For diving sharm el sheikh is the richest most effervescent destination in Africa, offering both luxuries of the modern world whilst seamlessly mixing with traditional Egyptian culture. Naturally when in the red sea diving is compulsory. For diving sharm el sheikh has always been known as one of the most coloured seas of the world. The geological movements of the past have created a unique condition that permitted marine life to grow in a fantastic variety of corals and reef fishes resulting in the widest possible range of colours.
The diving sharm el sheikh offers is spectacular offering everything from house reefs to the Thislegorm within a few hours by boat. The coral reefs and the tropical fish in and around diving sharm el sheikh are among the greatest you can see in the world, especially in Na'ama bay. Na'ama Bay boosts of great hotels, good restaurants and almost all activities imaginable. There are reefs off the beach at Na'ama, but the best places for going snorkelling are the Gardens (Near, Middle and Far) slightly east of Na'ama centre.
When diving sharm el sheikh the White Lagoon is a must, only accessible by boat from Sharm el Sheikh, and is one of the main attractions for everyone next to the Tiran Islands. They belong to an archipelago that has status as protected area, and may not be visited in the future. For divers, the choice goes much further. There are many shipwrecks out here, which means not only rich fish life but also underwater adventures. The Jackson Reef is another great attraction, with its 70 metre drop-off which must be visited when diving sharm el sheikh.
The Red Sea was formed about 25 million years ago when the African and Asian continental plates started to move apart. It continues to widen at a rate of about 1-2 cm per year. Containing more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000 kilometres of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a very rapid rate of evaporation which results in a high concentration of salt. This makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
If your going to be diving sharm el sheikh then food is obviously going to be essential when your out of the water, Naama Bay has a plethora of restaurants which are priced at a fraction of the hotels, but are a better choice for dinner. The Marriott has a great outdoor pizza restaurant, Parmizzano's, which is good for lunch or dinner. For a late lunch and a good happy hour pad over to the Hilton, located five minutes walk from the Marriott.
At night after your days diving sharm el sheikh, downtown Naama Bay is a buzz of activity, with tourists crowding into row upon row of restaurants and bars. The Camel Bar is a favourite with the Brits, and its rooftop turns into a lively club at the weekend. The Alf Leila Wa Leila, located a few kilometres from Naama Bay, holds the best shows in Sharm, despite the fact that its prized performer is a male belly dancer named Tito. For late night partying, head to the Hard Rock Café but not too late unless you want to forfeit your day ahead diving sharm el sheikh.
For a town whose tourism market has barely reached adolescence, Sharm has a mature, western approach to tourism, which recognises that service sells. The quality of the service offered when diving sharm el sheikh is second to non, each experience is personal and genuine. Old Sharm is worth seeing once, but it is still in the early development stage, and the vendors are far more aggressive than in Naama Bay.
The best time to go try diving sharm el sheikh is in spring and autumn though it can get a little cool at night. During the summer months July and August it is very hot, but there is less wind than during the winter months. However, according to experiences, the view under water is best in summer and fall. There is almost always a light or even strong wind coming from North. Easyjet are currently offering some of the best flights for early 2009, London Gatwick to Sharm starting from 145GBP.
To find out more about diving holidays across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit Active Diving (http://www.activediving.co.uk/diving_destinations_sharm_el_sheikh.html) and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (14/08/08)
That’s all for now on diving sharm el sheikh
Showing posts with label the Red Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Red Sea. Show all posts
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Sharm el Sheik diving
Sharm el Sheik was founded by the Israelis, who felt a need to improve control over the land they occupied in 1967. This control is still adding character to the destination, the wealth tourism is bringing to the area is accelerating this growth in leaps and bounds. Sharm el Sheikh is Egypt's more luxurious resort with a plethora of eateries and entertainment in the evenings. There are no budget hotels, but a nice range of good-valye 3 star places. Sharm el Sheikh offers a ferry running to Hurghada, and good communications lines going up on either side of Sinai.
Diving is compulsory when around the Red Sea, Sharm el Sheik diving offers coral reefs and tropical fish, among some of the greatest you can get across the Red Sea. If you don’t already have your PADI openwater certificate it may be more cost effective to pick it up out in Sharm el Sheik.
Na'ama Bay for Sharm el Sheik diving is the perfect House Reef, ranking among the most in the Red Sea. Here you will commonly encounter Groupers, Jacks, Barracuda, Moray Eels, Napoleon Fish and a wealth of different species of colourful reef fish. Mantas and even Whale Sharks come in to Naama Bay itself to feed on the rich plankton in spring. Dolphins and Beluga Whales are frequently enjoyed between here and the Straits of Tiran so keep your eyes peeled when you arrive.
Sharm el Sheik diving offers some of the most spectacular night dives in the world, species which usually hide by daylight are amongst the reefs many grottos and caverns. Night Sharm el Sheik diving brings out these creatures from their daytime hiding places to hunt, you can marvel at then colours and luminescence only experienced in these epic conditions.
Irrelevant of your diving experience you will most probably have the experience of increasing your knowledge of diving from a boat excursion. Under the guidance of your instructor or guide both you and non-divers alike can share the experience through snorkelling, sunbathing or relaxing.
Sharm el Sheik diving offers short and long term excursions to the following dive sites: The straits of Tiran, Sharks bay, the national park of Ras Mohamed and even more sites which are found only through local knowledge.
The Straits of Tiran are formed by the island of Tiran to the East and the Sinai mainland to the west. The reefs are named after British cartographers and are called Jackson Reef, Woodhouse Reef, after Thomas Reef and Gordon Reef.
The effects of deep waters, continental plate and narrow channel combine to funnel a strong supply of nutrient rich waters to the coral reefs across Sharm el Sheik diving. This in turn creates a food chain linking the plankton, coral and marine organisms and reef fish to the Sharks, Manta and Eagle Rays that are frequently encountered here. These unique reefs, which feature steep walls, canyons and caverns, provide a wealth of outstanding colours and huge schools of fish such as Snappers, Barracudas, Bat Fish and Jacks. Sharm el Sheik diving currents can be dangerously strong at the extremes of the reefs and care must be taken to assess both their direction and strength to avoid danger.
