SomaText and photos by Lawson Wood Bay Diving the Egyptian

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Kite surfers in Soma Bay, with sandy beaches and panaramic views of desert mountains (above); Dusky sweepers or hatchetfish with sea fans (right)

I first visited the Red Sea as beckoning. The route of the Thomas part of a marine biological Cook Airbus to took us directly over Ras Abu Soma, the des- expedition with Dr Paul Cragg tination of our dive resort. Hurghada back in 1973. After having Airport is big and efficient, and well run safaris out of and used to large numbers of tourists. ending up living there for Visa payment, customs and luggage collection is straightforward, and the several years working on the various resorts, travel companies and legendary dive dive businesses all have representa- boats Lady Jenny III and Lady tives waiting at the gate to collect Jenny V, my love for the Red you. Do not be put off by their rather aggressive stances in trying to nab Sea has never diminished. your custom; just make sure that your Now, some 45 years later, a transport is ready and waiting for you return trip to the Red Sea was in advance. increasing my heartbeat in Dive resort and operator anticipation. Our hotel for the week was The Break- dishes too, including Asian cuisine, ers Diving & Surfing Lodge at Soma fried fish and burgers. There were also That first frisson of excitement came Bay, the only dedicated diving and a couple of bars and roof-top areas at 20,000ft when the plane taking my kite surfing resort in the Middle East. for chilling and après dive chatter. wife and me to the region started The Breakers has over 170 staff (mainly The Breakers’ two large dive boats to descend, flying over the Red Sea Egyptian), and food served here in- were used for half and full days of div- Mountains of Upper , and I evitably has the Egyptian slant of fla- ing. The dive boats each had a large Diver with anthias and soft corals on in Soma Bay. PREVIOUS PAGE: Giant could see the shores of the Red Sea vours, but there were plenty of other saloon, in which divers could hang clam and hard corals on the wreck of the MV Salem Express in the Red Sea

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Reef diving at (above); The dive centre has diving and underwater camera equipment stations right on the beach (right).

out, check cameras and enjoy yes, they have those too. were the focus for our trip. a buffet lunch when on a full All levels of divers are catered Once the dive shop paper- LODGING day out. Dive sites were around for, from beginner snorkellers and work was completed, there Located about 45 minutes’ drive a 30- to 90-minute ride from the try-divers all the way to mixed- was a week’s chart on the wall south of Hurghada Airport, Soma marina, and a full gas and divers. Many for us to consider, listing full- or Bay is the name of the entire was always provided whether come to increase their diving or half-day dive boats, RIB dives headland resort area. There are one was diving independently training skills, and for underwater and space to plan our shore currently five major hotels here, or with a guide. For those who photographers like myself, it is the diving off the house reef. We just with plans for more. These include have done some of these dives perfect base for exploring the had to put our names down for The Breakers Dive & Surf Lodge, before, it is always a good idea northern Red Sea reefs off the whatever boat trip we wanted, Robinson Club (which is German to listen in, as there are always African mainland. and always made sure to re- owned and operated, and a seasonal vagaries of the critters move our names if we changed bit like a family “Club Med”), one can find here. Diving our minds. Sheraton, Westin, and Kempinski. The diving part of the resort is Over 100km north of Marsa The house reef was reached Each resort has an entirely differ- owned and operated by Orca Alam, a number of the dive sites along a 420m pier with two ent look, layout and feel, but our Dive Clubs, which has several between Sharm el-Sheikh and platforms and plenty of ladders host for the week was the superb resorts in Egypt as well as in Mau- were really only to aid entry and exit. Transport Breakers, the dedicated diving ritius, Flores, Bali and Sardinia. accessible by liveaboard dive was provided by converted and kite surfing resort. You should With the latest equipment, mul- boats. Nowadays, Panorama electric golf carts, which could in the water. note, however, that the Westin tilingual staff and a great house Reef, the wreck of the Salem transport you, your buddy and The following is just a small in Soma Bay has one of the larg- reef opposite the dive centre, Express, and a number of other all your dive gear and camera example of the superb diving est spas in the world, with an what more could one ask for? dive sites around Safaga and equipment. This style of diving, to be found along this stretch of amazing saltwater hydrotherapy Large dive boats to explore the the Soma Bay headland, are of course, allows you and your coastline, far from the madden- pool—it’s like something out of an The author off to plumb the Red Sea depths offshore reefs and wrecks? Oh, easily reached. These dive sites buddy to spend extended time ing crowd. ancient Byzantine palace.  (above); Windsurfing in Soma Bay (right)

