OP
June 6 2018: Unicorn surgeonfish at Yolanda Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park.
Trip Report Sharm el Sheikh trip report May 27 - June 8
- Thread starter Topper1972
- Start date
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OP
May 31 2018: Bannerfish and blue triggerfish at Jackson Reef, Strait of Tiran.
OP
June 6 2018: Jackfish at dive site Eel Garden, Ras Mohammed National Park.
OP
May 30 2018: Glass fish and dive instructor Dan at dive site Tower, Sharm el Sheikh.
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May 30 2018: Blue trevallies at Shark Yolanda Reef.
OP
June 1 2018: Diving the Tank Graveyard near the Travco Harbour in Sharm el Sheikh. I believe Ocean College is the only dive center that regurlarly dives this site. Below some info on this dive site...
'The mystery of the Tank Reef - Ras Peter
Very little is known about the tank graveyard, an abandoned trove of British-made military trucks and equipment in Ras Peter, Sharm el Maya, at the bay entrance of the Sharm el Sheikh Port, used by international cruise ships.
Around 5 "Bedford trucks" and 30 "Bren Carrier MK-1" tanks, also called a Universal Carrier were dumped in the sea here. The tanks, armoured personnel-carriers, were 3.7m long, 2.1m wide and weighed about 4 tons. An 85hp petrol engine gave them a top speed of about 30mph. The crew consisted of three or four infantrymen in the body of the vehicle and a driver and a machine-gunner in the cabin. The vehicle had no roof, and its metal sides protected only the lower part of the crew’s bodies (the cabin had a lowered floor) while the driver and gunner had only their heads exposed. The "Bren Carrier" tanks would also tow loaded trailers and light artillery pieces.
The Bedford truck was the British military's main medium lorry (4-ton truck), built by Bedford, from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The military version had all wheel drive and bigger wheels to increase ground clearance.The trucks were powered by a 4.9 litres (299.0 cu in) petrol engine producing 110 brake horsepower (82 kW; 112hp), although some were fitted with diesel engines.
The vehicles from soviet-egyptian origin, were dumped into the sea in March 1957 after the Suez Crisis, when the Israeli Forces were leaving Egypt. While they were evacuating they got rid of vessels that they couldn't keep.
Diving Ras Peter or Tank Reef:
It is an interesting historical dive site. It is a deep drift dive that is recommended for advanced divers.
The average depth is around 34 m (avg) to 40 m (max). Here you can explore a host of submerged military tracked vehicles and support vehicles together with an unexploded landmine. But don’t expect to see any guns they were removed almost 60 years ago. You will find the first vehicle at a depth of 6 m. The deeper machines are overlapping each other in some places, so it is difficult to sort out what is what.
Closer to the surface, it is easier to distinguish individual vehicles. Some of them lay with their caterpillar tracks uppermost, some lay on their sides but others remained upright on their tracks. Some wreck pieces still remain on top of the reef, which makes it easy to recognize the dive site. Of those still under water the finer details have almost been dissolved by corrosion but the bodies and caterpillar tracks remain in quite good condition. Corals haven’t really covered them, and the truck wheels are in particularly good condition, as corals don’t grow on rubber. For now, this underwater museum remains open only for visitors with tanks on their backs.'
'The mystery of the Tank Reef - Ras Peter
Very little is known about the tank graveyard, an abandoned trove of British-made military trucks and equipment in Ras Peter, Sharm el Maya, at the bay entrance of the Sharm el Sheikh Port, used by international cruise ships.
Around 5 "Bedford trucks" and 30 "Bren Carrier MK-1" tanks, also called a Universal Carrier were dumped in the sea here. The tanks, armoured personnel-carriers, were 3.7m long, 2.1m wide and weighed about 4 tons. An 85hp petrol engine gave them a top speed of about 30mph. The crew consisted of three or four infantrymen in the body of the vehicle and a driver and a machine-gunner in the cabin. The vehicle had no roof, and its metal sides protected only the lower part of the crew’s bodies (the cabin had a lowered floor) while the driver and gunner had only their heads exposed. The "Bren Carrier" tanks would also tow loaded trailers and light artillery pieces.
The Bedford truck was the British military's main medium lorry (4-ton truck), built by Bedford, from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The military version had all wheel drive and bigger wheels to increase ground clearance.The trucks were powered by a 4.9 litres (299.0 cu in) petrol engine producing 110 brake horsepower (82 kW; 112hp), although some were fitted with diesel engines.
The vehicles from soviet-egyptian origin, were dumped into the sea in March 1957 after the Suez Crisis, when the Israeli Forces were leaving Egypt. While they were evacuating they got rid of vessels that they couldn't keep.
Diving Ras Peter or Tank Reef:
It is an interesting historical dive site. It is a deep drift dive that is recommended for advanced divers.
The average depth is around 34 m (avg) to 40 m (max). Here you can explore a host of submerged military tracked vehicles and support vehicles together with an unexploded landmine. But don’t expect to see any guns they were removed almost 60 years ago. You will find the first vehicle at a depth of 6 m. The deeper machines are overlapping each other in some places, so it is difficult to sort out what is what.
Closer to the surface, it is easier to distinguish individual vehicles. Some of them lay with their caterpillar tracks uppermost, some lay on their sides but others remained upright on their tracks. Some wreck pieces still remain on top of the reef, which makes it easy to recognize the dive site. Of those still under water the finer details have almost been dissolved by corrosion but the bodies and caterpillar tracks remain in quite good condition. Corals haven’t really covered them, and the truck wheels are in particularly good condition, as corals don’t grow on rubber. For now, this underwater museum remains open only for visitors with tanks on their backs.'
Bubblesong
Contributor
@Topper1972 this is a very exciting review, and It is now on my short list.
You mention the tank reef is an advanced drift dive, at 40 meters, but what speed was the current that you experienced?
You mention the tank reef is an advanced drift dive, at 40 meters, but what speed was the current that you experienced?
OP
There was no current at all when we dove the tanks. In fact I think it highly unlikely that there is ever current at that dive site as it is quite protected.
Depth of the tanks and trucks ranged from 15-40 meters - on our dive at the tanks dive site our maximum depth was 29 meters.
@Topper1972. Your pictures look great! I am considering going to dive in Sharm end of May. More or less similar period to you and I was debating whether I should do a land base diving or a mini safari. I know there are many dive sites in Sharm but really I am only interested in Ras and Tiran. From your post, I google Ocean College and unsure if they are still in business. Reading your post gave me confidence that the diving in the North can be good as I was thinking if I should head South instead. When you stay with Camel, do they have access to the beach? What else to do after you finish your dives for the day in the area? I know Camel and Elite diving are well regarded in Sharm and definitely still in operation but sitting by the pool is not my thing!
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