Shark's Bay is a popular tourist destination, as a result there isn't much free space left, but Sharm el Sheik diving is a testimony that heavy tourism can work. It is quite beautiful and the reef just off the beach is well-preserved, colourful and full of fish that loves swimming rich under you.
The National Park of Ras Mohamed, the centre of Sharm el Sheik diving can definitely be described as "wall dive" paradise, the dive sites in the vicinity of Ras Mohamed predominantly. Few places in the world can rival the sheer vertical walls that plunge into the depths 800 metres and more below these towering cliffs.
The wealth of marine flora and fauna is astounding and each site of Sharm el Sheik diving offers divers different attractions. The main Sharm el Sheik diving sites are Jackfish Alley, Shark's Observatory, Shark's Reef and Jolanda Reef.
The Local Sites found between Sharm El Sheikh and Ras Nasrani (opposite Gordon Reef at the mouth of the Straits of Tiran) provide a wealth of unrivalled diving adventures for beginners and experienced divers alike. The geography of this coastline restricts access to many of the sites by land and therefore Sharm el Sheik diving is mainly done from daily boat excursions.
The dive sites differing features range from stunning walls and canyons to coral slopes and gardens. The main dive sites are known as Ras Nasrani, Ras Bob, White Knight, Shark's Bay, Ras Umm Sid and the Temple, the Tower, Ras Katy, Amphoras and the Gardens.
If Sharm el Sheikh is the best place for swimming and relaxing in Egypt, Na'ama is the best in Sharm. Na'ama Bay boasts of great hotels, good restaurants and almost all activities imaginable. There are reefs off the beach at Na'ama, but the best places for going snorkelling are the Gardens (Near, Middle and Far) slightly east of Na'ama centre.
Central Sharm
The Red Sea contains more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000 kilometres of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a very rapid rate of evaporation which results in a high concentration of salt. This makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
The Egyptian Red Sea has always been known as one of the most coloured sea of the world. The geological movements of the past created a unique condition that permitted marine life to grow in a fantastic variety of corals and reef fishes resulting in the widest possible range of colours.
To find out more about Sharm el Sheik and diving across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk/diving_destinations_sharm_el_sheikh.html and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (03/08/08)
That’s all for now on Sharm el Sheik diving
Diving is compulsory when around the Red Sea, Sharm el Sheik diving offers coral reefs and tropical fish, among some of the greatest you can get across the Red Sea. If you don’t already have your PADI openwater certificate it may be more cost effective to pick it up out in Sharm el Sheik.
Na'ama Bay for Sharm el Sheik diving is the perfect House Reef, ranking among the most in the Red Sea. Here you will commonly encounter Groupers, Jacks, Barracuda, Moray Eels, Napoleon Fish and a wealth of different species of colourful reef fish. Mantas and even Whale Sharks come in to Naama Bay itself to feed on the rich plankton in spring. Dolphins and Beluga Whales are frequently enjoyed between here and the Straits of Tiran so keep your eyes peeled when you arrive.
Sharm el Sheik diving offers some of the most spectacular night dives in the world, species which usually hide by daylight are amongst the reefs many grottos and caverns. Night Sharm el Sheik diving brings out these creatures from their daytime hiding places to hunt, you can marvel at then colours and luminescence only experienced in these epic conditions.
Irrelevant of your diving experience you will most probably have the experience of increasing your knowledge of diving from a boat excursion. Under the guidance of your instructor or guide both you and non-divers alike can share the experience through snorkelling, sunbathing or relaxing.
Sharm el Sheik diving offers short and long term excursions to the following dive sites: The straits of Tiran, Sharks bay, the national park of Ras Mohamed and even more sites which are found only through local knowledge.
The Straits of Tiran are formed by the island of Tiran to the East and the Sinai mainland to the west. The reefs are named after British cartographers and are called Jackson Reef, Woodhouse Reef, after Thomas Reef and Gordon Reef.
The effects of deep waters, continental plate and narrow channel combine to funnel a strong supply of nutrient rich waters to the coral reefs across Sharm el Sheik diving. This in turn creates a food chain linking the plankton, coral and marine organisms and reef fish to the Sharks, Manta and Eagle Rays that are frequently encountered here. These unique reefs, which feature steep walls, canyons and caverns, provide a wealth of outstanding colours and huge schools of fish such as Snappers, Barracudas, Bat Fish and Jacks. Sharm el Sheik diving currents can be dangerously strong at the extremes of the reefs and care must be taken to assess both their direction and strength to avoid danger.
Shark's Bay is a popular tourist destination, as a result there isn't much free space left, but Sharm el Sheik diving is a testimony that heavy tourism can work. It is quite beautiful and the reef just off the beach is well-preserved, colourful and full of fish that loves swimming rich under you.
The National Park of Ras Mohamed, the centre of Sharm el Sheik diving can definitely be described as "wall dive" paradise, the dive sites in the vicinity of Ras Mohamed predominantly. Few places in the world can rival the sheer vertical walls that plunge into the depths 800 metres and more below these towering cliffs.
The wealth of marine flora and fauna is astounding and each site of Sharm el Sheik diving offers divers different attractions. The main Sharm el Sheik diving sites are Jackfish Alley, Shark's Observatory, Shark's Reef and Jolanda Reef.
The Local Sites found between Sharm El Sheikh and Ras Nasrani (opposite Gordon Reef at the mouth of the Straits of Tiran) provide a wealth of unrivalled diving adventures for beginners and experienced divers alike. The geography of this coastline restricts access to many of the sites by land and therefore Sharm el Sheik diving is mainly done from daily boat excursions.
The dive sites differing features range from stunning walls and canyons to coral slopes and gardens. The main dive sites are known as Ras Nasrani, Ras Bob, White Knight, Shark's Bay, Ras Umm Sid and the Temple, the Tower, Ras Katy, Amphoras and the Gardens.
If Sharm el Sheikh is the best place for swimming and relaxing in Egypt, Na'ama is the best in Sharm. Na'ama Bay boasts of great hotels, good restaurants and almost all activities imaginable. There are reefs off the beach at Na'ama, but the best places for going snorkelling are the Gardens (Near, Middle and Far) slightly east of Na'ama centre.
