이집트 홍해가 다이버들에게 “3대 메카”로 불리는 지 아시나요?

[jin & nicetrip]

홍해  Red Sea

이집트 홍해가 다이버들에게 “3대 메카”로 불리는 지 아시나요?

세상에서 가장 아름다운 바다 속 풍광을 지닌 홍해는 스킨스쿠버와 스노클링 등 해양 스포츠로 유명한 곳으로 매년 세계에서 전세기를 타고 몰려든답니다. 1년내내 따뜻한 수온을 가진 홍해는 바닷속 산호 등의 색이 태양빛에 산란하여 붉게 보인다고 하네요.

“샴 엘 쉐이크”, “다합”, “후루가다” 등의 낯설은 이름의 도시들이 홍해의 주요 다이빙 포인트로 출발하는 도시이며, 이곳에선 많은 다이빙 전문 샾과 전문 가이드들이 있어 장비 대여도 가능하고, 스킨스쿠버 강습과 자격증을 취득할 수 있답니다.

바다로 나가 몇 일 동안 보트에 머물면서 다이빙을 즐길 수 있는 프로그램들이 일반적이랍니다.

사막으로 유명한 이집트에 홍해는 해상국립공원으로 지정된 곳이며 그냥 지나칠 수 없는 여행지입니다.

홍해의 유명한 리조트 단지

홍해에서 가장 유명한 “샴 엘 쉐이크”에는 쉐라톤, 힐튼, 모벤픽 등 세계적인 리조트 체인이 많이 있고, 이곳은 서방 선진국 정상모임인 G7 정상회담 장소로 이용될 만큼 유명한 장소일 뿐만 아니라 프랑스 사르코지 대통령이나 헐리웃 유명 연애인들이 휴가를 즐기는 곳으로도 잘 알려져 있죠.

유럽의 휴양지 같은 느낌이 드는 이곳들의 리조트 단지에선 각종 위락시설 뿐만 아니라 골프장을 보유하고 있어 편안하게 골프를 즐길 수 있답니다.

또한 이 주변에는 밤늦은 시간에도 불야성을 이루는 노천카페와 쇼핑타운들이 형성되어 있어 나이트라이프를 즐길 수 있는 유일한 곳이기도 합니다.

단, 이집트이지만 이곳들은 유럽의 높은 물가와 동일하며 유로화가 일반적으로 통용되고 있죠.

주의> 홍해에선 성희롱을 조심하자.

홍해 휴양지에 있다 보면 자연스럽게 수영복 차림에 노출이 있기 마련이죠. 일반적으로 생각해보면 이슬람이라서 엄격할 것 같지만, 의외로 이집트 남자들(이른 아이 상관없이)의 외국 관광객, 특히나 수영복을 입은 여자관광객에 대한 무차별적인 성희롱과 “아님 장난이구” 식의 들이댐(?)은 장소를 가리지 않습니다. 특히 부자라고 생각하는 일본여자와 한국여자를 대상으로 한 많은 사건들이 발생한다는 점도..

“항상 본인의 안전은 본인 스스로 지켜야 한다는 것은 진리라는 사실! 절대 잊지 맙시다!”

<홍해의 도시별 다이빙관련 Shop들>

Sharm El Sheikh

Far Garden

Dates: Dec 15/1995

Depth: 25m

Location: Boat dive

Description: Started at a cave full of millions of small fish. We dove along a wall and back again to the cave. The wall supposedly drops to 50m but the corals and caves are within the first 5 to 15m. Saw a giant sea fan and a huge turtle.

The Lighthouse

Dates: Dec 18/1995

Depth: 20m

Location: The lighthouse at the north end of Ras Um Sid, south of the Tower. Accessible by car.

Description: Coral wall.

Near Garden

Dates: Dec 16/1995

Depth: 28m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This is a beautiful area with many giant sea fans.

Ras Kati

Dates: Sep 27/1996

Depth: 10m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We did this as a night dive following a shallow wall and returning the way we came. There were 3 or 4 boats at the site when we arrived and I'm sure much coral got damaged by the many divers getting knocked into the coral by the very strong current. A pretty enough site but a depressing situation.

