TRAVELSPECIAL
Cath Lee photographs the Barge at Gubal Island
We hired the whole boat and , of the original fourteen divers , a mixed bunch of 13 eventually made the trip . This gave us six buddy pairs , allowing me the opportunity to spend time with different pairs on different days . With age ranges from early twenties to 75 , the group was made up of divers from all walks of life – nuclear industry to gardening , Instructors to Sports Divers and photographers to rusty metal enthusiasts ; conversation between dives was never going to stall .
Arriving at 01.00 at Hurghada airport , we spent the first night in a hotel and the next morning , I was asked what I thought of the hotel . Apparently , a few were concerned about the spartan room furnishings . My mind flashed back to the early 80s and my first trip to Hurghada when there was just one ‘ hotel ’, the Bar Abu Nuhas . I recall returning to my room after a fly blown breakfast to discover it ( and my luggage ) was now occupied by a large group of Tuareg tribesmen , all looking a bit annoyed at being disturbed . On complaining to the manager , I was told I only had the room at night time . On that basis , our 2022 hotel was luxurious .
In their own lunchtime
Tassled scorpionfish at Sha ’ ab al Ruhan
Danny Roberts at Umm Gamar
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