Central Sharm
The Red Sea contains more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000 kilometres of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a very rapid rate of evaporation which results in a high concentration of salt. This makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
The Egyptian Red Sea has always been known as one of the most coloured sea of the world. The geological movements of the past created a unique condition that permitted marine life to grow in a fantastic variety of corals and reef fishes resulting in the widest possible range of colours.
To find out more about Sharm el Sheik and diving across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk/diving_destinations_sharm_el_sheikh.html and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (03/08/08)
That’s all for now on Sharm el Sheik diving
Sharm el Sheikh diving with Whale Sharks
The Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh holds a plethora of wonders; however the most priceless beauty of all is hidden beneath the water. The lethal combination of the sea, sand and sun creates a place of beauty and a paradise for the majority of water sports lovers, diving especially. Sharm El Sheikh diving is perhaps the most accessible in Egypt, often the first port of call for divers looking to experience The Red Sea.
It’s an established fact that Sharm El Sheikh diving is a diver’s paradise. With a bounty of marine flora and fauna the divers get to enjoy some of the best sites below the sea. The place has more than fifty diving spots but scuba is essentially offered at the best diving destinations which are well equipped with modern apparatus.
The whale shark is often seen by divers in the Red Sea, especially the Sharm El Sheikh area. However the highest concentration of whale sharks to be found anywhere in the world is in the Philippines.
The red sea boasts some of the best diving in the world; Sharm El Sheikh diving offers a large amount of this with a vibrant and varied underwater life throughout. The first port of call for Sharm El Sheikh diving is Na'ama Beach, Shark's Bay, Sharm El- Moya, Ras um Sid, and the Terrazina Beach. The Tiran Island is an excellent scuba diving spot at Sharm El Sheikh. Don't be disappointed if you are not a professional diver, there are many tour operators in the UK whom can arrange courses for when you arrive (Active Diving: http://www.activediving.co.uk). Equally there are plenty of dive schools in the area for once you arrive, it is definitely worth getting your PADI Open Water certification either before you arrive of once your there to ensure you can sample some of the best diving in Egypt.
Whale sharks as a species, despite their size pose little to no threat towards humans. They are actually quite gentle and can often be found playful towards divers. There are unconfirmed reports of whale sharks lying still in and around the Sharm El Sheikh area, upside down on the surface to allow divers to scrape parasites and other organisms from their bellies. The only risk posed to divers and snorkellers when with whale sharks is the possibility of being struck by the shark’s large tail fin.
Exploring the spectacular reefs of Ras Nourani under the guidance of expert divers leaves an indelible impression on the minds of the visitors ensuring Sharm El Sheikh diving is a memorable experience for all. Sharm El Sheikh diving is unsurpassed in Egypt and renowned for diving across the globe. The red sea had been a source of wonder and mystery throughout the world for various reasons. But its now an interesting site of Egypt because of a plethora marine treasures hidden beneath its emerald waters.
When in Sharm El Sheikh diving the reefs at Ras Mohammed are a must, they are magnificent, their beauty and diversity always amazes me. Thousands of colourful fish and other marine creatures together form a complete ecosystem. You will find microscopic creatures to whale sharks all looking for food or hiding from predators. The coral spreads its wings in many forms, shapes and colours. From the largest colonies of hard corals to the tiniest swaying soft ones. Sharm El Sheikh diving is most definitely in the land of dreams, filled with crystal clear water, splendid corals, awesome underwater vegetation and atypical Piscean species which will not only please your eyes but present you with an opportunity of witnessing some of the best surprises in the sea.
Within 2 hours of Sharm El Sheikh diving is the Tiran and Ras Mohammed reefs, two of the most renowned diving spots in the world.. Ras Mohammed is the southern tip of Sinai Peninsula, where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Gulf of Suez. Ras Mohammed is another destination where the underwater reefs drop beneath to seventy metres. The Straits of Tiran are perhaps the best of Scuba diving spots with its four stupefying circular coral reefs. You will find schools of barracuda and a variety of sharks. It may be worth arranging a diving safari with a dive school in order to get away from the sometimes overcrowded dive sites allowing you to catch a glimpse of less popular sites:
- Active Diving
- Red Sea Diving College
- Red Sea Diving Safari
- Oonas Dive Centre
Most of the scuba diving spots have to be reached by a boat. Not to worry, because the calm waters of the red sea is suitable for the amateurs too. The dive sites are endowed with intricate coral formations and an assortment of marine life like snappers, jacks and barracudas. The shallow coral gardens around are also interesting to be explored. For the expert scuba divers the Thislegorm or the Dunraven, a bit far away from the coast are the ideal spots of relaxing and looking over the wonderful sea life. All in all I would recommend a visit to Egypt for the Sharm El Sheikh diving alone, the fact that the city offers a plethora of alternative activities, nightlife and a culture that welcomes anyone and everyone ensures that your experience will be a memorable one.
Without a doubt Whale Sharks are some of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, managing to maintain absolute grace and serenity despite their enormous size, an astounding experience for anyone diving or snorkelling.
To find out more about diving with Whale sharks across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk/diving_whale_sharks.html and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on Sharm El Sheikh diving
It’s an established fact that Sharm El Sheikh diving is a diver’s paradise. With a bounty of marine flora and fauna the divers get to enjoy some of the best sites below the sea. The place has more than fifty diving spots but scuba is essentially offered at the best diving destinations which are well equipped with modern apparatus.
The whale shark is often seen by divers in the Red Sea, especially the Sharm El Sheikh area. However the highest concentration of whale sharks to be found anywhere in the world is in the Philippines.
The red sea boasts some of the best diving in the world; Sharm El Sheikh diving offers a large amount of this with a vibrant and varied underwater life throughout. The first port of call for Sharm El Sheikh diving is Na'ama Beach, Shark's Bay, Sharm El- Moya, Ras um Sid, and the Terrazina Beach. The Tiran Island is an excellent scuba diving spot at Sharm El Sheikh. Don't be disappointed if you are not a professional diver, there are many tour operators in the UK whom can arrange courses for when you arrive (Active Diving: http://www.activediving.co.uk). Equally there are plenty of dive schools in the area for once you arrive, it is definitely worth getting your PADI Open Water certification either before you arrive of once your there to ensure you can sample some of the best diving in Egypt.
