Ras Mohammed & Nabq Dive Safari

by Paul Giess

At the far Southern tip of the Sinai, the desert peninsula of Ras Mohammed edges out into the Red Sea. Here the craggy plateau disintegrates into broad sandy beaches separated by rocky outcrops, which drop off into rich coral reefs whose brilliantly coloured reef fish attract barracuda and sharks. It is not surprising that Jacques Cousteau rated this small national park as one of the world's top three dive sites. It is also not surprising that thousands of divers from all around the world come here every year.

The best dive sites can be identified from the land due to the proliferation of gleaming white boats that are anchored in one location. Once underwater the shoals of divers seem to outnumber the fish. It is possible to merge into another group and surface with strangers at a completely different boat to the one you began your trip with. Back on shore the memories of the reef still remain but you wonder how much more of an experience it would have been without the proliferation of divers. How peaceful would it have been and how much more could you have seen in a smaller group? Two friends and myself decided to find out by taking Baobab Travel's Ras Mohammed & Nabq Dive Safari.

The adventure began eighty kilometres to the north of Ras Mohammad. We were collected from Sharm el-Sheikh airport and driven by taxi for about an hour to the small coastal village of Dahab. The plan was to move slowly back along the coast, through the Nabq protected area and eventually arrive in Ras Mohammed at the end of the week. Overnight we stayed in the desert in the company of the local Bedouins with camels to provide transport and a jeep to tackle the difficult to access passes.
The first night was spent in the Coral Coast hotel at the northern tip of Dahab. This is a brand new hotel on the ever-expanding edge of the village. The village itself offers plenty of cheap but reputedly excellent restaurants and a few lively bars and Internet cafes. All of the beach-side bars seemed to be popular but not so the few pizza parlours and unimaginatively titled McBurger fast food bar. This was to be our last taste of urban living for a week so we savoured it before our adventure began the following day.
A broad coastal path leads south from the village of Dahab and the initial route is easy. In the strong sun the gentle rocking motion of the camel is almost enough to send its passengers to sleep.
Once the village is out of sight the strong winds, which characterise the area, drop and tranquillity descends. Sadly the same strong winds that have brought sailors and surfboarders to the village have washed much of Dahab's litter south of the village. For some time the camels trudge effortlessly past mounds of plastic bottles slowly becoming brittle in the harsh sunlight. After plastic bottles the next most common item of beach litter is strangely shoes. All varieties from sandals and trainers through to workmen's boots are washed up here. Sometimes even stranger items are encountered; on this occasion the rusted passenger door of a car was wedged between the rocks. The rest of the vehicle was discovered ten metres below the surface during the afternoon's dive.

It only took half a day's trek before all evidence of urban living was truly gone. Beach litter gave way to deserted sandy shores and coloured rocks. Sitting in the shade of a Bedouin tent whilst the guides prepare a traditional meal of fish and salad the solitude of the desert was finally realised. Even the camels know how to relax. Some of them strolled into the sea-water and lay down in the shallows flicking cool water across their backs.
The afternoon's dives were planned during mealtime and they were everything that could have been hoped for. Reef walls unspoilt by the curious fingers of careless divers. Immaculate fan corals hide colourful fish whilst behind us, out in the blue, barracuda hang menacingly in the water. There was no sand kicked up by other dive groups crossing our path. There was no debris lodged on the reef. It was possible to believe, and indeed possible in reality, that we were the first to ever dive here.
For the safari Baobab Travel employ dive masters from local dive centres. Our dive leader was extremely competent, given that he had never visited many of the sites himself prior to the expedition. For the most part he seemed just as amazed as we were at the unspoilt dive sites we visited. Because of the remoteness of the dive sites the times and depths of dives are adjusted to allow an adequate safety margin. All dives are slightly shallower and shorter than they would be if diving from the well used sites near Dahab. This was all carefully explained to us before departure and together with the presence of a support vehicle at all times, made us comfortable.

If the days were spectacular then the nights were an unforgettable experience. Sitting tired on the sandy beach whilst recounting the days diving and drinking traditional Bedouin tea, the sun slowly slipped below the mountains. As it departed the quality of light changed and the rocks took on a new colouration. One by one the stars appeared until the sky became a stargazers paradise. Shooting stars blazed across the heavens until a blood red moon emerged from above the shores of Saudi Arabia. Its reflection across the waters of the Gulf of Aqaba slowly reached out towards the camp as the moon rose into the night sky.
The night was so beautiful that it took some time to realise that a tiny clicking noise was emanating from the darkness all around. Flashing torchlight across the beach the origin of the strange noise could just be glimpsed. Hundreds of hermit crabs had emerged from the water and were scouring the beach. Their movement was everywhere until the light found them and they froze, retreating back into the shells they had acquired.

