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Sudan
Once the jewel in the Red Sea crown, Sudan has suffered in recent years from the sad effects of an ongoing war. Sudan’s coastal and offshore reefs have fascinated the diving world for decades due to the work of such undersea explorers as Jacques Cousteau and Jack Jackson. It would probably be the most popular dive destination in the Middle East if the country’s minimal infrastructure and political instability hadn’t made it one of the most difficult parts of the Red Sea region to visit. There are now a number of dive operators running both landbased and liveaboard based holidays in the area and it is beginning to open up to divers quite fast. Things are changing. Fundamentalist no longer dominate Sudan, visas are easier to get, food shops are filling up and you can even find a Hilton Hotel in Port Sudan. Although there are still difficulties in getting there, it is well – very well – worth the effort and our advice is to visit as soon as possible before the reefs get as crowded as those further north.
Sudan is the largest country in Africa with 28 million people and its coast stretches out for 400 miles.
This is big fish country. The difference here is that you can not only see a profusion of sharks, but you will see them surrounded by the beautiful soft corals of the area. You can retrace the fin strokes and explore the remains of Jacques Cousteau’s legendary Conshelf II underwater living environment. The reef that Jacques Cousteau carefully selected for this extraordinary purpose is Shaab Rumi, which is an oval reef lagoon about 43 miles north of Port Sudan.
The diving is simply extraordinary.
Some Dive Sites
Meshareefa
Many atolls and small islands litter the Sudanese coastline. Meshareefa is an atoll that promises large numbers of manta rays at certain times of the year. A little further south and you will find the wreck of the Blue Bell, a cargo ship that was carrying a load of Japanese cars when it sank. The cargo now covers the sea floor. The Blue Bell is a very big ship and this dive is on the edge of recreational dive limits, so you are advised to take great care.
Sha’ab Rumi
This most famous reef is better known as the location for Cousteau’s Precontinent II. The remains of this underwater living experiment can still be seen today. Sha’ab Rumi is also famous for its population of grey reef and silvertip sharks which exist in large numbers here. Sanganeb also features a plateau where grey reef and silver tip sharks gather in large numbers.
Wingate Reef
A safe mooring for container ships waiting to gain access to Port Sudan, Wingate Reef boasts the wreck of Italian WWII freighter The Umbria – probably one of the most famous and certainly the most beautiful shipwrecks in the world. An awesome, and almost unspoilt site which is teaming with life.
Suakin Islands
The Suakin Islands offer excellent diving where the islands rise up from the depths to form spectacular coral walls. There are also loads of coral plateaux where coral heads are in abundance. The waters are also home to large numbers of sharks, manta rays and turtles, while the corals attract an abundance of pelagic life
Angarosh
The most famous site in the north is Angarosh, or Um El Kurush - "mother of sharks". A small pillar rising up from a seafloor 700 m down. This is a good place for sighting big silvertip sharks (Carcharhinus Albimarginatus) and schooling hammerheads.
Abington Reef
Close by is Abington Reef which also presents a good chance for shark sightings. Closer to shore in this area you will find Donganeb Bay and the Mesharifa Channel. In September October each year, the mantas gather there to play. As many as 30 manta rays can be seen during one dive. Even further north is the Elba Reef a huge reef with a plateau to the north and to a plateau to the north and to the south. To the south one can find the wreck of the Labanzo. A big ship which went under in the early 1900's, it is a very seldom visited wreck, and has lots of Sherry bottles lying everywhere on the bottom.
Sanganeb
A stunning reef rising from a depth of 800mts this is a truly amazing reef. The small coral island has a British built lighthouse and the diving is everything any diver could wish for, with rich displays of hard and soft corals, large schools of Barracuda and large Grey reef sharks. In the deeper water you will find Hammerheads passing in large groups. As a great advantage to the diver, temperatures in the coastal region are somewhat moderated by the sea’s proximity as opposed to the extremely hot and try inland climate. From May to September, summer highs are in the 40s C (100+ F) and outside this time temperatures are not much below the mid 30s C (low 90s F).
The average temperature in the water is around 27-28°C (81-82 F). From October to April the temperature drops to the mid 20s C (mid 70s F) while summer highs top 30°C (86 F), which is too hot for most marine micro organisms, resulting in summer visibility that is almost unbelievably clear. However, all year around, visibility is above the expected for even the most particular diver – averaging well over 20m (65 ft) and often far better. The rainy season is from October to April but there is very little annual rainfall.
Worldwise
Most flights arrive in Port Sudan via Egypt. Visas for EU residents are available on arrival by pre-arrangement but cost US $210 - in cash. That includes diving taxes, and taxes in and out of Port Sudan. The live aboard agent retains your passport while you are at sea. Passport-holders with evidence of visits to Israel are disqualified from entry. You also need two entry visas for Egypt (US $15 each in cash). Keep three to four clear pages in your passport for stamps! Sudan, including its airline, is an alcohol-free area. However, live aboards usually have a limited amount of beer etc available. Sudan is a massive country subject in some parts to yellow fever. Because of this, your entry into Egypt will be subject to a health official insisting that you visibly commence a course of antibiotics supplied on re-entry to Egypt - even though the Sudanese officials will give you a certificate to say that you have not visited a risk area, and regardless of whether you have an International Certificate of Vaccination. There are no mosquitoes at sea fortunately, but Port Sudan is a malaria area, so cover up when you pass through it at night, and use lots of insect repellent.
Check this information again with your tour operator, the FCO and your doctor.
Away from the hotel and the boat, there are security risks. This is a very poor country. Use caution and common sense.
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BSAC TRAVEL CLUB BOOKSHOP SELECTION
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Sudan by Liveaboard by Richard Scarsbrook
Sudan on Royal Emperor by Eddie Clamp
Shark Trap
South of Mind Blowing
Creatures of the Sudanese Sea
Diving Sudan with Tony Blair
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