Dahab, Egypt, November 2007

Once again, Ruth and I decided to take a late holiday to get a little bit of sunshine and warmth before winter. We went back to Dahab, but this time we stayed at Red Sea Relax, who have a hotel and dive center in the center of Dahab. We had a fantastic week of diving, and would recommend Red Sea Relax to anyone!
Update: I've added some of Ruth's photos at the end!

	Our first dive was at the house reef, literally 30 seconds walk from the dive center straight into the water. This is a coral outcrop with a little anemonefish defending his territory!
	There he is, hiding amongst the stinging tentacles which deter predators but to which he is immune.
	A Speckled Sandperch rests on the seabed under some coral.
	This was a BIG fish, maybe 60 or 80cm long, I think its a porcupinefish of some sort but I can't find it in my book. Ideas anyone?
	A colourful little nudibranch.
	This is another BIG fish, this time a Lyretail Grouper just hanging out under a table coral.
	Another anemonefish. I love the way they lurk in anemones - I can't stop photographing them!
	The evenings are still warm enough for a T-shirt, but they are cold by local standards so some of the restaurants put burners out.
	Ruth making friends with some of the furry inhabitants of the dive center.
	Day 2, and I'm diving at Eel Garden while Ruth does some training (more on that later). Here are some of the garden eels that give the site its name.
	A Lionfish lurking in a little cavern.
	With Ruth otherwise engaged, I'm diving with John (left, positioning to take a photo) and Jennie (right, just hanging out)
	A Moray Eel hiding in the coral, jaws open ready to strike.
	I love these Unicornfish - they are just so unlikely!
	Afternoon and we're diving Islands. Here Parrotfish are pecking away at the coral. Sounds pretty indigestible to me...
	As last time we were here, there were a couple of large groups of Yellowtail Barracuda on the reef, but this time I managed to get in among them to get a picture.
	John looks back to check Jennie and I are following through the coral maze. An earthquake a few years ago has split the reef behind him, exposing some of its dead internal structure.
	Suplhur Damsels, bright yellow specks on the reef.
	A Regal Angelfish - one of the most garish fish on the reef.
	A metre-long Starry Puffer hiding under a table coral.
	A pair of Red Sea Bannerfish cruise the reef, perfectly synchronised in their movements.
	Towards the end of the dive John and Jennie stopped briefly on the sand to practise some skills. This scorpionfish dragged himself along the bottom towards them, irritated by the invasion of his territory. You don't want to mess with these fish - they have very toxic spines!
	With Ruth still doing her training, I spent Tuesday on a boat trip to the Thistlegorm, a well known WWII wreck. Here my buddy for the day, Tomecki Zbigniew, hovers by one of the propellors.
	The stern gun on the Thistlegorm.
	A railway carriage on the main deck. There were locomotives too, but these fell overboard when she sank.
	A diver enters the rope locker in the bows.
	Bollards on deck are about a foot in diameter.
	Air bubbles up thorough every opening, coming from divers below.
	This air catches in pockets and causes rust and deterioration, and there are plans to drill more holes to vent these pockets.
	This deck winch provides a convenient point for many boats to tie on to the wreck.
	A diver approaches a derreck while more air bubbles up from the lower decks.
	Torn metal is a reminder of the ships violent sinking in 1941 by German bombers operating from Crete. Fortunately the crew all escaped - they jumped overboard and were rescued by HMS Carlisle
	At the time she was en-route from Glasgow to Alexandria, carrying supplies for the 8th Army including these motorbikes.
	A truck in one of the lower deck holds.
	The back wheel of another motorbike, encrusted with corrosion and marine life.
	Air pouring out of one of the holds.
	More torn metal, venting divers bubbles. A violent end has created a modern day playground - ironic.
	Even though we arrived at 7am (I slept on the boat) there were still about 14 other boats on site.
	After two dives on the Thistlegorm, we dived in the afternoon at Shark Reef in the Ras Mohammed national park. Here a lionfish cruises amongst the coral.
	A blue-spotted ray on the sand under a coral head.
	A Giant Moray in his hole - this guy was as thick as my thigh!
	I have totally failed to identify this fish, but it looks cool!
	There is just so much life here - I couldn't get a clear shot of this Lionfish for all the Anthias, not to mention the other divers in the group!
	A tiny little nudibranch - you can see the antennae at the front and the external gills at the back.
	Heading back to Sharm el Sheik...
	...along with all the other day boats.
	The Marina in Sharm is just so busy - completely different to the relaxed life in Dahab.
	The boat we were diving off, the "Royal 1".