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Endemic Red Sea or twoband anemonefish (left); Arabian Picasso triggerfish with bluestreak cleaner wrasse (right)

The House Reef. By far, this was many places. The more vertical of anemone, which fluoresces probably the most-dived site, sections had large black coral red underwater, yet only shows and there were countless “ferry” trees, which hid small schools of green with normal white light trips up and down the pier every glassfish and hatchetfish. Curi- flash. Once you get to the 30m day, transporting divers and ously, there were many large (100ft) range, you will find the their gear. Most notable at this bigeye snapper out in the open, lyretail angelfish (Genicanthus site were those early-morning when they are usually well se- caudovittatus). With the male dives and early-evening dives creted away under overhangs. and female sporting completely when the juxtaposition of day- There were a few huge stonefish different colours, the lyretail an- time critters and nighttime on this reef, one hiding under gelfish feed on planktonic crit- denizens shared the reef. Clean- the sand, but the other was so ters in open water near the reef. ing stations were doing a roaring well overgrown with algae that Dolphins are seen very regularly trade, and both predators and it was virtually “invisible” amidst here as well as large barracuda prey lined up to be cleaned the corals and algae beds. and schools of trevally and other of parasites with no thought of Small mushroom corals littered large open-water fish, so always “breaking the rules.” Dolphins the reef and there were some keep casting your eye out into came into the pier area too and huge sections of lettuce coral. the blue. were seen regularly. The ubiquitous anemonefish, Predominated by small hard or clownfish, dotted around Panorama Reef. I first dived corals, this was a steeply sloping large anemones. As we moved Panorama Reef back in 1985 reef that descended to around to the north, towards the head- while working on the Lady Jenny 18m (60ft) before dropping land and opposite the light- V. Principally here to seek shelter steeply and even vertically in house, we found the same type for the boat one night, we found Jewel fairy basslet or sea goldie Large sea fan

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Endemic Fridman’s dottyback, Pseudochromis fridmani (above); Endemic Abudjubbe’s wrasse, Cheilinus abudjubbe (left)

that this large circular reef, with its fans here than we found later on Gabir Soraya. Only 30 minutes from two shallow platforms, was so good our second dive in the afternoon, the marina, this shallow reef com- that we stayed the next day too which was a drift dive on the west- prised a large elongated reef with and explored all around the reef as ern plateau. I forgot how strong the several small satellite coral ergs, or the sun moved around and illumi- was. Skimming over and coral heads, to the south. At only nated the soft coral gardens and around the huge stands of gorgon- 15m (50ft) maximum depth, the gorgonian forests. ian sea fans that stretched out into central sandy plain had a small Over 33 years later, I set off from the current was fun, but it was diffi- group of garden eels. The narrow the Soma Bay Marina on a full- cult to stop and take photographs. passages between the coral heads day excursion to this reef and I As we approached the bottom had small red sea fans and plenty had mixed emotions as my buddy corner of the reef, the current virtu- of fire coral as usual, but the schools Waleed and I dived the wall and ally stopped, and there were huge of butterflyfish and angelfish were east platform in the morning. This numbers of glassfish, lionfish, croco- a surprise as these fish are normally reef so reminded me of Jackson dilefish and all the usual suspects only found singularly or in pairs. Reef up in the with that one would normally find on its soft corals teeming with orange a Red Sea reef. Panorama Reef Sha’b Shear. This rather blind reef anthias and staggering amounts of also had a large anemone garden was also just a short boat ride from angelfish and butterflyfish. with dozens of large anemones, the marina. The an- We were on the sheltered side huge numbers of clownfish as well chored in a coral amphitheatre with of the reef, away from the current, as hundreds of threespot dascyllus large coral outcrops all of the way so there were much fewer sea (Dascyllus trimaculatus). around, interspaced with narrow Available on Amazon.com Endemic Redback butterflyfish (Chaetodon paucifasciatus)

