Abu Dababb vs. Marsa Shagra

[Christian]

I'm heading with my family to the Marsa Alam-area end of june to shoot/write a magazine article. I have to choose the exact location and it will be a first staying on shore in this area. With the help of some locals I have more or less nailed it down to either the Abu Dababb Divers Lodge or the RSS Shagra Lodge. Reason is: very nice house reef, easily accessible (this is where we spend most time and shoot the majority of the article). Proximity to Samadai (we do want to try our luck with the dolphins) and the Dugong.

Has anyone been to both places and care to give their input. Especially on the healthiness and life on the housereef.

cheers

Christian

 

[ArthurGerla]

I found both dive sites worthwhile. Abu Dabab has the dugong and giant turtles, but lots of other interesting life in the bay as well. If you spend a full week there you should see it all. The reef at Marsa Sharga is a lot bigger, and the total diving freedom there is a big plus. On the other hand, Shagra has nothing for the kids, no pool, nothing. It's all about diving. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but ...

 

[Christian]

Thank's Arthur. Are the Dugong and the turtles usually near the beach, or does is take a long swim?

What do you have to say about the two housereefs? Accessibilty with small kids? I was told that the Shagra reef starts almost directly on the beach, whereas the Abu Dabbab reef is a swim away? Which one is the prettier/healthier/fishier? What about water clarity on the two reefs (I think there is deeper water close by the Shagra house reef and shallower water in Abu Dababb). Which one would you chose as your 'studio' if you had a couple of days to produce colorful wide angle photos of kids snorkeling for a magazine cover?

The absence of a pool is not a negative thing inmo. If there is one, kids tend to get stuck in it instead of being in the ocean.

cheers

Christian

 

[ArthurGerla]

Here is a view of the Marsa Shagra site. The shallow reef plateaus to the north and south are off limits, in other words no snorkeling or even walking in the water along the beach is allowed here to protect its function as a fish nursery. I have no idea if a similar laudable rule is enforced at Abu Dabab. The sandy bit in the middle where the zodiacs are moored could be nice for kids. Divers enter the water here, or are are ferried out and/or back by zodiac.
I've seen juvenile whitetip reef sharks in a cave on the southern side, huge moray eels hunting and fighting on night dives right under the jetty, dolphins on the outside to the north and the reef is just vibrant with life. Mind you, as the sun moves to the west during the day the reef moves into the shadow.

Abu Dabab on the other hand is a bay with a long sandy beach, more suited to your regular sun seeking tourist crowd.
In front of the beach a sandy bottom with fields of sea grass slopes gently downwards. This is where you can observe giant turtles, guitar sharks and -if lucky- Dennis the dugong. Also squid and cuttlefish, juveniles of several reef fish species and last week some friends of mine saw a whale shark here. Lucky buggers. I believe someone on this forum recently photographed a mimic octopus on the same spot.
The southern side is shallow, and the sunlight reflects off the sandy bottom which I consider a favorable condition for photography. The northern side (where you can see the liveaboards are moored, though I believe they are now banned) goes deeper quickly. In the shallow end near the shore I have often experienced bad visibility at the end of the day.

FWIW,

Art