Whale sharks as a species, despite their size pose little to no threat towards humans. They are actually quite gentle and can often be found playful towards divers. There are unconfirmed reports of whale sharks lying still in and around the Sharm El Sheikh area, upside down on the surface to allow divers to scrape parasites and other organisms from their bellies. The only risk posed to divers and snorkellers when with whale sharks is the possibility of being struck by the shark’s large tail fin.
Exploring the spectacular reefs of Ras Nourani under the guidance of expert divers leaves an indelible impression on the minds of the visitors ensuring Sharm El Sheikh diving is a memorable experience for all. Sharm El Sheikh diving is unsurpassed in Egypt and renowned for diving across the globe. The red sea had been a source of wonder and mystery throughout the world for various reasons. But its now an interesting site of Egypt because of a plethora marine treasures hidden beneath its emerald waters.
When in Sharm El Sheikh diving the reefs at Ras Mohammed are a must, they are magnificent, their beauty and diversity always amazes me. Thousands of colourful fish and other marine creatures together form a complete ecosystem. You will find microscopic creatures to whale sharks all looking for food or hiding from predators. The coral spreads its wings in many forms, shapes and colours. From the largest colonies of hard corals to the tiniest swaying soft ones. Sharm El Sheikh diving is most definitely in the land of dreams, filled with crystal clear water, splendid corals, awesome underwater vegetation and atypical Piscean species which will not only please your eyes but present you with an opportunity of witnessing some of the best surprises in the sea.
Within 2 hours of Sharm El Sheikh diving is the Tiran and Ras Mohammed reefs, two of the most renowned diving spots in the world.. Ras Mohammed is the southern tip of Sinai Peninsula, where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Gulf of Suez. Ras Mohammed is another destination where the underwater reefs drop beneath to seventy metres. The Straits of Tiran are perhaps the best of Scuba diving spots with its four stupefying circular coral reefs. You will find schools of barracuda and a variety of sharks. It may be worth arranging a diving safari with a dive school in order to get away from the sometimes overcrowded dive sites allowing you to catch a glimpse of less popular sites:
- Active Diving
- Red Sea Diving College
- Red Sea Diving Safari
- Oonas Dive Centre
Most of the scuba diving spots have to be reached by a boat. Not to worry, because the calm waters of the red sea is suitable for the amateurs too. The dive sites are endowed with intricate coral formations and an assortment of marine life like snappers, jacks and barracudas. The shallow coral gardens around are also interesting to be explored. For the expert scuba divers the Thislegorm or the Dunraven, a bit far away from the coast are the ideal spots of relaxing and looking over the wonderful sea life. All in all I would recommend a visit to Egypt for the Sharm El Sheikh diving alone, the fact that the city offers a plethora of alternative activities, nightlife and a culture that welcomes anyone and everyone ensures that your experience will be a memorable one.
Without a doubt Whale Sharks are some of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, managing to maintain absolute grace and serenity despite their enormous size, an astounding experience for anyone diving or snorkelling.
To find out more about diving with Whale sharks across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk/diving_whale_sharks.html and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on Sharm El Sheikh diving
learn to scuba dive
You are about to enter a new world …. A world full of many wondrous and awe-inspiring sights …. a world beyond imagination….beginning to learn to scuba dive.
No matter how many television documentaries you have seen about the underwater world, nothing can compare to the real thing. Once you learn to scuba dive your eyes will be opened like never before to the underwater world. You are about to experience the adventure of a lifetime, one which will leave you with a great feeling of personal satisfaction and an adrenalin rush so high words will fail you … a truly exhilarating experience.
Active Diving’s learn to scuba dive program caters for all budding scuba divers. Our dive facilities are always in demand for the diver that wishes to learn to dive or increase his/her diving skills through the PADI learn to scuba dive courses
PADI Scuba Diver (learn to scuba dive in 2days)
This is the first level of diver certification. On completion you will be licensed to dive anywhere in the world under the supervision of a PADI professional to a maximum depth of 12 meters.
During this course you will learn to scuba dive through all the basic underwater skills necessary to enable you to enjoy scuba diving safely in three confined [shallow] water modules. You will then put these skills into practice, and have a lot of fun, in two Open Water dives. Alongside the water sessions are onboard video assisted lessons and three multiple choice quizzes.
From this level you can easily continue on towards the Open Water Diver, which allows you to dive to 18 meters.
PADI Open Water Course (learn to scuba dive in 3/4 days)
The course consists of five confined [shallow] water modules and four Open Water dives. By the end of the course students will be comfortable with the equipment and be able to relax and enjoy diving in less demanding conditions, even using a compass to plan and navigate a simple dive route.
The use of a video reduces classroom time, giving you more opportunity to get wet, and four multiple choice quizzes lead you in easy stages to the final theory exam.
Now you can dive - but how do you take underwater photos, recover that anchor, name that fish …? As an Open Water Diver you will want to learn to scuba dive as well as discovering more about the underwater world - the way forward is through Adventure Dives.
PADI Advanced Open Water Course (3 days)
Your lifetime of diving pleasure and fun is just beginning. The PADI Adventures in Diving Program is designed to increase your diving experience and knowledge in a controlled and safe environment.
Each Adventure Dive stands alone, allowing you to explore individual interests. Completion of three Adventure Dives earns you the PADI Adventures Diver rating. Completion of five Adventure Dives, including the Deep and Navigation dives earns you the PADI Advanced Diver certification. Adventure Dives completed with other PADI Dive Centres will be counted towards either of these certifications.
Each Adventure Dive includes knowledge development through the use of the PADI Adventures in Diver manual, Instructor presentation and video. This is followed by an Open Water dive designed to put your knowledge into practice in a safe and enjoyable way.
Join our Adventure Vibe with ACTIVE DIVING!!
To find out more about how you can learn to scuba dive across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Dean Thomas (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on how you can learn to scuba dive
No matter how many television documentaries you have seen about the underwater world, nothing can compare to the real thing. Once you learn to scuba dive your eyes will be opened like never before to the underwater world. You are about to experience the adventure of a lifetime, one which will leave you with a great feeling of personal satisfaction and an adrenalin rush so high words will fail you … a truly exhilarating experience.
