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Sharm el-Sheikh Travel Blogs

Background: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.




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Early on 21 October the ship rose early, took on board the pilot and extra crew, and took its place in the southbound convoy for the Suez canal. It took us the whole day to transit and with this and the northbound convoy we must have seen 40 big ships using the amazingly narrow strip of water. Strange to see completely barren flat desert on the Sinai side and relatively lush oasis on the Nile side. Through the canal the boats are separated by 5 minutes but at the Bitter Lakes the southbound let the northbound convoy pass and we got [View Full Entry]

GregCath - catherine Harper | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
466 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 13 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: October 23rd 2009 | 41 Views | [diary=447545]

The southbound convoy
Star Clipper's masts under the Peace Bridge
Control post

We know that many of you thought it would never last, but Kyle and I made it to our 10 year wedding anniversary (despite the multitude of border crossings!). When we got married and made the decision to forego a honeymoon (we used the money for a house), we joked about going somewhere "really cool" on our 10 year anniversary. Ten years seemed like such a long way in the future, but it looks like we got to do something extraordinary for this anniversary! We woke up in the Sea of Aqaba on July 31st and the three of us soaked [View Full Entry]

crenshawroehler - CrenshawRoehler | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
458 Words | 4 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: August 1st 2009 | 177 Views | [diary=424455]


Back into port where most of us met up at the well known Camel Bar, a known divers bar where tourists gather. There are three levels, the top one is the most comfortable in 34% heat. the drinks are fairly expensive but the toilets were clean, which was probably more important to most of the customers from our boat. Easy to change money, banks open till late. Life in Sharm does not start until the evening when the heat is less. Its a bustling town which plenty of night life. Reminds me of the bussle in St Tropez where the girls [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
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Published: July 20th 2009 | 52 Views | [diary=420327]

Sharm at night

The most exciting encounter our small group of divers had was a close encounter with a hammerhead shark. Two of the divers were lucky enough to have their videos running when they suddenly saw this 2.5 meter shark come into their field of vision. Luckily he was not interested in us and our 30 second of footage is the highlight of our dives so far [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
63 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 1 Video(s)
Published: July 21st 2009 | 25 Views | [diary=420790]


By John Sweet
July 9th 2009
Day 5 Africa » Egypt » Red Sea » Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 5 Thistlegorm wreck discovered by Jacques Cousteau. For many divers this was the highlight of the trip. For me it was the low point. I did not dive, my stomach was not happy and I missed it. However I am sure I was better off feeling ill on board, than ill at 30 metres. Anyway for me it was not a problem missing these dives as I did dive it last year on a previous visit to the area. Today I was told that the vis was not great and the current strong. Apparently at the 5 metre safety stop [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
133 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 2 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 12th 2009 | 57 Views | [diary=417736]

Yours truely

By John Sweet
July 8th 2009
Day 4 Africa » Egypt » Red Sea » Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 4 A quite day for yours truly a yesterday’s sun started to take effect on me and perhaps the food or water is not as it should be. I spent most of the day between the cabin loo and the bed and did not dive. This was not helped by the crossing back which took about an hour in heavy seas. The boat rocked from side to side by at least 45 degrees causing chaos in the bar where books fell off the shelves and glasses to tumble. A number of divers are also going down with stomach cramps. However [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
112 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 5 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 12th 2009 | 64 Views | [diary=417698]

Relaxing on deck
narrow gangways
calm seas for snorkling

By John Sweet
July 7th 2009
Day 3 Africa » Egypt » Red Sea » Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 3 The gentle rocking of the boat moored near the reefs where most of the wrecks are situated ensured a good nights sleep, a couple of drinks last night also helped. Another beautiful morning, not a cloud in the sky. At the 7am briefing only six of our divers decided to venture into the depths with the balance, like myself sipping hot coffees. One of the advantages of this livaboard is that we can help ourselves to coffee, tea and soft drinks at anytime while there was also no problem bringing your own alcohol into the bar. In fact the [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
458 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 6 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 12th 2009 | 58 Views | [diary=417685]

Wolfgang the DM
togging u
Ready for the dive

By John Sweet
July 6th 2009
Day 2 Africa » Egypt » Red Sea » Sharm el-Sheikh
6 am motors start up just after dawn, Louis still asleep I wander to the deck and see the crew bustling about. Help myself to a coffee while rest of divers slowly wake up to their first full day on the Typhoon. Our Dive Master Ulli (DM) from Germany rattles all the cabin doors to get them to the early morning briefing. Our first dive is at Small Crack at the north end of Sha'ab Mahomoud where there is a large lagoon which empties in to the sea. There is an abundance of fish and the current drifts you along the [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
547 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 12th 2009 | 48 Views | [diary=417679]

sun rising in Red Sea
map of dives
Dive time

Day 1 After a flight from PE to JHB and then to Cairo and onto Sharm el Sheike I arrived tired 18 hours later. In Cairo I had to buy a visa for Egypt, but note that for British passort holders it is instantly available from any of the banks in the airport before you get to the immigration for $15. Make sure that at immegration that they stamp it. The reason I say this is because another couple who are on the same boat got their visa but it wasn't stamped and they spent 8 hours at the airport in [View Full Entry]

John Sweet - John Sweet | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
426 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 5 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 12th 2009 | 65 Views | [diary=417665]

Aboard the Typhoon
On board jaccussi
july liveaboard 100

Live aboard, Sharm el Sheik 10 to 16 May 2009 Now welcome aboard the Snapdragon, my home for the next week. It is a 30 metre long vessel with 4 decks, 6 crew and can hold 20 guests. My week it had 5 including me. So lots of space. At the end I had done another 19 dives, 4 dives a day, bringing my total for the 17 days up to 32 dives. Doubling my amount of dives I had done in the previous 8 years. Man was I stuffed. The dives included; drift dives, cave dives, night dives, boat dives [View Full Entry]

AdamMoiler - Adam Moiler | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
324 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 8 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 6th 2009 | 44 Views | [diary=405813]

Sharm Liveaboard003 (Small)
Sharm Liveaboard006 (Small)
Sharm Liveaboard009 (Small)


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