Buddy team on the Giannis D
The afternoon held a treat , as the bottlenose dolphins seen earlier in the day returned in time for some post-dive opportunistic snorkels . While they didn ’ t hang around for long , they gave everyone a good show and we left the area with that glow of inspiration that only dolphins can provide .
Conditions continued to favour us as the Explorer crossed the Strait of Gubal , heading for the tip of the Sinai Peninsula and the reef at Ras Mohammed . The group experienced a unifying moment as we lined up together at Shark Reef , the deck hands urging us onwards and downwards with spirited cries of ‘ yallah ’.
The current pushed us gently towards the break between Shark and Yolanda , twin reefs at the southern extreme of the Sinai . A school of 30 batfish cut a route between the divers , while down on the reef clouds of anthias basslets billowed around a golden acre of fire coral . Pure Red Sea .
The momentum of our itinerary demanded perpetual motion , so we set off for the Kingston , one of the oldest wrecks in the Red Sea , having met her fate at Shag Rock in 1881 . We were exploring the wreck sedately when there came an insistent rattle of a shaker , arguably the most annoying sound in the underwater world . Following the racket to its source , I arrived just in time to see a pod of 25 dolphins disappearing out of sight ... Aaargh !
My luck hadn ’ t improved when , 15 minutes later , three of the dolphins doubled back and swam overhead at high speed , defecating richly as they passed .
Dolphins at Abu Nuhas
The Kingston ’ s curvaceous stern
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