Egypt ’ s Deep South
A desert dream
Baby white-tip reef sharks huddle under the reef , Marsa Nakari South
Award-winning photographer Alex Tattersall heeds the call of Egypt ’ s southern shores , diving into a world of colour and clarity
Egypt … the name alone conjures up exoticism and intrigue , a history and culture as rich as time . As divers , we get to see the very best this ancient place has to offer , both above and below the waves . From the welcoming smiles of her many peoples , the lure and temptation of her local foods and spices , to the wealth of sensory experiences and the unforgettable wildlife interactions , all awaiting in the jewel in her crown , the glorious Red Sea .
Egypt and the Red Sea are an addiction for me and countless others like me , and with the reopening of international travel , the window to return and feel the wonder she has to offer has opened up again .
That said , I had to work a little harder to get there this year . For my most recent trip , I was booked on an EasyJet flight to Hurghada in order to visit the Marsa Alam area , but our flights were cancelled just a few days before our departure . Lydia at Oonasdivers jumped straight on it and rearranged our flights with Turkish Airlines . Despite initial reservations , I was very glad she did . The flights were comfy , the staff were friendly , the food ( and booze ) on the flights was free and delicious ( plus a free hold bag for dive equipment !) and the new international terminal at Istanbul airport was a treat to behold . Suffice to say , I will be travelling Turkish Airlines in future , with a mini-stay stop off to explore the wonders of Istanbul when the lure of the Egyptian Red Sea inevitably comes calling again .
My hosts for this trip were Red Sea Diving Safari , a well-established ( since 1990 ) outfit offering three very contrasting land-based resort / dive experiences in three of the prime locations in the Southern Red Sea . The initial concept of the resorts was the eco-village ; camping in the desert with easy access to many of the best sites the area has to offer . I should mention that there are also many liveaboard itineraries
50 available for the voracious diver ; they come with their own benefits and a different experience to that of being land-based .
The first resort , Marsa Shagra , is located several kilometres north of Marsa Alam town and is now a well-developed complex offering accommodation from the rustic tent experience up to the newly built luxury chalets catering for the most demanding of tourists , both local and international . The house reef invites you into a white sand bay ( marsa in Arabic ) with an expanse of fringing reef providing rich diversity for both novice and advanced divers alike . You can enter the water from the shoreline and swim back to shore at the end of your dive , or you can take a zodiac out to explore the three kilometres of vibrant , fringing coral reef .
Underwater photographers can delight in encounters with both the small and wonderful ( nudibranchs , blennies , scorpionfish …) and the large and impressive ( turtles , white tip reef sharks , huge moray eels …). Don ’ t miss a night dive on the house reef , you may be greeted