Not too long ago, I returned from my very first trip to Egypt. The Red Sea's crystal clear blue water, pods of dolphins, and stunning shallow coral formations that explode like a confetti cannon of orange anthias had been on my bucket list for years, I just hadn't had the opportunity, yet. That all changed though as I assisted Duxy as he ran our last Egypt Snorkeling Safari for the year. As I'm still buzzing from the jaw-dropping experiences in and out of the water, I wanted to share some of my first impressions of the snorkeling tour and country. Egypt is Hot & Dry As Egypt is home to the largest desert in the world, the Sahara, the temperatures there can range from “Oh wow it’s hot out” to “My shoes are melting.” I kid, I kid! It actually looks hotter than it is as the surrounding landscape is nothing but sand dunes and arid mountains. We schedule our tours for the spring and fall months when the daily temperatures average 90°F, which is comfortable with the ever-present breeze from the north. Water temperatures will average in the high seventies to low eighties in the Spring, while they will be more of a steady mid-eighties during our Fall snorkeling safaris in Egypt. Reefs are Shallow! The southern Red Sea is far better than I could have ever expected for snorkeling. In three weeks of liveaboard and resort snorkeling, we never ran out of shallow reefs. From the reefs that fringe the shoreline to the attol-like coral blocks that jut up from the sea floor for hundreds of yards in either direction, there did not appear to be any shortage of stunning shallow coral reefs. Fish are Friendly Who knows why, but the reef fish in Egypt, which are typically
Not too long ago, I returned from my very first trip to Egypt. The Red Sea’s crystal clear blue water, pods of dolphins, and stunning shallow coral formations that explode like a confetti cannon of orange anthias had been on my bucket list for years, I just hadn’t had the opportunity, yet. That all changed
Location Description All of our Egypt Snorkeling Safaris take place on the Red Sea, obviously, which runs northwest to southeast along the northeast edge of Africa. The Red Sea starts about one hundred miles east of Cairo at the mouth of the Suez Canal and finishes way down by Djibouti and Yemen where it empties into the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. It's a massive and unique body of water, and given the arid landscape, crystal-clear blue water, thriving coral reefs that start at the water’s surface and extend as far as the eye can see, and a host of unique and beautiful marine life are the last things you'd expect to find. However, with so much life and beauty hiding beneath the Red Sea's surface, it's no wonder that the Egyptian Red Sea has been one of the world’s most popular snorkeling destinations for decades. As Egypt has a whole range of different destinations full of great-looking resorts and liveaboards to choose from up and down its coastline, it can be a little daunting deciding which area to visit and which operator to use. However, given our team's collective experience working in Egypt over the years, we've opted to run all of our snorkeling tours in southern Egypt where the shallow reefs are more robust, the marine life is prolific, and there are fewer people. Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) is the closest port town to the resorts we use, Marsa Shagra Village and Marsa Nakari, as well as Port Ghalib where we board the liveaboard, the Red Sea Aggressor IV. If the tour starts in Cairo, we will fly to Marsa Alam, which is a one-and-a-half-hour flight. Or, if our tour starts in Marsa Alam, you will fly directly into Marsa Alam. As flight schedules are
Location Description All of our Egypt Snorkeling Safaris take place on the Red Sea, obviously, which runs northwest to southeast along the northeast edge of Africa. The Red Sea starts about one hundred miles east of Cairo at the mouth of the Suez Canal and finishes way down by Djibouti and Yemen where it empties
Coral bleaching is something you've probably heard quite a bit about in the past few years, and, unfortunately, are likely to hear more about in the future. The Caribbean had a major bleaching event back in 2005, then later again in 2010, and then just recently experienced another bleaching event in September 2023. Australia's great barrier reef has suffered six mass bleaching events since 2016, all of which make the headlines as it's the largest coral reef system in the world, and arguably the most famous. Common Questions Aside from corals losing their various colors and turning a bright white, what exactly is coral bleaching, and what causes it? Does a bleached coral mean a dead coral? All the corals on the reef were shades of brown and had white tips, does that mean they are dead or about to be bleached? These are just a few of the questions we regularly get as snorkeling guides. So, to set the record straight here are some cold hard facts, as well as some anecdotal encounters. Coral Anatomy Before we get into coral bleaching, we need to know a bit about the anatomy of the corals. Corals are often equated to terrestrial plants, trees, and flowers. However, one table coral, for example, is not just a single living thing, like a fern or a pine tree. A table coral, or any hard coral for that matter, is actually a colony of a bunch of identical coral polyps all living together in a symbiotic relationship. These coral polyps are all hosted together on the calcium carbonate structure that they have created through their own secretions. Each coral polyp has a set of tentacles that are used to capture food, ward off predators, and clean themselves. The tentacles also host zooxanthellae, a type of
