We heard that the reefs in the Red Sea were awesome and we weren’t disappointed. We met our group at the Dive Center where we picked up our snorkeling fins and mask. About a third of our group went diving. We walked out to a very long pier to board the boat. The tide was out, so there was no water near the beach for about a half a kilometer.
The boat has two levels and was comfortable as we made our way to the first reef site. The temperature was in the mid-90’s and the water was supposed to be 30-32 C or 86-88 F. When we jumped in, it felt cooler than that but quickly, it felt comfortable.
The reefs here, unlike at Australia’s Barrier Reef, were huge, with colors ranging from a yellow-green to dark green to brilliant blue. And, there were thousands of fish to see. Most were small but some about 6” long. We saw schools of pencil fish (they look like thin eels), striped sargent-major fish, fluorescent colored fish, and some gorgeous blue fish. The water was choppy but once our faces were under the waves, it was calm.
There was a photographer to document our adventure, taking stills and videos. Truthfully, with a mask on, you couldn’t tell if it was us or someone else. We opted to not buy the package of shots, although many did.
Time for lunch onboard. The food was pretty standard fare, consisting of pasta, potatoes, kofta, chicken wings, and salads. We then moved to relax on one of the nearby islands. I fell asleep instantly. The name of the area on the island where we landed was called… are you ready?… Magawish! Too funny!
Next, we moved onto a different site to snorkel. It was equally amazing. The reefs almost reached to the surface of the water, with canyons in between, where we could swim through. More fish to see.
Time to return to the resort to take a shower and return our hair to a normal texture instead of feeling like straw. That is what the wind and water do to your hair. But, i was worth it.
Dinner, then bed!