Active Diving’s learn to scuba dive program caters for all budding scuba divers. Our dive facilities are always in demand for the diver that wishes to learn to dive or increase his/her diving skills through the PADI learn to scuba dive courses
PADI Scuba Diver (learn to scuba dive in 2days)
This is the first level of diver certification. On completion you will be licensed to dive anywhere in the world under the supervision of a PADI professional to a maximum depth of 12 meters.
During this course you will learn to scuba dive through all the basic underwater skills necessary to enable you to enjoy scuba diving safely in three confined [shallow] water modules. You will then put these skills into practice, and have a lot of fun, in two Open Water dives. Alongside the water sessions are onboard video assisted lessons and three multiple choice quizzes.
From this level you can easily continue on towards the Open Water Diver, which allows you to dive to 18 meters.
PADI Open Water Course (learn to scuba dive in 3/4 days)
The course consists of five confined [shallow] water modules and four Open Water dives. By the end of the course students will be comfortable with the equipment and be able to relax and enjoy diving in less demanding conditions, even using a compass to plan and navigate a simple dive route.
The use of a video reduces classroom time, giving you more opportunity to get wet, and four multiple choice quizzes lead you in easy stages to the final theory exam.
Now you can dive - but how do you take underwater photos, recover that anchor, name that fish …? As an Open Water Diver you will want to learn to scuba dive as well as discovering more about the underwater world - the way forward is through Adventure Dives.
PADI Advanced Open Water Course (3 days)
Your lifetime of diving pleasure and fun is just beginning. The PADI Adventures in Diving Program is designed to increase your diving experience and knowledge in a controlled and safe environment.
Each Adventure Dive stands alone, allowing you to explore individual interests. Completion of three Adventure Dives earns you the PADI Adventures Diver rating. Completion of five Adventure Dives, including the Deep and Navigation dives earns you the PADI Advanced Diver certification. Adventure Dives completed with other PADI Dive Centres will be counted towards either of these certifications.
Each Adventure Dive includes knowledge development through the use of the PADI Adventures in Diver manual, Instructor presentation and video. This is followed by an Open Water dive designed to put your knowledge into practice in a safe and enjoyable way.
Join our Adventure Vibe with ACTIVE DIVING!!
To find out more about how you can learn to scuba dive across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Dean Thomas (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on how you can learn to scuba dive
scuba diving packages
The time has come to discover a whole new world! Immerse yourself in the fascinating underwater realm and you will simply be thrilled! Come and join us by starting today with our Discover Scuba Diving programme or another of our scuba diving packages. If you’re looking for a convenient way to try scuba, look to a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience to broaden your horizons. You can jump into this program with us and continue onto your PADI openwater as part of one of the many scuba diving packages available.
Give it a try. Diving can change your life. But beware – diving is addictive and you’ll wonder how you ever survived without this experience. If you have dived before we offer a range of scuba diving packages from complete novice qualifications to divemaster. Equally we offer a range of BSAC scuba diving packages.
ACTIVE DIVING is a PADI 5-star Dive Centre, and we teach diving to their exacting standards across Lanzarote, The Red Sea and South Africa. Completion of each of the scuba diving packages either PADI or BSAC course comes with certification which qualifies you in that given area of diving activity, and also enables you to progress to higher levels of recreational and professional diving
Who are PADI
If you want to learn to scuba dive, the PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Open Water Diver course is the most widely recognized and respected diving certification in the world.
PADI's Mission statement headlines
• Purpose... PADI exists to develop programs that encourage and fulfil the public interest in recreational scuba and snorkel diving worldwide.
• Vision... PADI intends to be the world leader in the educational development of scuba diving professionals and enthusiasts.
• Slogan... PADI - The Way the World Learns to Dive.®
• Mission... To teach the world to scuba dive.
• Values... In all of our relationships, we will demonstrate our steadfast commitment to...
Leadership, Integrity, Our People, Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Retention, and The Environment Underwater Cultural Heritage
The PADI 5 Star Dive Centre membership level is awarded to progressive PADI Dive Centres that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs, equipment selection, and experience opportunities and that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness.
A PADI 5 Star Dive Centre is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centres embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences.
A PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre (5 Star IDC) is a dive centre that not only meets all 5 Star Dive Centre standards, but also offers PADI Instructor-level training. A PADI 5 Star IDC offers dive consumers programs to fulfil their educational goals from entry-level training up through instructor-level certifications.
PADI Advanced Open Water Course
Continuing the adventure is one of the best moves you can make. Completing one of our advanced scuba diving packages will upgrade your depth rating without any classroom content - just two days of diving.
The PADI Advanced Open Water program has some great benefits in helping you to develop your diving skills by going beyond Open Water Diver as part of one of the many scuba diving packages available, you will
• Learn additional skills specific to your interests
• Be more confident in and around the water
• Acquire a better understanding of the aquatic world
• Dive where only divers with advanced training can, to a maximum depth of 30 metres
What the scuba diving packages cover
• 2 core dives – Deep and Navigation
• 3 elective dives – Peak Performance Buoyancy, Diver Propulsion Vehicle, Boat, Nitrox, Dry Suit, Search and Recovery, Wreck, Underwater Naturalist, Drift, Digital Underwater Photography.
Come on, qualify yourself and change your world with ACTIVE DIVING!
To find out more about scuba diving packages across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Dean Thomas (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on scuba diving packages
Give it a try. Diving can change your life. But beware – diving is addictive and you’ll wonder how you ever survived without this experience. If you have dived before we offer a range of scuba diving packages from complete novice qualifications to divemaster. Equally we offer a range of BSAC scuba diving packages.
ACTIVE DIVING is a PADI 5-star Dive Centre, and we teach diving to their exacting standards across Lanzarote, The Red Sea and South Africa. Completion of each of the scuba diving packages either PADI or BSAC course comes with certification which qualifies you in that given area of diving activity, and also enables you to progress to higher levels of recreational and professional diving
Who are PADI
If you want to learn to scuba dive, the PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Open Water Diver course is the most widely recognized and respected diving certification in the world.
PADI's Mission statement headlines
• Purpose... PADI exists to develop programs that encourage and fulfil the public interest in recreational scuba and snorkel diving worldwide.
• Vision... PADI intends to be the world leader in the educational development of scuba diving professionals and enthusiasts.
