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Beautiful Egypt
Egypt was the first place I ever went abroad, on a Scuba trip in I think around ‘94. I fell in love with the relaxed atmosphere, the warm sun, the distinct colours of the mountainous background, the food, the people, the bustling stalls all selling the same items, the sunsets and most of all, the clear water teeming with life. It has meant I have gone back 8 or 9 times since; I have lost count. It is widely recognised in Europe as the closest destination to travel to for truly beautiful exceptional reefs.
Many amazing memories have been created for me in this place over the years. Listing them doesn’t fully do them justice, but I’d like to share. I’ve stood and looked up in true awe, and entered the great pyramids and wondered how they were ever created all that time ago; I have been humbled by the size and stature of the sphinx at Giza…
I have been mesmerised by the treasures and artefacts within the halls of the museum in Cairo; placed my hand on a sarcophagus in complete darkness alone and listened to absolute silence in a tomb within the Valley of the kings; stood aback at the greatness of the Queen Hatshepsut’s temple in the midday sun and climbed the steps to turn and see the vista of the Nile delta; I’ve watched the bright orange glow of the setting sun, amongst the hieroglyph-lined Karnak Temple; I’ve attended two World Freediving Championships; I’ve laid back on a moonless night and stared at the milky way and glimpsed shooting stars for hours; I’ve been relaxed enough to dive my deepest Freedives in Sharm el Sheik in a cool evening breeze; put fallen plates back on the table inside the Thistlegorm; I’ve swam with dolphins; sailed between the land of the living and dead across the Nile; and I’ve driven through the towns watching everyday people go about their lives. There is so much more I can’t begin to explain. I still see social media posts from my friends living and travelling there with a true fondness of the place.
My most recent trip was in November 2015, my wanderlust getting the better of me again, and despite recent tragedies in the area I’m a firm believer in travelling your path no matter what is put in front of you. It isn’t possible to plan to avoid all of the tragedies in the world; in fact another tragedy unfolded in Europe whilst we were abroad. At home I returned to some madness in the news about an incident on the tube in my own capitol city that earned its own hashtag. For anyone reading, do you know what? Whatever will be, will be.
This latest trip saw our small group fly into Hurghada and stay at Makadi Bay which is a very sheltered area from the rest of the hustle and bustle of Egyptian towns and cities. It’s a horse shoe shaped bay with shallow reefs, with access to deep water after only a short swim out, so we used buoys to dive from the shore to Freedive. Makadi Bay hosted the AIDA World Championships in 2006, a competition of which I was proud to be a part of. We stayed at the Hotel Fort Arabesque which is a fantastic hotel with attentive staff and good food.
Some of the fondest memories from the trip were visiting the El Fanous reef by boat over slightly choppy seas, and having a wild Dolphin encounter, a very wonderful and emotional experience. I’ve swam in the vicinity of dolphins a few times, but these ones really interacted and stayed with us for quite a period in time.
Makadi Bay has a fabulous house reef which we dived every day (apart from the one day we visited Luxor). The reef is home to all sorts or wonderful underwater life – the colour change Octopus, squid, moray, lion fish and all of the usual suspects. We also took our own underwater life too, some mermaids to swim the reefs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t8KnZv2AaA
Having returned home and showed this video of Octopus swimming and changing colours, one of my spearfisherman friends vowed never to eat one again!
All is well in Egypt, although a little quiet. The people of Egypt just want to go about their business. I dedicate this article to my friends who still reside and work in Egypt trying to earn an honest living. Insha’Allah – I will be back in due course with more friends. Until then, raise a glass of cold beer to the next sunset for me.
http://www.freediveegypt.com/ Suzanne Pugh
http://www.immersion.nu/ Pim Vermeulen
http://www.discoveryourdepths.com/ Sara Campbell
http://freedivingworld.it/en/ Andrea Zuccari
http://www.idivedivingcenter.com/welcome.htm IDive diving centre
Whether you are a beginner or a professional diver – with the three new main regulators from DYNAMICNORD, everyone will find their favourite regulator. They all look super stylish.
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Quality and performance are the be-all and end-all for regulators. It is not for nothing that the TR stands for Tec Reg. The innovative design of the TR-80 guarantees absolute reliability – even in ice-cold waters.
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Amazing underwater adventures with the IR-50
The IR-50 is the top regulator for advanced and experienced divers. Natural breathing is the essence of this regulator.
Ideal breathing effort at 0.8 J/l /certified for diving in waters below 10 degrees / compensated membrane / adjustable venturi (dive/predive) and adjustment knob for individual inhalation comfort/ outlet valve and deflector for minimum exhalation effort and reduction of bubbles on the face / design made of sandblasted brass, matt chrome finish / 2 HP and 4 NP outlets / mouthpiece made of high-quality, anti-allergic silicone for maximum comfort.
The Workhorse – our CS-30
For diving centres and diving beginners – the workhorse stands for strong construction, reliability and robustness. Perfect for your training.
Optimal breathing effort at 0.8 J/l /recommended for diving in waters above 10 degrees / non-compensated piston / adjustable venturi (dive/predive) / outlet valve and deflector for minimum exhalation effort and reduction of bubbles on the face / design made of sandblasted brass, matt chrome finish / 1 HP and 3 NP outlets / mouthpiece made of high-quality, anti-allergic silicone for maximum comfort.
Octopus OP-30
The OP-30 is the ideal addition to all DYNAMICNORD regulators. It is identical in construction to the CS-30.
The TR-80, IR-50, CS-30 (DIN & INT) regulators and the Octopus OP-30 are available from DYNAMICNORD dealers and in the online store.
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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