THE DIVE into Moray Garden |
Text and photography
by David Oldale |
After kitting-up on the blankets laid out by dive guides and drivers (to stop the ingress of sand into dive equipment) we, as a large group were then divided into three smaller parties. One was to go snorkelling whilst the first of the diving parties were to dive north to Golden Blocks with the last, diving south towards Three Pools (my group). As previously throughout all dives, my dive guide was Anwar – we had a system, as he led the party of buddied divers on the dive, I on the other hand would cruise around the group taking pictures. Come near the end of the dive I would stay longer in the shallows close to the exit point to hopefully capture some nice marine-life pictures. Anwar would then wait – to assist my exit over the rocks, upon which I had the regular misfortune – to lose my footing!
This was my first trip in which I had gone thoroughly digital by purchasing Sea & Sea’s new DX-1G Camera. But, my ideal system was not as yet complete – the external strobe (flash) was missing by virtue of me not being able to afford it – at the time! The week had passed far too quickly with the diving and trip being absolutely first-class, all due to the excellent organisation by On The Go Tours and the Orca Dive Centre. And, I hadn’t dived at same dive site more than once – I was getting to know the area, which was helped by having with me the Book ‘Sinai Diving Guide’ by Alberto Silliotti (ISBN 88-87177-65-1) that I had purchased 2 years before in Sharm el Sheikh.
I followed our group through the channel and down into 20-metres all the time keeping the beach to our right. We cruised areas of sand and sparse outcrops of seagrass out-of which vast coral heads consisting of the most vivid colours burst forth. Each of these coral heads supported their own eco-system of fish-life – from the colourful Clownfish (Nemos) to Angels, Butterflyfish, Unicornfish, Dominofish, Parrotfish, Blue Triggers, Fusiliers, Trevally and the odd Moray. Anwar was pointing – indicting a small Pepperpot Moray slithering between the branches of an outcrop of Fire Coral. I attempted a shot or two but the result was less than satisfactory – so I depressed the camera’s delete button! Thirty-eight minutes in the water and I was down to 120bar; I knew some of our group were down to 60/70 bar – as Anwar carried out an air check with all the divers. The dive was approaching the time when I could get really busy with the camera – the time when I wouldn’t have to follow the group – the time when I could home in on one particular coral-head and just hover around, whiling away the remaining minutes in about 3 to 6-metres seemingly as one with the fish around and within the corals. As Anwar oversaw the remainder of the group safely out of the water – to trundle up the beach he then dropped back to 2-metres to await my return from some 30-metres away – I was always within his line of sight. At that particular moment I had found a very promising looking coral outcrop that extended up from the sand at 7-metres to within a metre of the surface. Perhaps it wasn’t so much of a coral-outcrop than a pinnacle of rock covered in a magnificence of coral varieties from Whip to Red gorgonians, Brain, Salad, Broccoli, Organ-pipe, Fire, Mushroom, Grape and Porites, and then there were more – many more! Rising from just above the sand I spied a magnificent Lionfish resting, its head pointed towards the surface. I just wanted the Lionfish to stay briefly in its position for long enough for me to capture it on the camera’s memory-card before its expected departure to within the hollows and darkness of the inner recesses of this great pillar of corals.
I still had plenty of air (100bar plus), there was no way that I was to exit – just yet; Anwar would have to wait. I rounded the coral-pinnacle in search of pastures new. Something unusual looked up at me from a sand hollow at the base of the reef – it was large and well camouflaged. I had never seen a creature ‘the like of’ in all my years of diving! I bled air from my BCD and sunk gently to the sand in front of what could only be a Crocodilefish – its name describing exactly what it resembled. Could it be easily spooked, was it dangerous? I didn’t know at the time! But what I did know was that I was less than half a metre from its large mouth, and that I got one or two reasonable pictures before it decided that enough was enough – for it to rise slowly and glide to another less-busy location – I moved on!