Ras Um Sid

Dates: Oct 26/1997, Apr 15/1998, July 23/1998

Depth: 9m

Location: Accessible by car or boat

Description: A table reef and a wall descending to 50m. The usual beautiful corals and fish of Sinai. Did this as a night dive from a boat. It's a great place for a night dive as the night colors are really beautiful here.

Also dived here in the day where we went a little deeper and had a huge Napoleon swim with us part way.

The Temple

Dates: Sep 27/1996, Oct 10/1997, Apr 15/1998 (twice), Sep 4/1998, Sep 6/1998

Depth: 20m

Location: Near Ras Um Sid

Description: The temple is three coral pillars standing next to one another in an area with a sandy bottom. Nearby is a large area of coral and it is possible to continue to Ras Um Sid. We saw a Spanish dancer here during a night dive but it's not a particularly nice place for a night dive. It's not all that nice for a day dive either but it's an easy spot to go with beginners or for check dives.

Tiger Bay

Dates: Dec 16/1995

Depth: 25m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This dive features coral pillars. One was especially beautiful with tubes and giant fans.

The Tower

Dates: Dec 18/1995, Sep 29/1996, Dec 22/1999

Depth: 15-40m

Location: Accessible by boat or from the beach

Description: When we did this off the boat, we started facing the beach by following a wall to the right. There was a lot of garbage floating about in the water -- something we hadn't seen before in Sinai. The spectacular fish in the area made up for our initial disappointment at the dirt in the area.

White Knight Reef

Dates: Sep 27/1996

Depth: 22m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This site features a canyon. We started near the shore and went down through a cave at about 14m. Then we dove along the length of the canyon at different levels. We found the best fish life to be within the first 8m of the surface though we saw a sea turtle a bit deeper down. Robert says there's a sandy floor with eels here.

Tiran

Gordon Reef

Dates: Sep 28/1996

Depth: 12m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We did this as a "twilight to night" dive and kept shallow by staying on top of the reef table. Robert comments that the plateau was rich in coral varieties but we didn't see many fish.

Jackson Reef

Dates: Sep 28/1996

Depth: 30m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We dove east against the current along a wall then returned with the current at a shallower depth.

South Lagoon

Dates: Sep 29/1996

Depth: 20m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We did this as a drift dive, diving with the current along a wall to a point where the current changed direction. Here we continued against the current. There were gorgonians in the area. And though visibility was not great at the start, it improved as we went.

Thomas Reef

Dates: Sep 29/1996

Depth: 25m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This is a beautiful spot with great visibility. We dove along a sloping wall and back. Deep below us was a canyon where we could just make out leopard and white-tip reef sharks.

Woodhouse Reef

Dates: Sep 28/1996

Depth: 20m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We did a drift dive along the east side of Woodhouse Reef and had the adventure of having our boat fall apart as it tried to collect us at the end of the dive.

Ras Muhammed

Fisherman's Bank (Jackfish Alley)

Dates: Oct 24/1997, Apr 18/1998, Sep 4/1998, Dec 25/1999

Depth: 16m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We did this as a drift dive heading south along a wall starting not far from a pair of small caves you can swim through. We start the dive at a steep wall but immediately around the corner the wall becomes a slope going down to a sandy bottom. The first cave was between 5 and 8m and the second deeper. There are a lot of caves to explore on the way and the huge jackfish give the place its name.

The Quay

Dates: Oct 24/1997, Apr 17/1998 (twice) , Sep 6/1998, Dec 25/1999

Depth: 16m

Location: Boat dive

Description: The quay is a coral wall interrupted by hot springs which pour clouds of warm water and sand into your path. We did this first as a night dive along the wall and back to the boat. We saw our first flashlight fish here, and once saw a spotted eagle ray. The second time we dove here we did both a night dive and a day dive. At night it seems you are in a twisty coral maze due to the limited visibility and the path the wall follows. During a day dive your visual field opens up and you can experience the reef differently.

