Egypt Land Of The Pharaohs
With landmarks such as the Pyramids and the majestic Sphinx, the Valley of The Kings and the Temple of Karnak as well as recovered treasures such as those of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun, Egypt has global recognition and an amazing place in world history.
But Egypt has another treasure, a natural wonder, the reefs and marine life of the Red Sea is second to none on this planet.
The Red Sea
The Red Sea is narrow and elongated, bordered by mountains it has deep bottom with a wide longitudinal, median sea floor trench which on a level with Sudan is 2850m deep (the Suakin Trench). The Red Sea is connected to the Indian Ocean by the Strait of Bab-el Mandeb, ