Finally the trip report from Sharm.
First lets start with bad news I didnt go to Tiran. In first days sea was much too stormy to go there. The big boat of my diving center was at the dry dock, and the second one is too small to go to Tiran in such conditions. Later, when weather was a bit better Tiran was closed anniversary of the plane crash.
So this time I was limited to local dives and Ras Mohammad.
Weather report temp 23 25 Centigrades, sea temp at the surface level 23 Centigrades.
Sunny but windy. I used 5 mm long john and 7mm short on top. If I had a dry suit I would take it with me.
Day one Far Garden
First dive and dolphins!!!!! I was surprised because its rare to see them there. So I was already happy and stopped complaining about going local. I dived with 4 French, two of them instructors, so we spent something like 70 minutes uw all of us had law SAC.
Temple my favorite local dive, very difficult to navigate.
But my places there worked out giant murrey still lives in the same hole unbelievable!!!! (OK, maybe it was a different murray but hole was the same
)
And we also met several huge barracudas they are full of dignity.
Day two Sharks and Yolanda reef
I dont remember whether I wrote about Yolanda already anyway there is a wreck that as a cargo had toilets, sinks and bathtubs. As well as BMW that belong to the captain of the ship. Every time Im there I do some stupid things with toilets this time I was pretending to puke.....
Sharks reef is a beautiful garden, then on the way to Yolanda usually there are some currents this time they were not that strong.
Ras Zaatar one part of this reef is completely destroyed by humans. The other side is a bit better but it was not a very fascinating dive. So I spent this time practicing some skills working on my trim, back frog kick (well it works perfectly ..... in going forward!!!!!) and modified frog kick.
Day three
Jackfish Alley
There are several caverns in this reef. One at the level of 8 meters, the second one at the level of around 18 meters. First we were followed by two napoleons I felt like really being watched by them. Then we did caverns, the second one bit more difficult only the guide and I did.
The sea was really wavy so some of people on the boat got sick. This is why instead of staying at Ras Mohammad we left to local anyway we had some OWD students and to be honest Ras Mohammad is a bit too difficult for them.
So we ended up again in the Temple at the beginning I was angry but the dive was beautiful again napoleons, blue spotted sting ray and murreys. Also silver and giant puffer fish the last one I saw for the first time!!!! This time I generally more concentrated on observing small animals I could hang and watch cleaners for hours!!!!! Also some slugs one was really big something like 40 cm, it was white with black spots. And what was the most important we were the only divers there rare thing in Sharm at this time of a year.
So it was 31st December. We came back rather late and I didnt have a chance to get a nap before the party. I stayed at my friends hotel and this was also the place of a party. As some of you probably already know this is Pacha the only one in the Middle East.
The New Year Eve Party was incredible more than 2K people dancing, drinking and having fun. Also some very serious celebrities as well as other well known persons including politicians (Egyptian and European) and some very rich guys (well, again I had the chance to catch a rich husband and instead of doing so I was dancing. Stupid me)
1st January is no diving day in Sharm. That allowed me partying till almost 5 am and then sleeping for most of the day.
Day four (of diving) Temple again
This time I was angry not only again the same dive site but also with OWD students who of course used their air after 25 minutes. Well rules are tough it was an end of dive for all of us. In the evening I talked to the owner of diving center asking for another guide so that more advanced divers dont have to dive with students.
Ras Um Sid
Drift dive with a very delicate current. I was watching a grouper that just woke up. It was better than any movie. It was yawning, stretching and making funny faces. I spent something like almost 5 minutes watching it and later on I had to catch up with the rest of the group.
Day five Sharks Observatory
Now that was a dive!!! Much too difficult for most of the group. The reef there has a shape of U and in the middle of U there are very, very strong currents something like 3 knots I think. This is also one of the few places where the rule strong current get close to the reef doesnt work. I very quickly realized this and went into the blue, but most of the divers didnt. One woman panicked and started ascending the guide and I caught her brought her down and calmed her a bit. But the guide had to stay with her so the rest of the group was on my head. I took most of them away from the reef and then realized that being in the blue is a bit stressful for some of them. Anyway we passed the middle of U and then current was not that strong and they all calmed a bit. There is also a very beautiful cavern but most of the divers didnt want to go inside. So we ended the dive most of them were very tired. I loved the dive because it required thinking. Observing corals and fishes to find out where the current changes direction, reacting in crisis situation and calming down divers as a fresh rescue diver I had the possibility to see whether I learned anything during the course.
Ras Gaslani
This is one of my favorite sites. During the summer you can meet mantas there but now its too cold so they moved south. But for the first time I saw torpedo ray this fish has its name not for granted swims sooo fast!!!!
Also peppered murrays live there. And huge gorgonias. It was generally a long day so we were finishing the dive after sunset. And some of the predators came out starting their dinnertime. One octopus changing colors from black to red. Incredible!!!!!
And this is how we came to the end of diving. The last day in Sharm I spent on the beach and having some business meetings. Everything seems that soon Ill be buying my place there but I wont say anything before its not finalized.
Anyway I love this city and already miss diving there as well as my friends who live in Sharm. Now I have to wait till April thats when the next trip is planned. Because snowboarding season starts - and I love snowboard as much as diving
Mania
First lets start with bad news I didnt go to Tiran. In first days sea was much too stormy to go there. The big boat of my diving center was at the dry dock, and the second one is too small to go to Tiran in such conditions. Later, when weather was a bit better Tiran was closed anniversary of the plane crash.
So this time I was limited to local dives and Ras Mohammad.
Weather report temp 23 25 Centigrades, sea temp at the surface level 23 Centigrades.
Sunny but windy. I used 5 mm long john and 7mm short on top. If I had a dry suit I would take it with me.
Day one Far Garden
First dive and dolphins!!!!! I was surprised because its rare to see them there. So I was already happy and stopped complaining about going local. I dived with 4 French, two of them instructors, so we spent something like 70 minutes uw all of us had law SAC.
Temple my favorite local dive, very difficult to navigate.
But my places there worked out giant murrey still lives in the same hole unbelievable!!!! (OK, maybe it was a different murray but hole was the same
)And we also met several huge barracudas they are full of dignity.
Day two Sharks and Yolanda reef
I dont remember whether I wrote about Yolanda already anyway there is a wreck that as a cargo had toilets, sinks and bathtubs. As well as BMW that belong to the captain of the ship. Every time Im there I do some stupid things with toilets this time I was pretending to puke.....
Sharks reef is a beautiful garden, then on the way to Yolanda usually there are some currents this time they were not that strong.
Ras Zaatar one part of this reef is completely destroyed by humans. The other side is a bit better but it was not a very fascinating dive. So I spent this time practicing some skills working on my trim, back frog kick (well it works perfectly ..... in going forward!!!!!) and modified frog kick.
Day three
Jackfish Alley
There are several caverns in this reef. One at the level of 8 meters, the second one at the level of around 18 meters. First we were followed by two napoleons I felt like really being watched by them. Then we did caverns, the second one bit more difficult only the guide and I did.
The sea was really wavy so some of people on the boat got sick. This is why instead of staying at Ras Mohammad we left to local anyway we had some OWD students and to be honest Ras Mohammad is a bit too difficult for them.
So we ended up again in the Temple at the beginning I was angry but the dive was beautiful again napoleons, blue spotted sting ray and murreys. Also silver and giant puffer fish the last one I saw for the first time!!!! This time I generally more concentrated on observing small animals I could hang and watch cleaners for hours!!!!! Also some slugs one was really big something like 40 cm, it was white with black spots. And what was the most important we were the only divers there rare thing in Sharm at this time of a year.
So it was 31st December. We came back rather late and I didnt have a chance to get a nap before the party. I stayed at my friends hotel and this was also the place of a party. As some of you probably already know this is Pacha the only one in the Middle East.
The New Year Eve Party was incredible more than 2K people dancing, drinking and having fun. Also some very serious celebrities as well as other well known persons including politicians (Egyptian and European) and some very rich guys (well, again I had the chance to catch a rich husband and instead of doing so I was dancing. Stupid me
)1st January is no diving day in Sharm. That allowed me partying till almost 5 am and then sleeping for most of the day.
Day four (of diving) Temple again
This time I was angry not only again the same dive site but also with OWD students who of course used their air after 25 minutes. Well rules are tough it was an end of dive for all of us. In the evening I talked to the owner of diving center asking for another guide so that more advanced divers dont have to dive with students.
Ras Um Sid
Drift dive with a very delicate current. I was watching a grouper that just woke up. It was better than any movie. It was yawning, stretching and making funny faces. I spent something like almost 5 minutes watching it and later on I had to catch up with the rest of the group.
Day five Sharks Observatory
Now that was a dive!!! Much too difficult for most of the group. The reef there has a shape of U and in the middle of U there are very, very strong currents something like 3 knots I think. This is also one of the few places where the rule strong current get close to the reef doesnt work. I very quickly realized this and went into the blue, but most of the divers didnt. One woman panicked and started ascending the guide and I caught her brought her down and calmed her a bit. But the guide had to stay with her so the rest of the group was on my head. I took most of them away from the reef and then realized that being in the blue is a bit stressful for some of them. Anyway we passed the middle of U and then current was not that strong and they all calmed a bit. There is also a very beautiful cavern but most of the divers didnt want to go inside. So we ended the dive most of them were very tired. I loved the dive because it required thinking. Observing corals and fishes to find out where the current changes direction, reacting in crisis situation and calming down divers as a fresh rescue diver I had the possibility to see whether I learned anything during the course.
Ras Gaslani
This is one of my favorite sites. During the summer you can meet mantas there but now its too cold so they moved south. But for the first time I saw torpedo ray this fish has its name not for granted swims sooo fast!!!!
Also peppered murrays live there. And huge gorgonias. It was generally a long day so we were finishing the dive after sunset. And some of the predators came out starting their dinnertime. One octopus changing colors from black to red. Incredible!!!!!
And this is how we came to the end of diving. The last day in Sharm I spent on the beach and having some business meetings. Everything seems that soon Ill be buying my place there but I wont say anything before its not finalized.
Anyway I love this city and already miss diving there as well as my friends who live in Sharm. Now I have to wait till April thats when the next trip is planned. Because snowboarding season starts - and I love snowboard as much as diving
Mania
