Trip Report Red Sea Aggressor IV 24.-30.8.2024

[Asanoth]

During processing, I just got to these photos from Dedalus:

They are fairly representative of the whole trip. Notice there is also a "purple" soft coral in the top of the second picture: These are nearly all beige like this.

edit: And another one:

 

[Parlem]

That looks dismal, to be honest. Let's hope it's mostly a "seasonal" phenomenon ... if there is such a thing. I know nothing about coral.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[boqurant]

The corals in the north around Sharm El Sheikh (Ras Mohammad / Straits of Tiran) were fabulous - very much not bleached. It's been a couple of hot years following the Hunga Tonga eruption of masses of water vapor (an instant +10% of normal levels) into the atmosphere (Tonga Eruption Blasted Unprecedented Amount of Water Into Stratosphere – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet)... and the corals in the south will return.

 

[Adr1an]

I've seen some bleaching when snorkeling in Sharm area this August but it was just in the shallow area of the reefs and only certain coral species. Not much bleaching seen when diving in August and September (Sharm, Ras Mo etc)

 

[Christian]

During processing, I just got to these photos from Dedalus:
View attachment 863309

View attachment 863310

They are fairly representative of the whole trip. Notice there is also a "purple" soft coral in the top of the second picture: These are nearly all beige like this.

edit: And another one:
View attachment 863311

Bleaching of coral is a global, re-occuring phenomena due to high water temp’s. During El Nino years it is worse and coral die off in larger extremts compared to a ’normal’ year. The central and northern Red Sea reefs hasn’t suffered as much from it compared to e.g. Indian Ocean reefs.

 

[Christian]

Returning to Marsa Shagra/Nakari/Lahmi in a couple of weeks after a few years away from the Red Sea, having dived elsewhere. Will dive Abu Dhabab, Elphinstone, Dolphin house and a few other reefs too. Will report back about the state of the coral. From what I have seen in previous years when other areas in the world have been hit, the Egyptian Red Sea has been more or less spared and coral has been healthy and alive in most places. Crown of thorn has had some serious but local impact in some areas, but not really bleaching to any noticeable extent.

 

[Lu Y]

Returning to Marsa Shagra/Nakari/Lahmi in a couple of weeks after a few years away from the Red Sea, having dived elsewhere. Will dive Abu Dhabab, Elphinstone, Dolphin house and a few other reefs too. Will report back about the state of the coral. From what I have seen in previous years when other areas in the world have been hit, the Egyptian Red Sea has been more or less spared and coral has been healthy and alive in most places. Crown of thorn has had some serious but local impact in some areas, but not really bleaching to any noticeable extent.

Look forward to hearing more about the bleaching (or not) situation in Marsa.