When morning arrived the air was cool and fresh. It was almost misty until the sun emerged from above the mountains. Fresh tanks of compressed air, food and drinking water arrived by jeep from Dahab and after breakfast we were ready to move further south down the coast again. The uncomplaining camels effortlessly ploughed on stopping only to graze the occasional semi desiccated bush. The convoy passed no one at all through the day. It stopped for lunch and drinks and of course to select a dive site. Keeping eyes on the rich blue sea to our left hand side we looked for signs of a reef table breaking the water line. Each dive was an experience never to be forgotten with just the four of us alone on an unspoilt reef.

The jeep assisted us again when we emerged at a rocky outcrop, which proved too difficult for the camels to traverse. We were forced to drive slightly inland into one of the many wadis - a wide valley carved by flash floods during the winter. Here the land was flat but it was not always easy going. At one point the land proved too uneven for the vehicle to cross as the water from the previous winter has scoured the surface away. Urgent road repairs were required hence we began to collect rocks and build a safe passage for the jeep. Slowly it edged along our makeshift road until once more we were on our way.

Behind the rocky outcrop is the Nabq protected area. Here the landscape began to take on a dramatic change. The mountains recede back from the widening coastal plain. The wreck of the German boat, Maria Schroeder, which washed up on the shallow shores here last century, dominates the shoreline. The shore itself begins to change as mangrove bushes appear. The lush greenery is a stark contrast to the barren rocky desert we had travelled through. Here we rested on the white sands for a meal at the local Bedouin village. Crabs ran sideways across the sand and brightly coloured jellyfish were floating in the shallow pools that surrounded us, waiting for the tide to come and collect them again.
The diving here is probably the most varied in the whole region although the long walk to deep water from the shore is exhausting in full dive equipment. From the shore we dived across a shallow sea grass bed where seahorses shelter. Eventually we arrived at a coral table, which quickly became a maze of archways and narrow passageways. Above us an eagle ray was spotted and we hurried through the coral outcrops to catch a glimpse of it as it effortlessly soared away into the blue.
The Nabq region is so different from the rest of the Sinai coast and so rarely visited that it makes a pleasant addition to a trip to the area. There is a well-maintained visitor centre where souvenirs can be purchased and telescopes can be used to better view the large expanse of coastal plain with its dunes and salt marshes.

A little further down the coast is the busy urban area of Sharm el Sheikh. This is avoided by travelling in the jeep back inland and down to Ras Mohammed for the final few dives of the week. Nabq is such a beautiful area, and an unexpected surprise in this arid landscape that was almost painful to leave the area behind. Ras Mohammed however offers yet more spectacular diving, but of course yet more divers as well.

Unfortunately, due to work pressures at home, we had to make this trip in July. It is of course the hottest month of the year and not recommended as the best time to visit a desert environment. As we stayed close to the shore there was usually always some breeze, but shade can be limited. One useful tip to remember is to avoid wearing shorts when travelling on camel back. Not only will your legs burn quickly but also camel hair is coarse and uncomfortable as it rubs your skin. During the seven-day trip it was possible to fit in fifteen dives, most of them in remote locations with just the four of us for company. We lived and ate like the locals, sleeping under the stars. Each day brought new sights, both underwater and on land, as we moved along the coastline at a steady pace. This really was a pleasant change from the crowded dive sites where most dive packages take you.

Costs
The Dive Safari cost us £499 per person, exclusive of flights. The price did include all airport transfers, hotel accommodation (when not camping), 5 days camel safari/Ras Mohammed boat trip with all meals and drinks, including three bottles of mineral water per day and 15 dives with air & weights.

Baobab Travel makes a particular point of promoting ecotourism. Their brand of environmentally responsible tourism generates work for local people and keeps profits within the host country as much as is possible. We found the twenty-page tour guide they produce before departure particularly useful in preparing and enhancing our visit. This was also included within the price of the holiday and contained much more locally relevant information than recognised tour guides such as the Lonely Planet.
Baobab Travel will find flights for you but you need to make a separate deal with the flight agents once a suitable flight has been found. Typical prices we were quoted were in the range of £250-300. We eventually travelled with Excel Air for £260.

Baobab - Alternative Roots to Travel.
Old Fallings Hall, Old Fallings Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 8BL (UK)
Phone: UK (+44) 01902 - 562 988, Fax: UK (+44) 01902 - 563 087.
www.baobabtravel.com
Email: info@baobabtravel.com.


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