What I did on my holidays
Scuba diving is the best thing ever. I'm so unbelievably glad I've learnt how to do it. Seriously.
We arrived in the town of Dahab, an hour or so's drive north of Sharm El Sheikh, early Sunday evening. Monday morning we were to start our diving at 9 am!
Having completed our theory and pool work in the UK, we simply had to do four qualifying open water dives and demonstrate the skills we had learnt, plus a few extra ones. Diving in the sea is so different from diving in the pool - seems obvious now, but I had no idea at the time.
Anyway, we found ourselves at 9 am at Emperor Divers, managed by Veronique, a Frenchwoman, and her Swedish partner, Magnus. C. had problems with her medical form and so was banned from diving for the day until she'd been cleared by the doctor. So I ventured forth with the wonderful Veronique for a day of one-to-one instruction. It was hard work. Learning to put all the equipment together (having only done it 3 times before, a month ago), then donning a full wet suit and walking from the dive centre to the beach, which was luckily just across the road. There were waves and a little bit of surf, and once in the sea we swam out to a buoy from where we were going to make our descent to the bottom, about 5 metres deep, in a measured fashion, holding to the line.
Hanging on to the line anchored to the bottom and being tossed around a bit by the waves, it looked very, very deep and I started to have a bit of a panic, thinking "I can't do this, I'll freak out when I'm down there." But I was there, and had no choice but to go ahead. We started to slowly make our way down, holding to the line, pausing to equalise the pressure in our ears (like when you fly), and I was still panicking a bit. All of a sudden I saw three divers sitting on the bottom, doing exercises like we'd done in the pool, and I started to calm down, and by the time I got to the bottom it was all okay and no different to the pool... except that it sloped and was sandy. We did some basic skills, which were no problem, and then went off for our first underwater exploration.
I can't describe it. We swam down the sandy slope covered in sea grass, with fish all around us, Veronique pointing out things that she didn't want me to miss. It was incredible, like swimming through a tropical aquarium, and all too soon it was time to come up. We surfaced, swam back to the beach and I staggered out of the water, suddenly not buoyant. Back to the dive centre, get rid of the equipment and fill in my log book. First dive completed - and enjoyed!
That afternoon we went the other way from the beach, and swam along a coral reef. The fish! Lion fish, all kinds of angel fish, clown fish (Nemo!), scorpion fish, napoleon fish... they swim all around you and are completely unperturbed by your presence. It's the most amazing experience. I'll never forget on Tuesday morning, my first dive to 18 metres on a reef called The Lighthouse, a short walk from the dive centre. We swam over an outcrop of coral, right through a shoal of anthias, and suddenly the sea floor dropped away and there were pinnacles of beautiful coral and all kinds of fish. It was like flying, and I felt really quite moved by it. Veronique was brilliant, knew the names of all the fish, spotting the camouflaged ones, pausing to watch a huge napoleon fish go by. I'll never forget it.
I should have finished my qualifying dives on Tuesday afternoon, but after doing lots more skills on the surface, I was tired and freezing cold and had to get out. Wednesday we had a break from all the skills and instead went on a day of guided diving just south of town. We set up camp in a Bedouin cafe on the beach along with a dozen or so other divers, and had a wonderfully relaxing day. Had coffee, during which Vincent, our guide, briefed us on the dive. We kitted up and then did the dive - more wonderful coral formations and fish, then had lunch and chatted about what we'd seen. Another dive in the afternoon, then pack up and head back into town by about 4 pm. This was the way to live!
On Thursday morning we went north of town, with Veronique, Vincent and a Scotsman called Brian who was an experienced diver and was there just to dive. The same routine - coffee, briefing, then Vincent took Brian off to dive while Veronique took C. and me for more exercises and exploring. I managed to complete all my skills, and then we swam around, again going to 18 metres, where Veronique pointed out a turtle swimming away from us! The reef, and the shore, were on our right, and the sea floor dropped away into unseeable depths to our left. We returned to the beach for lunch, Veronique signed my log book, and I was a certified PADI Open Water Diver! Yay!
On Friday, our last day of diving, Vincent took me, C. and Brian to revisit the reef I'd been to on my first day, as the others hadn't been there yet. In the afternoon the four of us drove out to another dive spot along with Magnus and two friends of his from Sweden. A wonderful final dive. The sea was only about 20 metres deep, and we swam amongst amazing coral formations (Brian even spotted a shoal of barracuda). It was like flying through an alien forest. Brilliant.
Friday evening we were invited to join the dive instructors for a bit of a party they were having for one who was leaving, and another who had just qualified as a Divemaster and had to take the "snorkel test" - which basically involves having a snorkel in your mouth into which large quantities of various kinds of alcoholic drinks are poured. By the time we got there we'd missed the snorkel test, but had a lovely time hanging out with the instructors. A good way to round off our five days' diving.
On Saturday I finally got to sleep in, and spent the morning reading by the swimming pool. In the afternoon we'd booked a sunset camel ride, which was just brilliant for our last evening. It was a Bedouin outfit, and my nervousness was quickly abated as our camels were somewhat laid back and had to be coaxed up the hill by our two small Bedouin guides. Once at our destination, where a fire was being built and there was the ubiquitous rug and cushions, the camels were returned and we scrambled up the last part of the track in order to watch the sunset over the mountainous Sinai desert. We descended back to the fire and were served glasses of sweet Bedouin tea and watched bread being baked over the fire while the stars came out. Perfect.
After an abortive shopping trip on Sunday morning, we flew home. Sharm El-Sheikh airport makes Gatwick seem like an oasis of peace and culture, so we weren't sad to leave. But overall, I had the most incredible time and can't wait to do more diving!