The diving here is nicer away from the hot spring area since the visability there isn't as good and there are even patches of garbage.

Ras Gozlani

Dates: Oct 27/1997, Sep 7/1998

Depth: 18m

Location: Boat dive in Marsa Bureka just opposite Ras Za'atir

Description: This dive has a coral wall going straight down to about 8m and then sloping to 12 to 20m before reaching the sandy bottom. There's one particularly nice coral formation protruding from the sea bed with a lot of glassfish. On the last dive here, we saw a huge brown stingray and a turtle.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef (and Anemone City)

Dates: Oct 27/1997, Apr 18/1998 (twice), Sep 7 (twice), Dec 25/1999

Depth: 29m

Location: We did it as a boat dive though its also accessible by car.

Description: Shark reef is a spectacular spot with a very deep vertical wall. Looking away from the wall, you can often sea large open-water fish. In the past, a lot of sharks came here, but we only saw barracuda and jackfish out in the open.

The currents here can be very strong and are always changing direction though we once dove here with no current at all. North of Shark reef is Anemone city. We sometimes start the dive there and cross the blue to Shark reef. If you continue along the n orth side of Shark reef, you come to a sandy-bottomed saddle between Shark reef and Yolanda reef where you'll find what's left of the wreck of the Yolanda - her cargo of toilets and sinks. If you don't want to see a bunch of broken toilets, follow the south side of Shark reef instead. Depending on the currents you can circle the reef or continue on and explore the Yolanda reef.

Yolanda reef doesn't descend nearly as far as Shark reef and we found visibility to be poorer but this may depend on your currents. And while Shark reef is covered with purple soft corals, Yolanda's soft corals are a golden color. Both reefs are beauti ful with tons of fish of all sizes. Once we saw an eagle ray here (maybe the same one who was at the Quay the day before) and once we witnessed a huge grouper cough up a pretty blue and yellow trunkfish who just swam off unharmed.

Ras Za'atir

Dates: Oct 27/1997

Depth: 17m

Location: Boat dive in Marsa Bureka just opposite Ras Gozlani

Description: We started this dive on the south side of the peninsula and followed a wall to a corner where there was a very strong current against us. Passing through the current, we headed west along a wall. The area has many sea fans and the many caves in the walls were full of glassfish. Just before finishing up the dive, we came across a turtle.

Strait of Gubal

Bluff Point

Dates: Oct 25/1997

Depth: 14m

Location: Boat dive at Little Gubal Island

Description: Followed a wall until we got to a very strong current and then turned around and headed the opposite direction. The area is rich in fishes including glassfish and at least one huge moray.

Sha'ab Abu Nuhas

Dates: Oct 25/1997 (twice)

Depth: 26m

Location: Boat dive

Description: There are several boats wrecked here. We did one dive starting from the wreck of the Chrisoula K, a Greek cargo ship sunk in 1981. We started the dive at the bow and headed towards the stern and then continued on following the reef until we came to another wreck. Later we did another dive here starting at the Giannis D (sunk in 1983). The ship is broken in two and the aft lies at an angle. The ship is quite large with many rooms and passageways to explore, some inhabited by lionfish or glassfish. We headed towards the bow and followed the anchor chains up the reef to the anchors. Continuing along the reef, we eventually came to the wreck of the Carnatic but didn't descend to it.

Sha'ab Mahmud

The Alternatives

Dates: Sep 4/1998 (twice), Dec 22/1999

Depth: 12m

Location: Boat dive west of Ras Muhammed

Description: The Alternatives are a group of small reefs going down to about 12 to 20m to a sandy bottom. Dove here both during the day and night but didn't have very good visibility so wasn't very impressed with the place. The area has more crown-of-thorns starfish than any place we've ever dove. It could also be the destruction they've caused that made the place not live up to its reputation.