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THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the MV Salem Express built in 1964, which sank in the Red Sea in 1991. Over 470 people lost their lives in the shipwreck, which occurred during a massive storm.

broken up (rumour huge arc to the north and south. It was which was apparently has it that this was these shallow coral heads that became resident on this reef. an insurance job— almost invisible to shipping late in the af- like so many others). ternoon when the sea was calm and the Salem Express. Built in One of the coral sun was low. the French shipyards of La Seyne-sur-Mer (100ft) of water, the Salem Express is com- heads had a circu- in 1964, this Ro-Ro ferry was on her way pletely encrusted in small hard corals. All lar tunnel that ran Tobia Soraya. Around a 30-minute boat back from to Safaga, overload- of vessel’s parts are accessible for those through the reef trip from the marina, this reef was really a ed with passengers who had been on a who wish to explore the ship’s interior. from the seabed, group of small coral heads that were ran- pilgrimage to on 17 December When I first dived the Salem Express 25 rising to around domly spaced out on a 15m (50ft) sand 1991. A massive storm had blown up and years ago, two of her lifeboats were on 5m. On exiting, sea bed. After a lengthy swim around at gale , the ship struck Hyndman the seabed. Apparently, one has been we found a large the outside of the reef, our guide Waleed Reef where she was holed and quickly removed since then, as there was now school of yellowtail brought us to a coral head that was sim- sank in the early hours of the morning. only one to be seen. Her stern door was barracuda (Sphy- ply covered in gorgonian sea fans and Official records state that 470 persons lost now lying on the seabed, creating a canyons filled with anthias and chromis. raena flavicauda) and numerous groups filled with longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites their lives, but locally it is widely known huge square opening where divers were There were numerous bits of wreckage of sweetlips, butterflyfish and angelfish. typus), glassy sweepers, hatchetfish and that many more were lost as the ship was able to explore much of the vehicle around these reefs, including a small un- This part of Soma Bay was littered with hundreds of cardinalfish. There was also a grossly overcrowded. deck. Both her propellers were intact and known ferry in this location that was well small coral heads, which stretched in a huge stellate pufferfish (Arothron stellatus), Now lying on her starboard side in 30m made for a superb photographic back-

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CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATES

