas such the Great Barrier reef. Equally all of the sites offer great snorkelling possibilities too for those whom are too young to dive or would rather stay close to the surface. Perhaps one of the most magnetic possibilities for scuba diving in Marsa Alam is the possibility of getting up close to one of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, The Whale Shark.
Found regularly in the red sea and off the coast of South Africa those travelling to complete their PADI advanced course will be most likely to come into contact with one of these amazing creatures. The whale sharks are gentle and often stay around divers for an extended period, showing more interest then fear by our presence.
The "Small Bay of the Market" (Marsa Shouni Soraya) has a distinctive shape offering a variety of dive sites ideal for new and experienced divers alike. There is also a sheltered lagoon where baby eagle rays have been regularly spotted. The signature table corals harbour a massive array of life and its reefs are teeming with shrimps, scorpion fishes and barracuda. The bay has a resident hawksbill turtle and dolphins are regular visitors, Whale sharks are sometimes spotted just outside the bay also.
The PADI advanced course will teach you to navigate during the night and whilst deep diving, you will also have the opportunity to choose from a boat dive, drift dive, dry suit dive, multilevel dive, search and recover dive, underwater naturalist dive, underwater photography dive, wreck diving or an altitude dive as part of your elective training dives.
The PADI advanced course in Marsa Alam is an experience that every diver should go through, the conditions are perfect throughout the year. Sometime around April to May the visibility is greatly reduced due to Plankton Bloom, but if you want to encounter whale sharks you must visit Marsa Alam by the beginning of summer and end of spring. Renowned for its diverse marine life and incredible coral reefs, Marsa Alam is a ruby by the Red Sea. I recently travelled to Marsa as a last minute deal with http://.www.activediving.co.uk I was torn as to whether to visit Dahab or Marsa Alam, for my wanting to see Whale Sharks, Marsa was highly recommended and they didn’t disappoint.
One of the best dives I did in Marsa Alam just after I had completed my PADI advanced course was when four massive whale sharks chased a huge bait ball that stretched from 5 metres depth down to 22 metres. Young fish, when threatened, can sometimes be corralled by predators into a tight swirling ball that is forced to the surface in order to permit easy pickings - Large bait balls can turn the sea black. There are many who will swear that the 30th July 2008 saw the best days diving that they have ever experienced. Whale sharks can grow up to 12 metres in length, these were between 5 and 8 metres.
It is assumed that this years exceptionally prolific plankton bloom in the northern Red Sea has brought whale sharks to the area in much larger numbers than in living memory. On the same day whale sharks were also seen just off the beach in Taba - at the northern extremity of the Red Sea. There have also been many more sightings of plankton-eating manta rays than in previous years. These sightings have mainly been on the local sites rather than those further away in Tiran or Ras Mohammed.
Natalie from Red Sea Diving College said "it was an amazing underwater event, with tuna darting into the bait ball... the whale sharks were all around us and at one point I was in the vortex of the bait ball with millions of fish around me - it was as if the heavens had darkened."
Throughout the year the average temperature remains in its thirties and forties. While the hottest month is August, the coolest month is January with temperature dipping during the night. Generally windy, Marsa Alam witnesses a rough sea during November and the waves at times might be large. Featuring prominently in the tourist map of the world, Marsa Alam is fast becoming a hot spot for all tourists and divers alike looking to complete their PADI advanced course or begin diving altogether.
There are plenty of excellent diving sites and some thrilling drop offs once you have completed your PADI advanced course. Some of the most popular dive sites from Marsa Alam include:
- Samadai: This is a crescent shaped offshore reef that is also known as the Dolphin House because you can find plenty of dolphins in the sheltered waters of the lagoon. Seeing the feats of the spinner dolphins can be quite exciting!
- Abu Dabab: If Samadai is the place to see dolphins, then Abu Dabab is famous for the dugongs. It's really a pleasure to watch these dugongs playing around.
- Elphinstone Reef: This site may be a bit dangerous for the inexperienced swimmers. The currents are strong enough and for those who are seeking for some real adventure this would be the - red sea dream dive!
To find out more about completing your PADI advanced course in Dahab, Lanzarote or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (06/09/08)

That’s all for now on completing your PADI advanced course