• Slogan... PADI - The Way the World Learns to Dive.®
• Mission... To teach the world to scuba dive.
• Values... In all of our relationships, we will demonstrate our steadfast commitment to...
Leadership, Integrity, Our People, Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Retention, and The Environment Underwater Cultural Heritage
The PADI 5 Star Dive Centre membership level is awarded to progressive PADI Dive Centres that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs, equipment selection, and experience opportunities and that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness.
A PADI 5 Star Dive Centre is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centres embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences.
A PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre (5 Star IDC) is a dive centre that not only meets all 5 Star Dive Centre standards, but also offers PADI Instructor-level training. A PADI 5 Star IDC offers dive consumers programs to fulfil their educational goals from entry-level training up through instructor-level certifications.
PADI Advanced Open Water Course
Continuing the adventure is one of the best moves you can make. Completing one of our advanced scuba diving packages will upgrade your depth rating without any classroom content - just two days of diving.
The PADI Advanced Open Water program has some great benefits in helping you to develop your diving skills by going beyond Open Water Diver as part of one of the many scuba diving packages available, you will
• Learn additional skills specific to your interests
• Be more confident in and around the water
• Acquire a better understanding of the aquatic world
• Dive where only divers with advanced training can, to a maximum depth of 30 metres
What the scuba diving packages cover
• 2 core dives – Deep and Navigation
• 3 elective dives – Peak Performance Buoyancy, Diver Propulsion Vehicle, Boat, Nitrox, Dry Suit, Search and Recovery, Wreck, Underwater Naturalist, Drift, Digital Underwater Photography.
Come on, qualify yourself and change your world with ACTIVE DIVING!
To find out more about scuba diving packages across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Dean Thomas (15/08/08)
That’s all for now on scuba diving packages
Monday, August 11, 2008
Scuba diving in the red sea
Think of scuba diving and images of James Bond wearing fins and sneaking up on the villain come to mind. Or, maybe your first thought is of Jacques Cousteau investigating the creatures of a coral reef. Both scenarios have entered popular culture for good reason - both reflect the adventure and wonder that characterize scuba diving. Over the last ten years awareness in scuba diving has grown in leaps and bounds, red sea diving is becoming the Mecca for many European travellers.
Though many regard Jules Verne's description of underwater diving as pure science fiction, equipment-assisted diving had been around for more than 100 years earlier. But it wasn't until the WWII years when Emile Gagnan, with some help from a then-obscure French navel lieutenant - Jacques Cousteau - invented the first scuba gear, the Aqualung.
To anyone standing on its shore and gazing out across its heavenly waters, the Red Sea may seem to be a mislabelling. Its blueness is eternal and anything less red cannot be fantasized. The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is truly one of the planet’s most exotic and fascinating natural seascape environments. The Red Sea is located between Asia and Africa. At its most northerly point forms the Sinai Peninsula and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. In the north and west are desert plains, while in the south a mountainous region (2642 meters high), which is part of the mountain range stretching from deep in Saudi Arabia, across the Sinai and then into Nubia of the African continent. Red sea diving holds an oasis of living creatures, reefs, and coral formation. Its use as a highway between East and West has attracted man since the beginning of time.
Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) developed rapidly after the war and sport diving arose in tandem. From the 1960s to the present, buoyancy compensators, wetsuits and dry suits, along with a host of supplemental gear was born or advanced. Red sea diving requires a lot more than just selecting good equipment, basic physiology and physics, safety practices, venomous sea creatures are just a few of the essential topics of study. Anyone who 'just wants to get down there' won't be stopped by anyone... but the deep. The sea will claim them quickly enough.
Young children can be taught the basics, using SASY (Supplied Air Snorkelling for Youth) and other child-oriented gear. Teens to the mature can participate in diving and see all that the fascinating coral reefs and ocean depths have to show whilst red sea diving. Even elderly novices, with proper precautions, can safely enjoy shallow dives and see sights found nowhere else on Earth.
Certification isn't required, but is highly recommended. A good scuba diving class can teach anyone willing to learn in a few hours how to prepare gear, to breath properly, descend and ascend safely and avoid common dangers. You'll learn to clear your mask, use your regulator properly, life-saving tips and much more. http://www.activediving.co.uk offer red sea diving holidays where people of all ages and experience the wonders of the sea.
A 20-hour course from a PADI red sea dive club (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) whom are a recognized school can teach you skills useful your entire life. The cost is a few hundred pounds, but certification - once gained - is good for life. From there you can discover dive sites all over the world, some of the most diverse being located in south Africa and Lanzarote.
As a bonus, you'll learn to select dive gear. A mask, regulator, buoyancy compensator (BC), dive watch or computer, air supply (snorkel or tank) and fins are essential. But you'll also learn to judge wetsuits and dry suits, knives or guns, and you can even pick up a lot of tips about underwater photography. Instructors are always experienced divers, from experience with travelling with Active Diving I have found that always use the more experienced and established dive centres to ensure their customers have local guides with thorough knowledge of the area.
Because of movement of the in the Earth’s surface about 30 million years ago red sea diving is now possible. In that time, the Arab peninsula started to part from Africa along a thin break line which was filled by the ocean’s water. However, "Mother Nature" did not stop there. Twenty million years ago another geological movement started. The Arab peninsula which parted from Africa, started to move to the north. That movement struck resistance in Turkey and swung to the east, and another break line was formed. This one stretching all the way from the northern part of Israel, through the Jordan valley to the Dead Sea, and finally through the Gulf of Eilat to Ras Mohamad at the southern point of the Sinai. The young age of the Gulf of Eilat is what makes it so deep, 100 meters in Dahab and 1800 meters north of the Straits of Tiran. On the other hand, the old Gulf of Suez is relatively shallow, with a 85 meters maximum depth. The Red Sea is still widening at about one-half inch per year, the rift is the youngest region of continental breakup on the planet, allowing geologists to learn about processes that occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans hundreds of millions of years earlier.
