When you think of Egypt as a travel destination, you may think of famous landmarks, such as the Sphinx, or the mightily towering pyramids that dot the desert. Perhaps you think about wonderful cuisine, or would love nothing better than the opportunity to peruse the marketplaces in search of trinkets and treasures to bring home with you.
Egypt has another dimension: The Red Sea is quickly becoming a diving destination, thanks to the profusion of marine life as well as the abundance of shipwrecks that litter the bottom of this reddish-colored sea.
Why Is This Body of Water Called The Red Sea? Diving Conditions and More
Many people wonder whether it is safe to dive in the Red Sea’s waters. The water is not red because of pollution, or because of anything unnatural. The body of water is so named because of the periodic algae blooms that occasionally tint the water red! That same reddish algae feeds and sustains the Red Sea’s marine life – which is absolutely amazing.
Divers enjoy the Red Sea year-round. During the warmer months, the air temperature can be as hot as 40 degrees Celsius, and the water can be as warm as 30 degrees. During cooler months, water can be as cool as 22 degrees Celsius, with outside temperatures falling to as low as 20 degrees Celsius. If you are used to cold temperatures, then even Egypt’s winter will seem balmy to you!
Marine Life in The Red Sea
The red sea, with its more than two hundred species of coral, over 1,000 invertebrate species, and more than 1,100 documented fish species, including an amazing 20% that are endemic to the Red Sea only, is very warm, has very little wave action, and offers astonishing visibility. You are likely to encounter beautiful soft and hard corals as well as feather stars and gorgonians, an abundance of macro life and small reef fish, and plenty of larger pelagic fish and mammals, including barracuda, rays, dolphins and sharks.
All these creatures live in and around the reefs, caves, plateaus, and sandy stretches that form the underwater paradise that is the Red Sea.
Red Sea Wreck Diving
Ships have plied the waters of the Red Sea since ancient times, and there are a wide variety of wrecks available to dive today. While the outer waters of this sea are too deep for diving, there are plenty of wrecks within recreational diving limits. Whether you are a relatively new diver, or if you have been diving for years, you’ll very likely find more than one wreck that seems to call your name from the salty depths of the Red Sea. Here are just a few of the most popular Red Sea shipwrecks.
The Thistlegorm
Jacques Cousteau discovered the Thistlegorm in 1956; just fifteen years after German bombers sunk it. This wreck is one of the most famous in the world, and is absolutely impressive. She lies in just 105 feet of water, and is accessible at only fifty feet – and that is only the beginning. The Thistlegorm is a veritable treasure chest of WWII era armored cars, trucks, motorcycles, and airplane wings. There is ammunition everywhere in and around this 423 foot long wreck. If you have the opportunity, make this dive! It is certainly one no diver should miss.
The Rosalie Moller
Rosalie Moller was sunk by German Bombers in 1941. She is fairly intact, and with her decks accessible at about 100 feet and her keel resting on the bottom at 170 feet, she is a wreck for experienced divers. This wreck is home to a swirling abundance of fish, including jacks and trevally, as well as lionfish and glassfish. Visibility is low by Red Sea standards – just 30-35 feet.
The Giannis D
This Greek cargo ship ran aground in 1983, and is fairly well intact, as well as being positioned so that the superstructure is accessible in only fifteen feet of water. She goes as deep as 80 feet, and lies on a reef. There are plenty of fish as well as the structure of the ship herself to see, so this is an intriguing dive.