30 Sep, 09

SUTTONCOLDFIELD SUB-AQUA CLUB DIVING TRIP TO SHARM EL SHEIKH SEPTEMBER 2009.

 

BY ALAN FLEMING…

 

Having just joined the club in April 09, this was my first club trip with Sutton, having just crossed over from being a ‘Padi’ qualified diver to begin my training with this Bsac club. I had been diving for ten years, but always ventured abroad to dive with other Padi divers in warm waters..

 

I had known several of the Sutton Bsac club for some years and at last made the cross over and my son Jack (15yrs) had joined too.

 

This was my 5th time visiting Sharm to dive but the first time with a well established Bsac club such as Suttoncoldfield. I was with a group of very experienced divers organised by Steve including members such as Keith (Diving Officer) and Gwen, Tony, Andy, Bill, and Hannah.

 

Steve had organised our trip to include diving with the ‘Marina Divers’ situated at White Knight Bay, by the Corcorde El Salem Hotel. ‘Frank Mergil’ the owner of the Dive company, had decided that he would venture on a week’s diving with us to keep his hand in and freshen up his skills. Frank has owned the company for 12 years after he retired from being a helicopter pilot in the American Air Force and he hailed from New York but was well settled in Sharm with a well established diving business. The locals told us that there isn’t anywhere around Sinai dive sites that Frank did not know. He is a very well respected Diver, and is well liked by the local Egyptians. We were lucky to have such a knowledgeable diver guiding us and giving his vast experiences to us.

 

We had the exclusive use of one of several large spacious dive boats owned by Marina Divers, and we were to have at least one night sleeping on board on a safari to HMS Thistlegorm. The Five man crew included a ‘padi’ dive master guide, Mohammed Tarek from Cairo.

 

Having settled in and beginning to acclimatise to water temperature 27-28 degrees, and daily temperatures of 35+, the diving began.

We had around 15 dives throughout the week mostly reef dives including two night dives, three wreck dives, drift, wall, with shore  and cave diving. Most divers used Nitrox daily and the equipment was well maintained. Most of us only took Mask, fins, regs, and computers, and a shortie 3mm wetsuit.

 

Most of the dives were around 30 metres maximum allowed by group briefings but there was opportunity for members to wallow along around 40 metres +. Visibility was always excellent 30-40 metres +

 

The drift dives were quite sedate and we experienced one dive with a very mild ‘washing machine’ effect.

 

We dived at the following popular sites; White Knight, Gordons reef in Tiran straights, Shark reef, Yolander reef, Ras Zatar, Ras Um Cid, the WW11 wreck HMS Dunraven, Stingray station, Suez-sinai, HMS Thistlegorm,Jacksons reef, Woodhouse reef, with night dives at Ras Mohammed park and White Knight. (The organiser Steve was given a fright on the night dive at White knight when an Octopus grabbed and slithered up his arm ! )

 

 

All the dives were very enjoyable with no drama’s, very well briefed, easy diving with most dives ranging to the hour + timings. Safety stops were fantastic hanging around 5 metres looking at brilliant corals and an abundance of sea life. The range of fish and life was very diverse including, sea horse, octopus, moray, turtles, shoals of trevallies, jacks, tuna, bass and very large Napoleon wrasse and grouper. Divers Andy and Bill took lots of fantastic photographs.

 

All in all a very well organised club trip with excellent guides and boats, to one of the top 5 dive destinations in the world.

 

Suttoncoldfield club will be on their travels again soon and hope to venture back to the red sea.

 

Safe Diving…Alan    

 

 

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