Water temperatures for Red Sea diving remain unusually constant year round, averaging 22C in the summer. Low pressure systems develop in the Sahara Desert and draw hot dry east winds from Asia which cause the temperature to rise frequently along with sand storms. At the same time, lows develop over the Red Sea, bringing moist cold air from the south and creating clouds, haze, and more often rain. The northern land mass is the primary influence over temperature in the gulf, but this decreases to the south the closer you get to open sea. The open sea’s cooling effect creates an interesting temperature pattern: maximum summer temperatures are lower in the south while minimum temperatures are higher in the north with the opposite occurring during the winter. In any case, the coldest moth of the year is January and the warmest months are July and August. Red Sea diving is notorious among seafarers for its high speed surface winds and aggressively short irregular motion. It may be calm on the inward shore, but journeys to exposed sites like The Brothers islands, a remote off-shore site east of El Quseir, can be perilous and boats have been seen literally to fall apart under the force of the journey.
Cargo vessels, oil tankers, fishing boats, and passenger liners all move their trade across this great waterway, but for many, the true enchantment of the Red Sea is hidden just below its surface. Red sea diving opens your eyes to over 1000 species of invertebrates and around 200 recorded coral types to be found. Moreover, the Red Sea boasts over a thousand species of fish, more species than any other proportional body of water. Not surprisingly, therefore, Red Sea diving is considered by many to offer the very best of the marine world. The Red Sea diving attracts photographers, marine scientists, and leisure seekers from all over the world, hoping to experience and explore the incalculable wonders of the colourful, abounding marine life and the Red Sea’s lavish coral reefs. In places, the exceptional living reef stretches way out to sea, forming a elaborate system of caves, lagoons, gardens, and plateaus. Some of these coral summits plunge dramatically thousands of feet to the ocean floor. Red Sea diving is not all a delight however, as it has its troubles which you will have to stay away from. There is minimal danger from marine animals in the Red Sea, and with a little common sense, even these dangers can be eliminated. Some of the marine animals are dangerous to touch, others dangerous to eat, and some are dangerous to come face to face with. There are fire corals and stinging hydroids which can be extremely painful if accidentally touched as well.
Snorkelling is a popular way to view the edge of the reef, especially for those with limited confidence in their swimming ability. Sharks, manta rays, turtles, and eels will take pieces of bread from your hand, and brilliantly coloured schools of fish team all around in bewildering colour. However, most divers will tell you that there is nothing to beat the thrill of experiencing the depth of the reef and the abounding marine life to be found Red Sea diving. The lure of the reef is such that many novice divers become totally "hooked" and cannot imagine why they have never joined in the fun before. Furthermore, when asked to compare their local diving conditions with those in the Red Sea, they find it a "paradise" with clear visibility, little wave action, and warm temperatures all year long.
Red sea diving relies on the water as does the rest of Egypt, Surrounding cities are totally dependent on it for household and industrial supplies, and tremendous desalination plants are in operation. These supply drinking water which has been purified to a high standard, as well as non-potable domestic water. Sea water is also used in large quantities by oil refineries and cement works situated along the coastline. The danger of pollution is always present in the Red Sea, particularly from oil spillage. A Royal Decree forbids the discharge of any pollutant substances, including oil, within 100 miles of the Saudi Arabian coastline.
Currently, the areas of the Eastern Desert and around the Red Sea have received a great deal of overdue attention. A joint expedition from the University of Delaware and Leiden University and Leiden University has been working at the ancient Red Sea port of Berinike. The past season the Delaware-Leiden team excavated in two areas, opened a total of seven trenches, and found four public buildings. One of the sites contained offering tables, an incense burner, a stela stand and an almost life-size bronze figure of a cloaked woman clasping a snake. Scraps of colourful textile from the Fourth and Fifth centuries A.D. have also been found. In addition, evidence of trade appears in the form of imported coconuts, pepper, and rice. So, while the edges of the Red Sea are being explored, the sea itself is being plunged in a survey of sunken wrecks. The Institute for Nautical Archaeology in Egypt, is continuing the underwater survey started last season, plotting the locations of shipwrecks along the Red Sea coast.
Red sea divers understand first hand that it cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world. Even the leisured gazer, speculating the inaccessible blue/red abnormality, can be said to have been given something to think about. The underwater amazement of the Red Sea remains a living tapestry of resounding corals and exotic fish, waiting for you to discover its secrets.
To find out more about diving holidays across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.ActiveDiving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (04/08/08)
That’s all for now on Red Sea Diving
Though many regard Jules Verne's description of underwater diving as pure science fiction, equipment-assisted diving had been around for more than 100 years earlier. But it wasn't until the WWII years when Emile Gagnan, with some help from a then-obscure French navel lieutenant - Jacques Cousteau - invented the first scuba gear, the Aqualung.
To anyone standing on its shore and gazing out across its heavenly waters, the Red Sea may seem to be a mislabelling. Its blueness is eternal and anything less red cannot be fantasized. The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is truly one of the planet’s most exotic and fascinating natural seascape environments. The Red Sea is located between Asia and Africa. At its most northerly point forms the Sinai Peninsula and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. In the north and west are desert plains, while in the south a mountainous region (2642 meters high), which is part of the mountain range stretching from deep in Saudi Arabia, across the Sinai and then into Nubia of the African continent. Red sea diving holds an oasis of living creatures, reefs, and coral formation. Its use as a highway between East and West has attracted man since the beginning of time.
Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) developed rapidly after the war and sport diving arose in tandem. From the 1960s to the present, buoyancy compensators, wetsuits and dry suits, along with a host of supplemental gear was born or advanced. Red sea diving requires a lot more than just selecting good equipment, basic physiology and physics, safety practices, venomous sea creatures are just a few of the essential topics of study. Anyone who 'just wants to get down there' won't be stopped by anyone... but the deep. The sea will claim them quickly enough.
Young children can be taught the basics, using SASY (Supplied Air Snorkelling for Youth) and other child-oriented gear. Teens to the mature can participate in diving and see all that the fascinating coral reefs and ocean depths have to show whilst red sea diving. Even elderly novices, with proper precautions, can safely enjoy shallow dives and see sights found nowhere else on Earth.
Certification isn't required, but is highly recommended. A good scuba diving class can teach anyone willing to learn in a few hours how to prepare gear, to breath properly, descend and ascend safely and avoid common dangers. You'll learn to clear your mask, use your regulator properly, life-saving tips and much more. http://www.activediving.co.uk offer red sea diving holidays where people of all ages and experience the wonders of the sea.