We arrived in the town of Dahab, an hour or so's drive north of Sharm El Sheikh, early Sunday evening. Monday morning we were to start our diving at 9 am!
Having completed our theory and pool work in the UK, we simply had to do four qualifying open water dives and demonstrate the skills we had learnt, plus a few extra ones. Diving in the sea is so different from diving in the pool - seems obvious now, but I had no idea at the time.
Anyway, we found ourselves at 9 am at Emperor Divers, managed by Veronique, a Frenchwoman, and her Swedish partner, Magnus. C. had problems with her medical form and so was banned from diving for the day until she'd been cleared by the doctor. So I ventured forth with the wonderful Veronique for a day of one-to-one instruction. It was hard work. Learning to put all the equipment together (having only done it 3 times before, a month ago), then donning a full wet suit and walking from the dive centre to the beach, which was luckily just across the road. There were waves and a little bit of surf, and once in the sea we swam out to a buoy from where we were going to make our descent to the bottom, about 5 metres deep, in a measured fashion, holding to the line.
Hanging on to the line anchored to the bottom and being tossed around a bit by the waves, it looked very, very deep and I started to have a bit of a panic, thinking "I can't do this, I'll freak out when I'm down there." But I was there, and had no choice but to go ahead. We started to slowly make our way down, holding to the line, pausing to equalise the pressure in our ears (like when you fly), and I was still panicking a bit. All of a sudden I saw three divers sitting on the bottom, doing exercises like we'd done in the pool, and I started to calm down, and by the time I got to the bottom it was all okay and no different to the pool... except that it sloped and was sandy. We did some basic skills, which were no problem, and then went off for our first underwater exploration.
I can't describe it. We swam down the sandy slope covered in sea grass, with fish all around us, Veronique pointing out things that she didn't want me to miss. It was incredible, like swimming through a tropical aquarium, and all too soon it was time to come up. We surfaced, swam back to the beach and I staggered out of the water, suddenly not buoyant. Back to the dive centre, get rid of the equipment and fill in my log book. First dive completed - and enjoyed!
That afternoon we went the other way from the beach, and swam along a coral reef. The fish! Lion fish, all kinds of angel fish, clown fish (Nemo!), scorpion fish, napoleon fish... they swim all around you and are completely unperturbed by your presence. It's the most amazing experience. I'll never forget on Tuesday morning, my first dive to 18 metres on a reef called The Lighthouse, a short walk from the dive centre. We swam over an outcrop of coral, right through a shoal of anthias, and suddenly the sea floor dropped away and there were pinnacles of beautiful coral and all kinds of fish. It was like flying, and I felt really quite moved by it. Veronique was brilliant, knew the names of all the fish, spotting the camouflaged ones, pausing to watch a huge napoleon fish go by. I'll never forget it.
I should have finished my qualifying dives on Tuesday afternoon, but after doing lots more skills on the surface, I was tired and freezing cold and had to get out. Wednesday we had a break from all the skills and instead went on a day of guided diving just south of town. We set up camp in a Bedouin cafe on the beach along with a dozen or so other divers, and had a wonderfully relaxing day. Had coffee, during which Vincent, our guide, briefed us on the dive. We kitted up and then did the dive - more wonderful coral formations and fish, then had lunch and chatted about what we'd seen. Another dive in the afternoon, then pack up and head back into town by about 4 pm. This was the way to live!
On Thursday morning we went north of town, with Veronique, Vincent and a Scotsman called Brian who was an experienced diver and was there just to dive. The same routine - coffee, briefing, then Vincent took Brian off to dive while Veronique took C. and me for more exercises and exploring. I managed to complete all my skills, and then we swam around, again going to 18 metres, where Veronique pointed out a turtle swimming away from us! The reef, and the shore, were on our right, and the sea floor dropped away into unseeable depths to our left. We returned to the beach for lunch, Veronique signed my log book, and I was a certified PADI Open Water Diver! Yay!
On Friday, our last day of diving, Vincent took me, C. and Brian to revisit the reef I'd been to on my first day, as the others hadn't been there yet. In the afternoon the four of us drove out to another dive spot along with Magnus and two friends of his from Sweden. A wonderful final dive. The sea was only about 20 metres deep, and we swam amongst amazing coral formations (Brian even spotted a shoal of barracuda). It was like flying through an alien forest. Brilliant.
Friday evening we were invited to join the dive instructors for a bit of a party they were having for one who was leaving, and another who had just qualified as a Divemaster and had to take the "snorkel test" - which basically involves having a snorkel in your mouth into which large quantities of various kinds of alcoholic drinks are poured. By the time we got there we'd missed the snorkel test, but had a lovely time hanging out with the instructors. A good way to round off our five days' diving.
On Saturday I finally got to sleep in, and spent the morning reading by the swimming pool. In the afternoon we'd booked a sunset camel ride, which was just brilliant for our last evening. It was a Bedouin outfit, and my nervousness was quickly abated as our camels were somewhat laid back and had to be coaxed up the hill by our two small Bedouin guides. Once at our destination, where a fire was being built and there was the ubiquitous rug and cushions, the camels were returned and we scrambled up the last part of the track in order to watch the sunset over the mountainous Sinai desert. We descended back to the fire and were served glasses of sweet Bedouin tea and watched bread being baked over the fire while the stars came out. Perfect.
After an abortive shopping trip on Sunday morning, we flew home. Sharm El-Sheikh airport makes Gatwick seem like an oasis of peace and culture, so we weren't sad to leave. But overall, I had the most incredible time and can't wait to do more diving!