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  • Day 14

    Diving 6

    July 13, 2017, Red Sea ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Wake up was at 530 to get an early start on the final day's diving and to return to Port Ghalib. The first dive was called Elphinstone. Sonia told us we were very lucky to catch a calm morning since typically there is a strong current that doesn't allow one to see parts of the reef. We started by going out to the tip of the reef and a little into the blue to see if we could spot sharks. We were unlucky in that aspect and instead zigzagged across the reef. The reef was beautiful and extremely healthy, but also quite crowded. Even with an early wakeup, we were quickly joined by divers from the other moored liveaboards as well as day boats. At one point, multiple divers were surrounding a small turtle for pictures and a couple of them kicked him while passing by; some divers are just hopelessly unaware. One of the divermasters finally took his reg out and released air in front of the turtle so the others wouldn't get a good shot... hopefully leaving the turtle alone.

    After the dive, we cruised over to a bay closer to the port. We were to do two dives in the bay at the request of the captain due to unfavorable winds at the final site. We decided to call it a dive trip after one dive in the bay, and 17 total over 6 days. The visibility was quite bad and we were looking forward to some relaxation on the boat. Even with poor visibility, we were lucky with what we came across on the dive. A huge sea turtle, several lionfish, pipefish, a large porcupinefish, and a protective clown fish that was attempting to keep us away from the anemone.

    At lunch, Sonia presented a cake to celebrate crossing the 100 dive threshold on this trip, for both of us and Mike the Canadian. It was a fun way to celebrate the big milestone and to get excited for many more (#1000!). We sunbathed on the deck and went for a few dips in the water.

    After the rest of the group completed the third dive, we headed back to port. The majority of the group opted for dinner on the boat. Afterwards, we continued to the Wunderbar for drinks. Sonia told us about her life as a dive guide and the trips she arranges for her friends. As a preference, she spends most of her life on the water, and only visits her apartment in Hurghada once or twice a month. Her vibrant spirit, laid-back style and smile proved that true happiness can come from having less when you're doing what you love.

    The pack of dudes, and Brittany, continued to a bar close to the boat where the Thai group had dinner and were well on their way to a late night with shisha and 'tequila' shots. There was a live performer that was covering mainstream songs making it a lively place. After a few beers and a tequila shot or two, Mike found his way to performing for the crowd - it drew more people on the dance floor and made for some good laughs. We stayed until the bar closed at midnight and proceeded to pack to the best of our abilities for our early departure the next morning.

    Looking back at our diving experience in the Red Sea, we were very happy with the abundance of marine life and we're thrilled to see big sharks. The life was noticably less diverse than in the Indo-Pacific coral triangle, though, so there were not as many colors of coral or number of reef fish species as in Palau or Indonesia. Still, it was great to see healthy reefs and an attitude of preservation. At $1000 pp for a week, the liveaboard offered great value for the money. The facilities, service and food were quite good. Comparable trips generally cost 2-3x.

    We chatted with many experienced divers on the boat about potential next destinations. The current frontrunners are the Maldives, Philippines and Galapagos. Hopefully we'll see some of the same people on a boat again. Very soon... Because you know us - we're never still for too long.
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