A 20-hour course from a PADI red sea dive club (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) whom are a recognized school can teach you skills useful your entire life. The cost is a few hundred pounds, but certification - once gained - is good for life. From there you can discover dive sites all over the world, some of the most diverse being located in south Africa and Lanzarote.
As a bonus, you'll learn to select dive gear. A mask, regulator, buoyancy compensator (BC), dive watch or computer, air supply (snorkel or tank) and fins are essential. But you'll also learn to judge wetsuits and dry suits, knives or guns, and you can even pick up a lot of tips about underwater photography. Instructors are always experienced divers, from experience with travelling with Active Diving I have found that always use the more experienced and established dive centres to ensure their customers have local guides with thorough knowledge of the area.
Because of movement of the in the Earth’s surface about 30 million years ago red sea diving is now possible. In that time, the Arab peninsula started to part from Africa along a thin break line which was filled by the ocean’s water. However, "Mother Nature" did not stop there. Twenty million years ago another geological movement started. The Arab peninsula which parted from Africa, started to move to the north. That movement struck resistance in Turkey and swung to the east, and another break line was formed. This one stretching all the way from the northern part of Israel, through the Jordan valley to the Dead Sea, and finally through the Gulf of Eilat to Ras Mohamad at the southern point of the Sinai. The young age of the Gulf of Eilat is what makes it so deep, 100 meters in Dahab and 1800 meters north of the Straits of Tiran. On the other hand, the old Gulf of Suez is relatively shallow, with a 85 meters maximum depth. The Red Sea is still widening at about one-half inch per year, the rift is the youngest region of continental breakup on the planet, allowing geologists to learn about processes that occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans hundreds of millions of years earlier.
Water temperatures for Red Sea diving remain unusually constant year round, averaging 22C in the summer. Low pressure systems develop in the Sahara Desert and draw hot dry east winds from Asia which cause the temperature to rise frequently along with sand storms. At the same time, lows develop over the Red Sea, bringing moist cold air from the south and creating clouds, haze, and more often rain. The northern land mass is the primary influence over temperature in the gulf, but this decreases to the south the closer you get to open sea. The open sea’s cooling effect creates an interesting temperature pattern: maximum summer temperatures are lower in the south while minimum temperatures are higher in the north with the opposite occurring during the winter. In any case, the coldest moth of the year is January and the warmest months are July and August. Red Sea diving is notorious among seafarers for its high speed surface winds and aggressively short irregular motion. It may be calm on the inward shore, but journeys to exposed sites like The Brothers islands, a remote off-shore site east of El Quseir, can be perilous and boats have been seen literally to fall apart under the force of the journey.
Cargo vessels, oil tankers, fishing boats, and passenger liners all move their trade across this great waterway, but for many, the true enchantment of the Red Sea is hidden just below its surface. Red sea diving opens your eyes to over 1000 species of invertebrates and around 200 recorded coral types to be found. Moreover, the Red Sea boasts over a thousand species of fish, more species than any other proportional body of water. Not surprisingly, therefore, Red Sea diving is considered by many to offer the very best of the marine world. The Red Sea diving attracts photographers, marine scientists, and leisure seekers from all over the world, hoping to experience and explore the incalculable wonders of the colourful, abounding marine life and the Red Sea’s lavish coral reefs. In places, the exceptional living reef stretches way out to sea, forming a elaborate system of caves, lagoons, gardens, and plateaus. Some of these coral summits plunge dramatically thousands of feet to the ocean floor. Red Sea diving is not all a delight however, as it has its troubles which you will have to stay away from. There is minimal danger from marine animals in the Red Sea, and with a little common sense, even these dangers can be eliminated. Some of the marine animals are dangerous to touch, others dangerous to eat, and some are dangerous to come face to face with. There are fire corals and stinging hydroids which can be extremely painful if accidentally touched as well.
Snorkelling is a popular way to view the edge of the reef, especially for those with limited confidence in their swimming ability. Sharks, manta rays, turtles, and eels will take pieces of bread from your hand, and brilliantly coloured schools of fish team all around in bewildering colour. However, most divers will tell you that there is nothing to beat the thrill of experiencing the depth of the reef and the abounding marine life to be found Red Sea diving. The lure of the reef is such that many novice divers become totally "hooked" and cannot imagine why they have never joined in the fun before. Furthermore, when asked to compare their local diving conditions with those in the Red Sea, they find it a "paradise" with clear visibility, little wave action, and warm temperatures all year long.
Red sea diving relies on the water as does the rest of Egypt, Surrounding cities are totally dependent on it for household and industrial supplies, and tremendous desalination plants are in operation. These supply drinking water which has been purified to a high standard, as well as non-potable domestic water. Sea water is also used in large quantities by oil refineries and cement works situated along the coastline. The danger of pollution is always present in the Red Sea, particularly from oil spillage. A Royal Decree forbids the discharge of any pollutant substances, including oil, within 100 miles of the Saudi Arabian coastline.
Currently, the areas of the Eastern Desert and around the Red Sea have received a great deal of overdue attention. A joint expedition from the University of Delaware and Leiden University and Leiden University has been working at the ancient Red Sea port of Berinike. The past season the Delaware-Leiden team excavated in two areas, opened a total of seven trenches, and found four public buildings. One of the sites contained offering tables, an incense burner, a stela stand and an almost life-size bronze figure of a cloaked woman clasping a snake. Scraps of colourful textile from the Fourth and Fifth centuries A.D. have also been found. In addition, evidence of trade appears in the form of imported coconuts, pepper, and rice. So, while the edges of the Red Sea are being explored, the sea itself is being plunged in a survey of sunken wrecks. The Institute for Nautical Archaeology in Egypt, is continuing the underwater survey started last season, plotting the locations of shipwrecks along the Red Sea coast.
Red sea divers understand first hand that it cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world. Even the leisured gazer, speculating the inaccessible blue/red abnormality, can be said to have been given something to think about. The underwater amazement of the Red Sea remains a living tapestry of resounding corals and exotic fish, waiting for you to discover its secrets.
To find out more about diving holidays across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.ActiveDiving.co.uk and quote: ART
Author: Emma Parker (04/08/08)
That’s all for now on Red Sea Diving
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