Coral bleaching is something you’ve probably heard quite a bit about in the past few years, and, unfortunately, are likely to hear more about in the future. The Caribbean had a major bleaching event back in 2005, then later again in 2010, and then just recently experienced another bleaching event in September 2023. Australia’s great
Even if you are not an ocean enthusiast and prefer the terrestrial world for your recreational endeavors, you will surely have had encounters with the lionfish, either through beautiful underwater photos or videos featuring this lavishly decorated fish. Or, maybe you've had some lionfish ceviche & tacos while on holiday in the Caribbean. Lionfish are always a popular topic of conversation on our tours. Their extravagant plumage makes them a stunningly beautiful fish to encounter on snorkels, and their amenable demeanor makes them quite easy to photograph, particularly compared to other shy reef fish. All that being said, lionfish oftentimes get a bad reputation as a lot of fear is built up around them on account of their poisonous barbs. Also, in certain parts of the world, they are an invasive species and have played a very significant role in the population decline of many different species of fish on account of them being proficient hunters of juvenile fish. So, to dispel any misguided fears of the lionfish and to correct some misunderstood facts about the lionfish's natural habitat, here are some quick notes about the lionfish. Lionfish originate from the Indo-Pacific region, which includes all of Australia, east Africa up into the Red Sea, and all the way out to the South Pacific Islands. Lionfish can be found in a vast array of marine ecosystems ranging from depths of 0-1,000 feet, mangroves, sea grass, mucky areas, coral reefs, and artificial structures. Basically, if it's in warmer tropical waters, it's a potential home for lionfish. You won't see lionfish as frequently in their native habitat as their population is in balance. Many guests come to Indonesia or other parts of Asia where the lionfish originate from and are surprised to see so few lionfish. On average, we find a couple
Even if you are not an ocean enthusiast and prefer the terrestrial world for your recreational endeavors, you will surely have had encounters with the lionfish, either through beautiful underwater photos or videos featuring this lavishly decorated fish. Or, maybe you’ve had some lionfish ceviche & tacos while on holiday in the Caribbean. Lionfish are
These small and beautiful creatures are ever more becoming popular in the world of snorkeling. Over the past few years it's great to see more macro species, becoming a must see on our snorkeling trips. With Nudis ( Nudibranch ) being at the top of the list. With so many variations of colour, size and shape they are a spectacle for the eyes. The best part of this, is we can find them on almost all our tours. Top tip for finding nudis. Stay close to the local guides. They have eagle eyes for these things. Nudibranchs are a type of sea slug, and there are over 3000 species found from across the globe in both shallow and deep water. Though they often only reach a small size, they are famous for their spectacular colour and patterns. Nudibranchs get their name from the Greek (nudi) and latin (branch) words meaning "naked gills". There are two main types of nudibranchs: dorid nudibranchs look fairly smooth, with a tuft of feather-like gills toward the back of the animal that are used to breathe. Aeolid nudibranchs instead breathe with organs called cerata covering their backs. Nudis are hermaphroditic, having a set of reproductive organs for both sexes, but they cannot reproduce by themselves. Mating involves a dance-like courtship. Nudibranchs typically lay their eggs in spiral formation, which is often described as looking like a ribbon or even a rose flower. The number of eggs varies, it can be as little as just 1 or 2 eggs, or as many as 25 million. The eggs can contain toxins from sea sponges as a means of warding off predators. After hatching, the infants look almost identical to their parents, though smaller. The lifespan of nudibranchs can range from a few weeks to a year, depending
These small and beautiful creatures are ever more becoming popular in the world of snorkeling. Over the past few years it’s great to see more macro species, becoming a must see on our snorkeling trips. With Nudis ( Nudibranch ) being at the top of the list. With so many variations of colour, size and