	We had to wait a while in Sharm before returning to Dahab, as the mountain passes on the road are pretty high (600m) and ascending that far immediately after diving isn't a good idea. This gave me a chance to explore the old market a little.
	It's a bustling place, with endless displays of spices and herbs.
	Back to diving the next day, and another dive on the house reef as a check dive for Phil who had jsut arrived. Still lots of life though!
	I liked this soft coral head - it reminds me a bit of the soft corals we see in UK waters.
	A big Sweetlips swimming alongside - I can't tell whether it is curious or oblivious to our presence.
	A large Triggerfish foraging in the sand. He's about 60cm long, and they are very territorial about their nests when they have young, and sometimes attack divers.
	At the opposite end of the scale, this anemone is teeming with tiny jevenile anemonefish and 3-spot dascyllus.
	A break for lunch, and I get a few photos of Dahab. Here is Red Sea Relax.
	The view past the paddling pool towards the mountainous interior of the Sinai Peninsula.
	Ruth was just finishing off her "Rescue Diver" course. Instructor Jason takes his teaching seriously and is really putting her through the mill!
	The view across the bridge towards the souvenir shops and restaurants.
	The view across the bay, with the Ruth's group just visible.
	Horse ride in the mountains anyone?
	The bridge is one of Dahabs most distinctive landmarks, crossinf over the flood channel.
	Ruth is now a fully qualified PADI Rescue Diver - basically the highest certification you can get without going professional.
	In the afternoon I'm diving with Ruth again (hurrah!) and we find this Grey Moray.
	Can you see the scorpionfish? Look hard...
	Much later in the dive, we see the Grey Moray again, this time out in the open.
	A Giant Clam in amongst the reef growth.
	This Cornetfish was probably a metre in length, but no thicker than my thumb. Most of the tail is so thin you can't even see it in this photo!
	A Devil Scorpionfish sitting on the top of an outcrop of reef.
	A big Grouper resting.
	Ruth resting too - exhausted after the rescue course.
	Descending into the Canyon, Ruth gives me a final OK signal before entering this crack in the seabed in front of me.
	We follow the crack down to nearly 40m, where looking up the sun is so bright you see everything in silhouette.
	As we head back towards the main opening we can see a shoal of fish above us.
	Air from divers below slowly trickles out of the crack.
	A Freckled Hawkfish sitting on the reef.
	Tiny Bluegreen Chromis on a coral head.
	The reef is covered with golden Anthias as we swim along at the back of the group.
	So many fish!
	Lunch at a restaurant at the Blue Hole, and Ruth is entertained by a tiny little ginger kitten. It hasn't grown into its ears yet...
	Another Grey Moray on the reef at El Bells.
	The rich sheltered reef within the Blue Hole.
	Cats everywhere!
	More Bluegreen Chromis. I'm fascinated by these tiny fish.
	Phil on the pinnacle at Moray Gardens. I think we're going to have to call him "Photogenic Phil" from now on.
	These red Bigeye lurked beneath almost every overhang at Moray Gardens.
	Another anemonefish, this time with a more unusual red anemone.
	Tubercle Cucumber grazing the coral surface.
	Ruth points out ironic grafitti on an old iron pipe sunk on the reef.
	Moray Gardens was just teeming with life in the bright sunshine.
	Another blue-spotted ray.
	Close-up of soft coral.
	A really big pufferfish, just resting on the bottom as we swim past.
	A baracuda lurks in the shadows.
	This bright red Small-Scaled Scorpionfish is on the reef at Um Sid, and this would be a great photo if Ruth hadn't made a special guest appearance in the background at just the wrong moment!
	The Half Moon Cafe, venue for lunch after the dive at Um Sid.
	It's only mid-afternoon, but the sun is going down behind the mountains.
	A beautiful Egyptian sunset - a fitting last photo for this camera to take. The next morning, the underwater housing flooded before I even got it turned on :-(
	Ruth likes to capture divers doing ridiculous things - here an instructor is holding his charges up off rhe reef! (Ruth's Photo)
	Me taking a picture. (Ruth's Photo)
	Nice big fish. (Ruth's Photo)
	Ruth's take on the scorpionfish at Lighthouse. (Ruth's Photo)
	Me taking my pictures of the Scorpionfish at Lighthouse. (Ruth's Photo)
	The Blue Hole (Ruth's Photo)
	Taz's jeep at the Blue Hole (Ruth's Photo)
	Fish! (Ruth's Photo)
	Big pufferfish. (Ruth's Photo)
	Another big pufferfish, these are Ruth's favourites. (Ruth's Photo)
	Me with anthias! (Ruth's Photo)
	Phil in silhouette - nice picture! (Ruth's Photo)