Ras Ghozlani (Ras Mohamed National Park)

Shark / Yolande

Dunraven

Reef nr Dunraven

Rosalie Muller

1/2

Barge

Night Dive with Caroline.

Ulysses

Barge (Gubal)

Chrisoula K

Giannis D

Day/Night

Kimon M

Zodiac again through reef to the Kimon M, also known as the 'Lentil Wreck'. One of the biggest we dived I think; a fairly modern wreck - built in 1952, and ran aground here 1975.

Impressive hull, stern section (prop and vanes). Pipefish on the hull. Up and around bridge, where we saw a big napoleon wrasse. Went around the upper decks (some nice purple soft corals), getting into deco so kept shallow. Very little current. Had a look at the reef on ascent. Left the reef for final ascent on blob.

Carnatic

Zodiac ride out though gap in reef. Splashing in was a bundle and there were a few knocks, though everyone did roll off at the same time. On the bottom it was a little dark and melancholic (still early in the day) but a great wreck.

Little striped partner gobies (they live with a prawn) in the sand near the stern. We went up through wreck, though not much to see within; then over the big gap between the stern and bow sections, and over the bow. Good views over the hull and we stood off the bows and I took a few pictures. Very pleasant dive; safety stop over the wreck passed quickly, current almost nil.

Sh'ab Abu Nahas

Surperb night dive. Off back of Typhoon with Adrian and down to reef. Against slight current with reef on left shoulder. Could see the lights of the other buddy pairs for a short while but we soon dispersed. I had my small UK torch and mini UK torch strapped to strobe as a modelling light (this would be sufficient).

Wildlife included large basket stars, brittle stars, sea urchins, thorny starfish, red blotchy starfish, various sea cucumbers and a brilliant spanish dancer. Tiny pink coral crabs and a striped prawn. Stonefish, rabbitfish. A tiny cuttlefish, and my first cone shell!

Good moonlight views up the coral reef. Started back after 25 minutes but drifted back in 10 and had time to potter around a bit more. For taking pictures much easier swimming into current.

Kingston

Shortly arrived at Shag Rock, and after lunch I went for a snorkel around the Kingston. Wore rash vest and hood to keep sun off - and could have used a few kilo's of lead. Had a good look at the layout, found the spare propeller, boilers, mast and crows nest easily enough.

Then in the afternoon we dived it. Nice relaxed dive. Adrian and me jumped off back of Typhoon and went straight down to the stern (attractive stern counter) and propeller. Then swam alongside and then back through holds. Out from wreck on starboard side to swim along the reef. There is a lone propeller that side - though higher on the reef. Anyway Adrian had stopped to investigate a very large rectangular block, and while he was looking at that, I spotted a turtle swimming in our direction, and Mike further up. I got Adrian and we had a closer look. The turtle seemed oblivious to us as it munched on soft coral. We watched for a while (we thought better of grabbing it and riding it around - like the guy does in 'Silent World') then swam back to the wreck.

Kingston was shallow and picturesque, ideal for Mike's students to practice their new camera skills. Lots of interesting fish and nice coral. Red starfish with white dots.

Thistlegorm

Down to the explosion and out to the port side locomotive. Some current but not too bad. Into holds again and saw more of the cargo, including the wellies, and on the way out Lysander wings, and Beaufighter/Beaufort cowlings, coils of cable, rifles etc,..

Plenty of wildlife, batfish, lionfish, crocodilefish, cornetfish, yellow spotted boxfish and a blue spotted stingray. Also some delicate transparent jellyfish.

Went around fore-decks, rail-tanks. Saw Chris and Debs. Lots of divers later arrived in groups from the other liveaboards. [9 min @ 6m].

* * * * *

Current a lot stronger on the second dive. Went over starboard side to anchor chain and followed it, over reefy boulders and sandy patches, out to the anchor. On the starboard side we passed the second locomotive, and then veered back to the ship and up the side. Had a look round some more rooms and found the bathtub.

Dunraven (Sha'ab Mahmoud/Beacon Rock)

Check-out dive. Buddied with Adrian. Zodiac took us to the reef. Superb vis (20m+) and lovely warm blue water. Unicorn fish, butterfly fish, big-eye, painted wrasse; a blue spotted ray, pipefish, and moray. Ulli showed us prawns and nudibranch.

Very nice wreck, upturned hull very encrusted with coral and with lots of soft coral around the gap in the bow. Lots coral feeding. Descent over reef and swim along bottom alongside wreck to the stern. Swam around the propeller and rudder. Then over top and through forward section past boilers.

Re: kit. Weight fine, 10kg good guess with all new factors (would drop to 9kg). 2x12l (aluminium), 3mm long-john type suit and rash-vest. Long time since I'd used the long-johns; and realise now how easy they are to get in an out of!

Thistlegorm

With Ulli guiding (we didn't want to miss anything!) Adrian, Phil, Jake, and me went down the line from Typhoon to a spot behind bridge structure, then made our way down over the peeled back deck and tangle of the explosion - littered with shells and bits of truck. We swam towards the stern section and rounded upperdeck and gun platform. Stern very intact with rails etc. Looked around here a bit, and went back the way we came. Extremely large naval shells (but I missed the universal carriers).

Crossing back over the 'explosion' we entered the wreck, our route taking us past the Bedford trucks and motorbikes. Then up and around fore superstructure and rail tanks to the winches, bow, and anchor chain. About the bow, current was quite brisk and we made a rapid drift along the port side. Past the davits and just a little further along the deck to the shot. Excellent first dive on one of the most famous Red Sea wrecks!

* * * *

So, my first ever 'proper' night dive was to be the Thistlegorm! Buddied with Phil and Jake, we made our way down shot, and dropped into the fore hold. After a good look round here (below big truck) we swam up to bow. Scorpionfish (easier to see at night), crocodile fish, lionfish, yellow/blue spotted box fish, long-spined sea urchins, and an interesting shiny/'terracotta' crab. Lots other divers lights, and it got busier later. Far less currrent this time. Back on board greeted with hot chocolate!