With regards to currency, US$, GB£ and Euros are all accepted, but check the prices of the Visas against the exchange rates. Currently, Visas are US$20, but if you pay in GB£, they will charge you GB£20. So, try and bring the correct currency, or better still, bring Euros, as most visitors Scenes from the wreck of the Salem Express (above and top right); Dusky sweeper (Pempheris to the resort are German, Swiss or adusta) or hatchetfish on sea fan (right); Divers over reef with anemonefish on anemone (left) Austrian, with visitors from the United Kingdom being fourth down the list. drop as they are covered in small corals Express. But after such an extended Home.” These Safaga reefs should not be Most people opt to pay all and brilliant red encrusting sponge. The period of time, it hardly seems worth the overlooked when considering or planning accounts on a credit or debit ship’s funnels had a large “S” on them, effort. Rather, divers should be given the a Red Sea diving trip.  card, but again, currencies may but this was getting harder to see due to option as to whether to dive the ship or be exchanged a couple of times, the corals encrusting the emblem. The not—out of respect for the dead, reli- Lawson and Lesley Wood were supported adding costs to your final bill. Using ship’s bridge was fairly open, and all of gious beliefs or just not wanting to be by the Egyptian Tourism Authority; Dan American Express, currency will be the windows were now gone, but her there. Whatever the outcome in the Lion of Holiday Designers; Anna Holling- in Egyptian Pounds, which will again parts were still visible inside. future, diving this wreck should be done worth and Harriet Shearer of The Com- be changed to your home currency. Her empty davits and railings all hung with the greatest respect. Divers must munications Group; Marwa Kachmar When using credit cards, the trans- out into open water, and the seabed was not touch anything or disturb any of the from Somabay; Wolfgang Jocham and action may start out in your local littered with debris, including some chil- remains. Waleed Abd Elmaksoud from Orca Div- currency, but then may be changed dren’s toys—just another reminder of that Having run safaris here—living, working ing; and Stephan Reichl from The Breakers into Egyptian Pounds before being terrible tragedy. and visiting the area innumerable times— Diving & Kite Surfing Lodge. Flights were converted back to your local cur- There is still a large amount of con- visiting the Red Sea always holds a sense supplied by Thomas Cook. For more infor- rency. Confused? The current troversy about whether divers should of nostalgia for me, and indeed, I often mation, please refer to Lawson Wood’s exchange rate is pretty poor, so do be permitted to dive the wreck. The think of it as coming home. Coincidental- book, Underwater Guide to the Red Sea, not buy Egyptian Pounds at home Egyptian Government is still considering ly, the strapline on The Breakers Diving & available at Amazon.com. before you go on holiday.  whether to ban all diving on the Salem Surfing Lodge website is also “Welcome

