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After
last year's exploits on the Great Barrier Reef, I had to pick
a site closer to home. Having heard good reports of Hurghada,
I decided to give it a try. Although I had been in the same
area in 1984, at Port Safaga, this was no longer advertised.
The
Egyptair Airbus 300 was only a quarter full so there was space
to spare. Be warned - its a dry flight, no booze, only soft
drinks are available on board, though you can drink your duty
free and replenish it at Cairo Airport. Having slept at Cairo
Airport once before, we decided on the nearby Movenpick Hotel.
Nicely refreshed the next morning we caught the 727 south
to the desert airstrip at Hurghada, where we were met by a
Rudi Kneip representative to take us to the Dive Centre, ten
minutes away.
After
breakfast we were boarded out at one of the centre's houses,
comprising 5 double-bedded rooms, 2 shower/wc's and a communal
area, housing the necessary fridge for the beers and most
importantly the film material, as it does get very hat. We
were there in June and experienced 95°F (35°C) in
the shade, and 80°F (27°C) water temperature - good
job there were punka fans in the bedrooms. Breakfast and the
evening meal are taken at the centre and the grub was great,
no complaints and plenty for hungry divers.
The
dive boats. of which Rudi has 3 or 4, set off from the Fort
(5 minutes away) at 9 a.m. each day. The tanks and kit stayed
on board. Each boat had a cooler for drinks and the same lunch
of freshly caught fish, rice, tomatoes, bread and melons was
served each day. As for the diving, the Red Sea was at its
usual best, viz up to 30 metres, though the surface was not
as calm as the waters around Aqaba and Israel.
Without
knowing it, we had picked on a good time for tropical species
(Sharks and Nantas in the winter i.e. January - February)
as it was brooding and breeding time. The fish were friendly,
coining up close, even Soldier Fish, not normally out in the
open, would stand (or is it hover) and pose in front of the
camera, Shoals of Pennent Fish intermingled with Lemon Butterflies,
dozens of baby Puffer Fish twiddled in for a look and fat
pregnant mothers scuttled away.
Down
on the sand bed, large blue Trigger Fish (Pseudoballistes
fuscus) were busy fanning water over eggs and chasing off
predators. Male Lionfish guarded their loved ones and once
I espied one ejecting sperm towards his mate. As for Moray
Eels, we got fed up of them following us along the reef like
dogs at our heels, poking up like serpents of Hydra.
At
one stage I had got three large ones together in front of
the cine camera and even pushed the largest (2.5 metres) into
the picture, We managed to befriend them all by feeding and
stroking, except one which had clouded eyes. I tried to feed
him some fish (from my dinner) which I let go of at the last
moment (I've had the ends of my fingers nipped before) - he
missed the morsel which was soon snapped up by others, so
he had another lunge and grabbed the 103 flash lead and then
disappeared down a tunnel.
The
next few minutes were like a scene from 'The Deep' as I was
dragged against the rocks, holding tightly to the Nik V and
103, whilst the coiled lead grew longer and longer, until
it was stretched out straight. It was no use pullling, so
I relaxed and later the lead came back, but not before the
Moray had chewed through the cable. After that, whenever I
stopped an the reef the Moray was there but he wasn't having
the rest of my equipment!
There
was so much to see and photograph that the hardest job was
deciding which camera to take in, I ended up taking cine in
the morning when the light was bright and sharp, then stills
in the afternoon when the water appears to be milky due to
the angle of the sun.
On
the last day but one, we decided to feed and photograph the
large Napoleon Wrasse. Celia, my partner, jostled to get herself
in position with the wrasse in the foreground. A shoal of
hungry black Surgeon Fish dashed in for the food and, in doing
so, got excited and erected their caudal barbs. Next minute
Celia was lost in a cloud of green mist, then my brain clicked
and I realised that she had been badly cut. However the photos
came first, so she carried on, trying to stem the flow. As
the saltwater took effect however, she had to give uo. But
not before a large Moray had also slid up her back after the
food or maybe the blood, and another peered out at her feet!
On
board we examined the damage, three of Celia's fingers were
neatly sliced open, and there were small cuts an the back
of her hand. Antiseptic was applied and we bound the wounds
tightly. Next day she was back in the water again, protected
by a plastic glove. Now, back in the U.K. the wounds are healing
nicely.
Well
recommended, especially the sights of Hurghada.
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