The Temple of Luxor.

While heat shimmered from sand near the water’s edge, I began to think about the story of Moses, as recounted in the sacred texts of Muslims, Jews and Christians. I could almost see the moving cloud of sand and hear the growing thunder from Pharaoh’s chariots and army as they bore down on the fleeing Israelites. And there was Moses, standing on a rock outcrop with his arms outstretched and a staff in one hand as the Red Sea began to part.

Well, I am not Moses and I do not carry a staff. But, I can part the surface of the water with a well-executed backflip. So, my thoughts shifted from deserts and passages in time, and I began to wonder whether the underwater world of the Red Sea could match the magic of the Egyptian land.

A Two-band Anemonefish at aptly named Anemone City off Ras Muhammad.

Jacques Cousteau ranked the Red Sea as his favorite dive destination. And Dr. Eugenie Clark, a renowned marine biologist, once stated that if she could only dive one place in the world it would be Ras Mohammed, a collection of premium dive sites at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. And I whole-heartedly support their endorsements as my initial dives at Ras Um Sid, Anemone City and Shark Reef completely blew away all of my expectations.

The water is as clear as holy water and, with no river runoff or manufacturing waste to adversely affect the sea, it is alive with marine life so abundant and diverse that any who suffer from claustrophobia might panic. The dazzling kaleidoscope of colors that seems to radiate from the smallest nudibranch, to the florescent hard and soft corals, to the regal Napo-leon Wrasse, had me looking for Dorothy and Toto in this underwater version of Oz.

Anthias flit and dance over a coral garden.

Of course, even this enchanting world was not perfect and presented a few significant challenges. The arid climate and semi-closed basin of the Red Sea causes evaporation to be much greater than the rainfall, making the Red Sea the saltiest body of water in the world still attached to an open ocean. In fact, it’s about 15 percent saltier than its counterpart in the Caribbean. I needed an additional three pounds on my weightbelt to descend. Even more significant than the ramifications of the increased salt content was the dilemma of trying to decide what lens to take on each dive: my 16mm fish-eye lens for wide-angle scenics; or the 60mm lens for the small stuff. Each and every dive offered fantastic opportunities for both.

A Yellow-edged Moray Eel gets groomed at one of myriad cleaning stations scattered throughout Jackson Reef. Inset above right: Emperor Angelfish.

What Stingray City is to stingrays and the Cayman Islands, Ras Mohammed’s Anemone City is to clownfish, anemones and the Red Sea. The sloping reef is a vast field of anemones and their resident Two-band Anemonefish, the only clownfish in the Red Sea. I absolutely loved to watch those beautiful, energetic fish fervently protest my approach, then retreat to the shelter of their anemone and shimmy into its embrace. When the clownfish determine a diver is not a threat, they usually get bold, rushing to look into your face mask and unleashing a few resounding pecks before retreating back to safety.

Yes, Egypt Is Safe To Visit With a felony crime rate about half that of most major American cities, Cairo should have a reputation as an extremely safe, travel destination. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to associate any Arabic or Middle Eastern country with terrorism. In response to the unwarranted, but problematic concerns, Egyptian police and military have been posted at any location frequented by tourists, including the international airport. Though Europeans have long designated Egypt and the Red Sea as primary holiday locations, Americans have been slow to embrace them. Encouragingly, recent travel statistics reveal Americans may finally be waking up to the fantastic opportunities that await them in Egypt.

Passionate sex and dangerous acrobatics were two of the featured attractions at Jackson Reef, a fabulous site in the straits of Tiran. Free of charge, I watched the mating embrace of Schult’s Pipefish as they entwined above a patch of coral. For the next big event, I captured images of a death-defying blenny dancing from one end of a large stonefish’s mouth and then back again. In addition, there were strutting lionfish, enormous Crocodilefish, feeding Hawksbill Turtles and multiple cleaning stations where cleaner wrasse serviced giant Moray Eels, colorful puffers and others.

During multiple dives on the World War II wreck of the Thistlegorm, a British army supply ship that sank in 1941, I explored and photographed its impressive structure and interesting cargo. Sitting intact and upright in less than 100 feet of water, the ship’s deck and cargo holds are easily accessible. Large ammunition shells, motorcycles, a railroad car and even a small plane are among the items that never reached their intended destination. The wreck is also home to numerous creatures, such as batfish, Bluefin Jacks, Dogtooth Tuna, pipefish and various nudibranchs. A Volkswagen-sized grouper caused my heart to skip a beat when we literally bumped into one another in a dark passageway. I am not sure who received the biggest shock, but we both made a hasty, but dignified, retreat. After a brief pause to check my gear, I searched for and found my new friend seemingly asleep in a storage compartment.

The echoes of WWII stir from the silent ladder on the wreck of the British supply ship Thistlegorm.

On another wreck, the broken remains of the Sara H., a fairly small ship that floundered on Shag Rock more than 100 years ago, I was taught a valuable lesson in humility and awareness. After photographing two anemonefish fussing at an oblivious nudibranch that was approaching their purple eggs, I inadvertently bumped the port side of the fractured ship and was immediately pinned, facedown on the bottom. Fortunately, I did not panic, but instead took deep breaths and analyzed my predicament. I was not in pain, could move my hands and feet, had plenty of air and held my housed camera safely to the left. Nevertheless, some unknown object was holding me as secure as an insect skewered to a specimen board. Eventually, my dive buddy spotted me as he panned the site with his camera. With eyes as big as saucers, he asked if I was OK and then slowly pushed a large I-beam off my tank. Though unscathed and able to finish an interesting dive, the incident could have ended in disaster. A picture of the clownfish and invading nudibranch hangs in my office to remind me to be more conscious of my surroundings at all times.