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below High Currency Egyptian pound Dam; desertification; (EGP). Exchange rates: fact file coral reefs, beach- 1USD=15.80EGP; 1EUR=17.42EGP; es, marine and 1GBP=20.73EGP; 1AUD=10.56EGP; Egypt aquatic habitats 1SGD=11.56EGP threatened by RIGHT: Location of Soma oil pollution, Language Arabic (official), Bay on global map agricultural English and French BELOW: Location of Soma pesticides, raw Bay on map of Egypt sewage and Health & Safety The US State SOURCES: US CIA WORLD FACTBOOK, XE.COM, industrial run-off. Department has issued an Egypt STATE.TRAVEL.US, CDC.GOV, CDWC.TRAVEL Travel Warning for US citizens due Climate Egypt to threats from terrorist and violent One of the world’s great country. Resources has a desert cli- political opposition groups. Please History Mediterranean Sea civilisations developed in Egypt, were overtaxed and mate—hot, dry sum- check with your country’s state fostered by fertile lands and regu- society stressed as mers with moderate and health departments well in larity of the annual Nile River flood, the population expe- Marsa IS. winters advance of your trip for updates LIBYA as well as the relative isolation rienced rapid growth. Matruh on required vaccinations, health found between the deserts to the In addition, there Canal JOR. Economy Nile valley is where and safety advisories. Al Jizah Suez east and west. Around 3200 B.C., was limited arable presidents, 25% of most economic activity takes There is an intermediate degree a unified kingdom evolved, fol- land and continued legislators to be fe- place. Highly centralised dur- of risk for food or waterborne dis- Siwah lowed by ruling dynasties reigning dependence on the SAUDI male and reestab- ing the rule of former President eases such as bacterial diarrhea, in Egypt for the next 3,000 years. In Nile. In order to face ARABIA lishing the military’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt’s hepatitis A and typhoid fever; 341 B.C., the Persians conquered these challenges, the Minya role as guardian of economy opened up significantly vectorborne disease such as Rift the last native dynasty. Then came government imple- Sharm the nation. Gov- under former Presidents El-Sadat Valley fever; and water contact Hurghada el Sheikh the Greeks, Romans and Byzan- mented economic ernment: republic. and Mubarak. From 2004 to 2008, disease such as schistosomiasis. Nile Safaga tines. It was the Arabs who, in the reform and major Capital: Cairo Cairo pursued economic reforms H5N1 avian influenza has been 7th century, introduced Islam and increases in invest- Quseir aggressively in order to attract identified in the country but poses the Arabic language. They reigned ment in physical and Geography foreign investment and foster GDP low risk to tourists. over Egypt for the next 600 years. communications Al Kharijah Red Egypt is located in growth. However, living conditions Marsa Sea Then, around 1250, the Mamluks, infrastructure. Alam Northern Africa. It for the average Egyptian stayed Chambers a local military caste, took control The Tunisian revolu- borders the Red Sea poor and exacerbated public SAFAGA Aswan and continued to govern after the tion in 2010 inspired north of Sudan and discontent despite the increase of DECO International Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt demonstrations Lake the Mediterranean economic growth in recent years. Safaga General Hospital in 1517. In 1869, Egypt became and labour strikes in Nasser Sea, between Libya Unrest took place in January 2011 Emergency Tel: (+2) 012 219 0383 an important world transporta- Egypt, leading to the and the Gaza Strip. and the Egyptian government tion hub after the Suez Canal was ousting of President It also includes the dramatically increased social HURGHADA completed, but also accrued a Hosni Mubarak in Asian Sinai Pen- spending to ease public dissat- DECO International lot of debt. In order to protect its 2011. National lead- SUDAN insula. Coastline: isfaction. However, economic El-Gouna Hospital investments, Britain took control ership was assumed 2,450km. Terrain: Cut growth slowed significantly due to Emergency Tel: (+2) 065 3850 0118 of Egypt’s government in 1882. by the military until 2012 when a elected president. He was ree- in half by the Nile valley and delta, political uncertainty, which re- However, allegiance to the Otto- new parliament was put in place. lected in 2018. In 2015, a new par- Egypt is primarily a vast desert duced government revenues. The Hypermed at Hurghada Airport man Empire continued, in name Mohamed Morsi was elected liament was elected, the first since plateau. Lowest point: Qattara hardest hit sectors were tourism, Emergency Tel: (+2) 010 218 7550 only, until 1914. Egypt was par- president that same year, but 2012. A national referendum in Depression -133m. Highest point: manufacturing and construction. tially independent from the United violent protests against his govern- 2019 led to constitutional amend- Mount Catherine 2,629m. Natural Foreign exchange reserves are Naval Hyperbaric Medical Center Kingdom by 1922, and in 1952 the ment and the Muslim Brotherhood ments permitting: extension of hazards include droughts, earth- being used by the government to (NHMC) on El Corniche Rd, Sekala country got full sovereignty after in 2013 led to the military interven- el-Sisi’s term in office through quakes, flash floods, landslides, support the Egyptian pound. Emergency Tel: (+2) 065 3449 150 the overthrow of the British-backed ing again, removing Morsi from 2024, with a possible third term; dust and sandstorms, as well as monarchy. In 1971, the completion power, who was then replaced by two consecutive six-year terms for hot windstorms occurring in spring. Population 104,124,440 (July Web sites of the Aswan High Dam and the interim president Adly Mansour. In presidents; presidential power to Environmental challenges include 2020 est.) Ethnic groups: 99.7% Egypt Tourism creation of Lake Nasser altered the a referendum, a new constitution appoint judicial councils heads, urbanisation and wind-blown (2006 est). Religions: Muslim 90%, www.egypt.travel  long-held role of the Nile River in was approved by the voters in re-establishment of an upper leg- sands decreasing agricultural Christian 10% (2015 est). Internet us- the ecology and agriculture of the 2014, and Abdelfattah el-Sisi was islative house, one or more vice lands; increased soil salination ers: 39,097,468 or 41.3% (2016 est.)

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