Ayman Deep Blue Dahab: Messages

Three sandy pools, often referred to as South Oasis, interconnected by saddles of coral form the entry and exit point for this dive. Outside of the third pool a young resident napoleon fish might catch your eye just before you descend to the deepest point of the dive by following a sandy alley with brain corals, pipe corals and salad corals along the sides. The alley brings you to a coral garden with pinnacles. A resident turtle often patrols the area. The later part of the dive is a shallow area where sand and coral blocks seem to compete to catch a bit of sun, showing wonderful red coloured details. Crocodilefish and scorpionfish try to hide in the sandy parts, while octopuses blend in wherever they go, but divers with an eye for detail will spot them for sure.

The Blue Hole is one of Dahab's most famous dive sites. Located about thirty minutes jeep ride from Dahab, it is accessible from shore with entry into the blue water just a few metres from the rocky shoreline. Bedouin type facilities surround the main entry / exit points, with toilets, seating, food and drinks available. Whilst entry into the Blue Hole pool is one option, quite a nice alternative is to make a short walk to the north, along the rocky coastal path and enter through a gap in the shoreline rocks. This is done one diver at a time. Divers can then drop down an enclosed chimney in the reef exiting at 30 metres or so onto the sheer wall. The reef is near vertical at this point and as you head south (right shoulder to the reef) you'll come around an outcrop which makes for some fantastic silhouette photographs looking up towards the sunlight. The reef wall is home to lots of clownfish anemones and the blue backdrop makes a great viewing point for trevallies, jacks, barracuda and possibly white-tip and grey reef sharks.

As you travel south and ascend you will come to a colourful hard coral slope at around 10 metres, which leads up and over at 6 metres into the blue hole pool. It is best to spend most of the dive on the outside of the reef as the inside pool has little in the way of coral. Use your safety stop to either swim across the pool or around the edge (left shoulder to reef) until you reach the small wooden jetty and exit. Currents can be strong, usually north to south, on the outside of the reef so the northern entry point is often a good option, then drifting down to the pool with the current. Take care not to miss your exit, although if this does happen simply find a safe exit further down the shoreline and be prepared for a walk in full kit.

The dive site Golden Blocks is a mix between coral gardens and sandy areas with almost all coral species represented. It has a coral slope with three sandy alleys in it and a seagrass area. The first one starts at 10m and drops down to 30 - 40m. Here lies Dahab's only real wreck, a paddle boat at 20m. The second slope is like a small canyon with a beautiful little island of corals. At the third slope you will find an impressive gorgonian fan at 22m and beside it is a small cave. Shallower you have sandy areas with the 'Golden Blocks'. These are large coral blocks that go from 10m to the surface and are covered with anthias. Also in the shallower part you have beautiful table corals and small coral blocks where there is always a good chance to find big groupers or colourful nudibranchs. There have also been sightings of manta rays in this area. This dive site can also be recommended to do drift dives towards Moray Garden.

Umm Sid features abundant fish life and a variety of reef structures which are all in exceptional condition as the dive site was not dived as frequently in the past as others in Dahab. Entry is through a wide corridor carved into a steeply sloping reef. Scuba diving around and beneath a massive coral tongue until you reach a sandy slope inhabited by garden eels. Follow the slope down into a beautiful coral garden, for advanced divers descend down to 30 metres and view the spectacular giant gorgonians. Here you can spot small longnose hawkfish. Ascend up to 18 metres and end the dive by a slow excursion over the table corals and along a reef wall which is covered in soft corals and anthias, look closely and spot the number of nudibranchs of all varieties.

The Caves, located south of Dahab, is a slightly misleading name, as the 'cave' is in fact more of a large overhang. This is still, however, a good dive site for the unusual rock formations and variety of sealife. The dive starts by following the gentle sloping drop-off following the shore where the sandy bed provides a home for garden eels, pipefish and wrasse, which dive into the sand as you approach. The pinnacles provide an interesting site with sea-life including turtles, morays, lionfish and Napoleon wrasse. The dive finishes up in the caves, which provide shelter for several dozing puffers.

The entrance to this site is from the shore, with a stride entry into the caves area. Entry and exit can be quite tricky due the waves crashing into the shore so be prepared to be an excellent buddy, and save some energy for getting out after!

El Shugarat is known as 'Little Trees' in Arabic, and you will see why. This dive is one you can only make by boat. Descend down and swim along a beautiful reef wall until you come to a sandy bottom. On the deep side of the sandy bottom at around 16m you will find an impressive open canyon. When you descend between the walls of the canyon, at around 30m two big black corals will come into view on each side, take time to look for the long nose hawkfish. Exit the canyon to the left and you will swim in to a virtual forest of gorgonian fan corals. As you are flying over this site you will see them scattered down the reef wall out of sight and into the deep. As you slowly ascend while still soaring over this forest you will return back to the reef table then enter one of the most beautiful lagoons in Dahab. You can see giant table corals and all kinds of life in and around this lagoon. Once returned to the reef wall you see the last set of gorgonians and turning back into the lagoon in search for nudibranchs, blue spotted rays, crocodilefish and many other species. On the end of the lagoon you reach the canyon so take time to throw a last look inside and to get ready for the safety stop.

Eel Garden takes its name from the countless garden eels that carpet the sea floor not far from the entry point of the dive. After walking over the reef plate to the entry spot which is a nine metre canyon, it then broadens into a large sandy area that slopes down gradually. After diving along a jutting reef that lies perpendicular to the main reef the eels slowly come into view, waving to and fro in the current like synchronized swimmers who vanish back into the sand as you approach. Descend to about 20m where you will find a nearly flat section of reef with coral boulders and several table corals. It is quite common to find a thick congregation of barracudas regularly patrolling the area. On your way back at around 5 and 10m you will see healthy, wide range variety of both soft and hard corals and look out here for the rare seagrass ghost pipefish.

Lionfish Rock is located in the south of Dahab. It is the first dive site in the Southern Oasis and can only be dived in calm conditions. Entry is over a slope of small stones to a unique dive for Dahab. Descend and cross a large seagrass area, which has small pinnacles scattered across the clearing. Swim slowly around the blocks and be amazed at the amount of marine life; you can find masses of red tooth triggers, cleaner shrimps, morays, nudibranchs and as the name suggests plenty of lionfish. Descend a little further at you will reach a beautiful coral block at 5 metres. Circling the area you will drift through anthias, anemonefish and giant morays. At 18 metres go to the right and you will come to a group of blocks known as 'the Lionfish Rock' where you will find numerous lionfish floating. Turn back and ascend to the 5-metre block where you can complete your safety stop while watching the glassfish, flatworms and if you are lucky you can see turtles or the occasional eagle ray.

Bannerfish bay is located just right of the Lighthouse. Using the same entry point as the Lighthouse, go left down a gradual slope to about 12 metres. Here you will swim over a large seagrass area which is abundant with macro life; seahorses, anglerfish, nudibranchs, rare ghost pipefish, moray eels, stonefish, scorpionfish, crustaceans and lots more are hidden in the seagrass. It is quite common to see the resident turtle feeding on the seagrass. Right in the middle of it all you will see a small car wreck and several tyres. Swim a little further and after the seagrass you will find a small reef filled to the brim with schooling bannerfish, which is how the dive site got its name.