In a depth of 3-metres and close to my point of exit showed a flat-plateau of coral encrusted rock, the base of which was cut well-back to reveal a large area that was in shadow from the overhang above. This shadowed area looked an ideal spot for any large predator to hide-up, awaiting the arrival of an unsuspecting prey. I settled once again to the sand to survey the scene, allowing time for my eyes to become accustomed to the darkness of the area under the overhang. It wasn’t so much of a movement that caught my eye – it was a feint outline of an oval shape just beneath the sand. At one end of the outline two eyes watched my every move – as I watched them they in turn were watching me – in a seemingly cat and mouse game!
I exited the water to Anwar’s outstretched helping-hand but still I slipped as a rock moved beneath my feet – I was glad that it was only my leg that was bruised and not the camera. I dumped my kit on the blanket and changed my cylinder before joining one and all in the Bedouin restaurant. A bowl of chicken soup and fresh bread to be followed by my all time favourite – eggs and chips with plenty of ice-cold bottled water – it was hot even in mid-February! I lay flat-out on the sumptuous cushions to relax – as it was time to enjoy the ‘surface interval’ before the next dive. After changing into our dive kit we departed on the jeeps to a site known as Three Pools which is situated about 300-metres south of Moray Garden. Entry is made over the sandy beach then rocks to a shallow sandy pool (the first of three). Each pool has access to the next by means of a connecting channel that in turn eventually gives access to the open sea and coral gardens. This was another very pretty dive over pristine multicoloured corals. Whilst the plentiful marine-life was varied and colourful I did notice that there was none of the big stuff out and about, that was until we came off the reef and down onto a sandy area that separated two areas of the coral garden. I spotted it first even though the main of our group was just ahead of me! An absolutely massive Pufferfish was resting on the sand just before the base of the second coral garden. Whilst it could not be said that I barged my way through the group to get in first with the camera, I must admit that I was on this occasion slightly forceful in asserting a prime position to obtain some reasonable pictures. The Pufferfish moved at a snails pace over the sand, in fact I considered that its body was so large in comparison to the size of its fins – meant, it probably couldn’t move with any speed whatsoever – definitely a prime candidate for Weightwatchers. Whilst I was disappointed that the Pufferfish did not move up into mid-water thus allowing me to get some special pictures, nonetheless I managed one or two shots before the group destroyed the viz too much by kicking up the sand!
As the sun started to settle low in the sky we journeyed back towards the Orca Dive Centre in Dahab. After washing my kit and hanging it up to dry in the shade I joined dive centre owner Wael in the office and chatted about the day’s diving over a mug of tea – quite refreshing! That evening back at the Tropitel Dahab Oasis Hotel I was joined in the bar by Wael who had been extolling the virtues of diving in the Dahab area to a party of eight tourists who had just arrived with On The Go Tours after spending a week cruising the Nile and doing all the sights. And now, after being informed about the great diving available around Dahab – they would be out the following morning to sample it first hand for themselves! In Summary: - This was a great trip and one always to be remembered. On The Go Tours by teaming up with IAH Ltd have created an excellent package to the cream location of the Egyptian Riviera. On The Go Tours and IAH Ltd offer a 1 week, year round special offer diving trip for £245 to Egypt (subject to a very small surcharge at Bank and School Holiday times). On a personal note I must say that the trip to Dahab, Egypt to include 10 dives, transfers and a great hotel represents the best value-for-money trip of all – and will be exceptionally popular! Flights to all these locations can be obtained on the Internet at silly prices or – just contact On The Go Tours/IAH Ltd who will be more than happy to arrange them for you! As stated in the TEXT – I stayed at the 4 star Tropitel Dahab Oasis Hotel (in a quiet location out of Dahab on the road to the Blue Hole). There is a possibility that subject to the Hotel Tropitel being fully booked, accommodation will be provided at the 3 star Oricana Hotel (which is administered by the Orca Dive Centre) in Dahab (some ten-minutes walk from the Dive Centre). The Oricana boasts fully air-conditioned rooms and a new pool with swim-up bar. Although I saw the Oricana from the outside (it looked great) – I did not inspect the rooms or facilities – does that mean I have to re-visit – definitely! Travel Information:- Our Editors trip was organised by On The Go Tours Tel: 0207 371 1113 Flights: Diving: Orca Dive Centre., Tel: 0020 693 640020 website: www.orcadivecentre.com Visa Requirements: For entry into Egypt through Sharm el Sheikh Airport and diving only in the Dahab area no Visa is required other than the completion of the landing card upon arrival. Editors Note: It has been my experience in the past (with regard to holidays) that ‘you get what you pay for’ with the occasional exception – that last minute bargain! The trip as tried above by me can only be described as an exception to this rule – a bargain basement deal run by two well renowned, caring tour operators with a great back-up service who put their customers needs FIRST. I would re-do this trip tomorrow if it was offered! Special Thanks: To Megan and Egyptian Reps at On The Go Tours; Tom at IAH Ltd; Wael, Anwar, Towfik, all staff including Tom (the Australian Kiwi) at the Orca Dive Centre; plus all at the Tropitel Dahab Oasis Hotel. |
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From El-Qura Bay, Dahab the three jeeps travelled south following the coastal ‘road’ (a sun-baked, hardened-track) for some 7 miles to just past the Happy Life Village tourist hotel. The dive site known as Moray Garden or Sharks Cave is accessed in front of a small Bedouin restaurant called Wadi Qnai. Lying within the gentle curving bay the dive sites within this area are somewhat sheltered from the early-season north winds that can give rise to a choppy sea at Dahab’s more northerly dive locations. There was no doubt as to the remoteness of this location as the vista was made up of rolling desert sand hills, a flat area of gritty-sand beach which seemingly extended for ever and a sparkling deep-blue calm sea, in whose shallows showed the encroaching coral reef. I was amazed that a tourist hotel could be built in such a location – there really was nothing else around except for the odd small Bedouin restaurant – that were there, to cater mainly for divers and passing walkers.
I entered the calm waters of the Red Sea over the slippery and loose small rocks and boulders – carefully, as it was so easy to slip and fall heavily, laden down with dive kit. Waist-deep in the water I slipped on my Force-Fins – great in zero-current but pretty damn useless when there was! I peered down through the crystal clear water to the sandy area beneath my feet; to two sides the coral covered rocks rose from the white crystalline sand to the surface. Ahead – a channel carved its way through the reef into deeper water. All around, myriads of multicoloured reef fish went about their way of life – taking little notice of our group until, one just happened to approach too-close with a readied camera in hand – that would bring about a very quick disappearance act! 
I should have remembered that all too famous saying – ‘expect the unexpected’ as the large Lionfish turned from the coral-pinnacle to face – me! Okay I thought, bloody great! Now I will get some nice pictures and there was no-hurry – I could take my time (Lionfish dependent)! I bled a little air from my BCD thus allowing a very slow descent, as I needed to get just below my quarry, allowing sunlight to penetrate down from the surface into the top-left-hand side of the photo(s). Now this Lionfish was either a poser or it fancied me like hell – as it was coming down at me big time with my fingers being some 75mm away from its now well-extended outstretched spines. I backed off some more and then more as it continued to want a very close encounter. I now was kneeling on the sand and still it was coming at me as picture after picture was recorded. At the point when I was flat out on my back on the sand and the Lionfish still wanting to back me off even more – I decided that one of us would have to concede – to dive another day. On this occasion that one would have to be me – by turning on to my right-hand-side and gently finning away. WOW, what an experience, and what pictures I considered, as I viewed them on the camera’s LCD screen. 
Drastic action was called for if there was any form of hope that I could get a picture of the large ray that felt safe in the knowledge that there was no hope of me getting much closer. I flattened myself well-down into the sand which gave me room to slither perhaps another metre further-in. By extending my arms forward with the camera to hand I had closed the gap in-all by a metre and a half – but still there was a distance of 2-metres from the camera lens to the ray’s head. I pressed the shutter release that in turn activated the internal flash; it was enough – as spooked by the brilliant flash of light the Blue-spotted Ray rose from its light covering of sand to exit from what had been a safe haven to land – in the open about a metres distance from my right hand side. I readjusted the camera settings, focussed and activated the shutter: another reasonable shot in the bag! 
In the reef shallows and back into the Three Pools the variety and quantity of fish life had taken on the air of being incredible, but I have to say that this was quite a normal occurrence in the Red Sea! With no coral pinnacles to explore near the end of the dive I exited the water with my companions – it had been a remarkable day’s diving.