The Dunraven and Becon Rock

Dates: Apr 17/1998, Sep 6/1998, Dec 24/1999

Depth: 30m

Location: Boat dive

Description: The Dunraven lies on the sandy bottom upside down at an angle of almost 90 degrees to the reef. The first time we dove here, we started the dive by entering an opening in the wreck on the left side (while facing the reef) about 2/3 of the way along the wreck (closer to the deeper stern end of the wreck) and swimming towards the broken up middle. We then followed the wreck towards the reef and turned right to continue the dive along the reef.

The second time Michal did this dive, she started at the bow of the boat which is at a shallower depth than the stern. She went inside through clouds of glassfish, had a look at the boiler, and continued on towards the stern to see the propeller. She t hen continued the dive with the reef to her left (against the current though this is unusual as the current is usually in the opposite direction here). After finishing the dive she was towed back to the boat by a zodiac where she found 2 Napoleans waiting to swim with her. One was huge - maybe 5m long - while the other was much smaller. She spent 5 minutes just swimming around in circles with them enjoying their company.

The second time Guy did this dive, he skipped the Dunraven altogether and just enjoyed the reef.

The Lonely Mushroom

Dates: Dec 24/1999 (twice)

Depth: 15m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We dove this only at night so we can't go into detail here but what we saw consisted of a reef dropping to a sandy bottom at 15m. From where our boat was anchored, there were two places we could dive but the first place we went to was so beautiful (heaps of dendrophilia and purple soft coral) that we did the second night dive there as well.

The Small Passage (Small Crack)

Dates: Apr 17/1998, Sep 5/1998, Sep 6/1998, Dec 23/1999 (twice)

Depth: 14.6m

Location: Boat dive

Description: The small passage is an opening in the reef with a sandy bottom at about 7m. At one end of the passage you have a reef sloping down to about 20m. At the other end you have a sandy lagoon about 10m deep. If currents allow, you can start the dive on one side of the reef and follow the passage to the other.

On one occasion we dove only the outside reef. Another time, for a night dive, we dove inside the lagoon. And once, we dove from the outside and through the passage to the lagoon. The dive is quite beautiful especially the passage itself which is quite shallow and is full of colorful sponges, soft corals and lots of fish. On the outside reef there are many sea fans and we've seen morays and turtles here.

Sha'ab Ali

Sha'ab Ali Lagoon

Dates: Apr 16/1998

Depth: 3m

Location: Boat dive

Description: We stopped for the night in a sheltered lagoon in Sha'ab Ali and decided to night dive there. Mostly sandy bottom which makes the odd coral or fish more exciting.

Sha'ab Surur (Nacsh)

Dates: Oct 26/1997 (twice), Sep 5/1998, Dec 24/1999

Depth: 165m

Location: Boat dive west of Sha'ab Mahmud

Description: This is a gently sloping reef, rich in different corals and with enough of a current that we did it as a drift dive. The area has many hard corals and a small pillar covered with soft corals and surrounded by glassfish.

Shag Rock

Dates: Oct 26/1997, Apr 16/1998, Sep 5/1998

Depth: 154m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This is a sloping reef with many table corals and sponges and lots of fish. The first time we dove here, we started the dive at the wreck of the Sarah H, a fairly small ship. There was a strong current in this area so we didn't stay long on the wreck but went on to explore the reef where we found many big fish at the shallower depths.

The second time we dove this site we went the other direction (with the reef to our left) starting a little bit before the wreck and going with the strong current after passing the wreck. This was an effortless dive since we just let the current take us with the reef. We saw two turtles and two moray eels on this dive.

On yet another dive here, because of the currents, we skipped the Sarah H altogether and just enjoyed the natural sites. Whichever direction we go, we've always done this as a drift dive.

Thistlegorm

Dates: Oct 26/1997, Apr 16/1998 (twice), Sep 9/1998, Dec 12/1999 (twice)

Depth: 24.9m

Location: Boat dive

Description: This is a huge British ship sunk in WWII and containing cars, motorcycles, train cars, trucks, boots, weapons and ammunition. Around the bow we saw many colorful fish.

Check out these links for more information about the Thistlegorm:

홍해 여행 상품은 http://egypt.nicetrip.co.kr