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Having
dived the Sinai peninsular several times in the time honoured
safari fashion, I was extremely attracted to the idea of enjoying
superb Red Sea diving from the comfort of a beach side hotel.
The location was Safaga in Egypt. and the literature provided
by the agent boasted excellent facilities for the diver photographer.
The agent proved to be unreliable on several counts, but more
of this later.
To
reach Safaga you must fly to Hurghada via Cairo, and then
transfer to the Safaga Beach Hotel by taxi. The hotel could
be described as typically tourist, and the accomodation and
meals were adequate. We discovered that it was in fact good
by Egyptian standards, but fortunately you are not spoilt
for choice - there is only one hotel at Safaga!
The
diving centre is very much a part of the hotel, and is only
a short stroll across the sand from the main building. It
in ably and efficiently run by French instructors, and has
a fleet of diving boats (of local design) which proved to
be relatively stable diving platforms. The centre stocks a
vast range of equipment, and can easily cover every need.
However, you will be well advised to take all equipment except
weights and tank, as hire prices are expensive. There is diving
every day, weather permitting, with boats departing at 8.30a.m.
and returning at about 5.30p.m.
All
the dive sites are located offshore, to the north and south
of Safaga. This feature is the greatest difference between
the southern Red Sea and the Sinai peninsular, where the reefs
and drop offs are found literally right on the shore. On the
whole, the diving can only be described as superb. Those who
visited the Sinai in the mid seventies will remember the delight
of diving virgin and near perfect reefs. Well this experience
is still available from Safaga. Everything from coral gardens,
where the seabed is totally obscured by coral growth and masses
of reef fish, to the spectacular drop offs, which can almost
guarantee sightings of sharks, mentas, eagle rays, tuna etc.
etc. The reason for these largely unspoiled sites is quite
simply, there is only one dive centre at Safaga, and therefore
the reefs have suffered far less abuse than the sites further
north.
Our
main interest is underwater photography, and although there
were no disastrous drawbacks, things are not quite as implied
in the brochure. A great play is made of the overnight processing
facility, which at the time of our visit was simply not available.
Equipment rental is also fairly limited. However, the biggest
danger is the electricity supply! The Egyptians have the annoying
habit of turning the power supply off during the night, no
doubt assuming that it is not needed when people are sleeping'.
So you are well advised to check your charging in the morning
with a Voltmeter, and take a supply of alkaline batteries.
Apart from the normal equipment hiccups, the natural facilities
for photography are sensational, so take plenty of film (which
incidentally can be stored in a refrigerator at the dive centre).
So
all should be set for a near perfect diving holiday, but bewarel
We booked a week's package through Sub Explorers / Explorers
Ltd, only to find that the company had failed to pay its bills
with the hotel, and had cancelled all cheques presented by
the hotel. Unpleasant arguments between us and the,owner of
the hotel ensued, and resulted in us paying for the accomodation
a second time. This incident is still now dragging on, and
we have been forced to take proceedings against Herbert Sylge
of Sub Explorers to retrieve our initial payment. Despite
several assurances that a cheque had been posted, nothing
has materialised, and frankly I find that sort of behaviour
unscrupulous. So the moral is to choose your agent very carefully,
or make your own arrangements, as an incident of this sort
can severely mar a potentially perfect holiday.
Should
anyone require further information on diving at Safaga, please
do not hesitate to contact me. Mark Webster, PHOTEC, 13 Clifton
Terrace, Falmouth, Cornwall. TRII 3QQ. Tel. 0326 318307
Reproduced
from in focus 9
(April 1985).
with kind permission of Mark Webster (http://www.photec.co.uk/)
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