Top: A bright yellow Christmas Tree Worm stands out in a field of purple coral. Above: A close look at a Carpet Flathead (also called Crocodilefish), usually found lurking in the sand.

Night dives at Laguna Wall and Neghsh offered excellent opportunities to examine elegant Spanish Dancers and the Emperor Shrimp that live in their feathery gills. At Laguna Wall, I met one of the Spanish Dancers in the water above a coral head as it danced toward the surface. In an unpracticed ballet of photographer and subject, I slowly spun around the rhythmic virtuoso of the dance from a depth of 45 feet to the surface.

My favorite dives of the week involved prolonged encounters with curious, gentle Napoleon Wrasse. Though their impressive stature and gorgeous color patterns were intriguing, it was their watchful gaze from ornate eyes that seemed to encourage human contact. Dives at The Temple and the passage between Jolanda Reef and Shark Reef provided the most memorable Napoleon Wrasse experiences.

After a week of incredible diving, destiny placed me on the hump of that wild “ship of the desert,” the camel. With the towering pyramids and ever watchful Sphinx awaiting my approach, I longed to escape the ache emanating from my tender backside. While pondering the many magical experiences I gained in Egypt and the Red Sea, I began to realize that such rich contrasts and contradictions actually create the perfect marriage between land and sea. On the Egyptian land, I traveled back in time to the place where civilization began. Under the enchanted waters of the Red Sea, I explored dive sites that numerous learned professionals proclaim to be the best in the world.

While many people would call my adventure a trip of a lifetime, I plan to return very soon, Inshallah (God willing). There are too many fascinating things to see and experience in a single visit. Moreover, though you might think of me as somewhat of a masochist, I really do miss that camel. Not as much as the diving, but I do miss him.

Good Camel, Nice Camel, Pretty Camel

“Good Camel, nice camel, pretty camel,” was the mantra I repeated as I awkwardly bounced toward the pyramids at Giza. The camel knew who was in charge. I just wanted to make sure he knew that I knew he was the boss. I really did not mind his disdainful looks or the green concoction he spat with the intensity of a major league pitcher. However, the camel seemed to sense the very moment that I would relax and start to feel comfortable. With timing that a Swiss watchmaker would envy, he would take a jarring step and send shock waves to my lower extremities. Camels have long been referred to as “ships of the desert” and strangely enough, that special ride often provoked thoughts of an ocean voyage. As I scanned the vast expanse of the desert and swayed to the rocking motion of the beast, it was almost like looking across the open ocean from the deck of a slow moving ship. Even the majestic pyramids appeared to rise from the sand like isolated islands. I could not imagine how any other dive destination could offer a tenth of the combined cultural, historical and underwater experiences as a trip to the Egyptian Red Sea. I must admit that I am a compulsive diver and should belong to Divers Anonymous. Land excursions and historic attractions rarely hold my interest. However, Cairo and the Egyptian people absolutely overwhelmed me.

The city is awash with contradictions and contrasts. Modern technological advances and influences from other cultures wage a tug of war with thousands of years of history and tradition. The green banks of the Nile give way to concrete and stone, which in turn yield to the sands of the desert. From the beautiful, intricate architecture of the historic monasteries, pyramids and sphinx, dating back more than 4,000 years, to the sleek lines of five-star hotels, to the ragged, depressing conditions of the slums, Cairo’s skyline is as varied as it is immense. Main throughways are literally packed with automobiles, buses, camels and burros, while hantours (horse drawn carriages) frequent side streets and back alleys. The overall experience is like walking in and out of some strange time warp, where the present meets and embraces the past. The sensation of traveling between times was reinforced when I decided to visit the Kahn el Khalili Bazaar. The Bazaar featured hundreds of shops that sprawled in a confusing maze of narrow, cobblestone streets and passageways. I spent most of my time wondering around lost, with my mouth agape in astonishment.

red sea

getting there

BEST TIME TO VISIT The Northern Red Sea: September through April. The Southern Red Sea: May through August. The Northern Red Sea offers year-round diving. However, weather conditions only permit dive trips to the legendary southern Red Sea sites from May to August. CLIMATE Dry, arid deserts comprise over 90 percent of Egypt’s land surface, but are only inhabited by 5 percent of the population. During the summer months, from May through October, daytime air temperatures range from the mid 90s(°F) in Cairo to more than 100°F in Luxor and Aswan. Nighttime temperatures in all three areas range from the upper 60s(°F) to the mid 70s(°F). Summer months are usually hot and dry. Humidity impacts most areas, especially the Delta, the coast and Cairo in late summer. The winter months, November through April, typically offer daytime air temperatures of 70°F in Cairo and 80°F in Luxor and Aswan. Winters offer sunny days, cool nights and occasional rain. WATER TEMPERATURES Average water temperatures are mid to upper 70s(°F) in summer, upper 60s(°F) to low 70s(°F) in winter. EXCHANGE RATE Currently, one U.S. dollar is worth almost 3.5 Egyptian pounds. U.S. currency and major credit cards are readily accepted at major tourist areas. However, be aware of the 3 to 5 percent surcharge that may be added to all credit card purchases. TIME DIFFERENCE Seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. CONTACTS U.S. Egyptian Tourist Authority (877) 773-4978 www.touregypt.net e-mail: jimdunn@interoz.com LAND-BASED Aqua Sport Red Sea (20) 972 7 633 4404 Adventure Diving with Diving World (800) 443-0799 LIVE-ABOARDS The Excel (Aggressor Fleet Approved) (800) 348-2628 www.aggressor.com e-mail: info@aggressor.com Ghazala Fleet (800) 909-7697 www.divetropical.com e-mail: dive@divetropical.com<br> Special thanks to the Excel for providing diving for this article.