Diving South Red Sea

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[youtube=5XVSXFeMK_k][youtube=9MdXNkzGzSI]

Some like macro, some like wrecks...some dive a week per year, because this is reality...I love diving, and I love
the big stuffs.

Everybody speak about the Red Sea, so how to better compare than to try it. So this is the first stop of my little
Africa/Middle East tour.

Leslie and Tiffany had great time with their grandparents in Luxembourg and are now on their way to see their Mum
in Vietnam.

Let's come back to the Red Sea. You've got the North and the South Red Sea. In the North, Sharm and Hurgada...if
you are in tourists...a lot of them, and into wrecks, this is the place.

The South has recently been more accessible with the opening of an airport at Marsa Alam....not that far from
the Sudanese border. But you still don't have that many flights to come here, so no other way for me than to jump
on a charter flight from Gatwick. This has been the opportunity for a little shopping in London and diner with
friends.

Once in Marsa Alam...which really doesn't look appealling at all...just new constructions in the middle of nowhere...
we made our way to the marina to board the MV Hurricane. Full boat, 22 divers, mainly from the UK...average age is
early 40...a bunch of nice people ready to escape the british isles weather...smile!

The stats, 6 nights on board, 6 days diving, 17 dives. Not that many dives as most of them are pretty deep...
and you stay deep for quite a while. Also, in Egypt, it's prohibited to do night diving on the offshore islands.
Great food on top of that...and a dry week for me...sometime it's good to do bubbles under water and not drinking
too many bubbles!

We had a choice of guided dives by our two dive masters, or buddy diving. I went for buddy diving with my cabin-mate
Joseph...great buddy!

Diving in South Red Sea...is not amazing...but that's not hard to write after my 3 first dive stops in 2008...Galapagos,
Tubbataha (Philippines) and Palau...

We did dive Elphinstone, Big Brother, Little Brother and Daedelus plus two shore dives not far away from Marsa Alam.

There are a good number of fishes, nice coral, and great walls...but you have to wait way too long to be amazed.

But rest reassured...amazed....we have been...see the pics, and they are not all good. Specially Daedelus, my first
...very close encountered with an Oceanic White Tip...and yes, he is not small. You add to this 2 dives with
few hammerhead sharks...Little problem with them, they dive deep, are not really into divers, and are so shy that
they escape as soon as they see you...so I've got them full of my eyes...but not much in the lense!

Another very very VERY rare encounter...a Marlin. This is a big sail fish that you see only in the blue...and in the
middle of the blue we were that morning looking for sharks. He came from behind...full speed...too fast for a great
shot on the camera, but what a great fish! Will remember this for a very long while.

So by and large, a nice experience, will not be in my top 3 diving trips for sure...but than again, no regret...my
plan is to dive the world, and this week was a great one for this.

Next diving...in few days...in another amazing place...till than...few more blog entries. August 2008 will be another
of these months were dream come true...and by the end of the month, back to Leslie and Ma'ri...for two great birthdays!

Next entry very soon, my travel wish list is getting shorter by the week! With love!

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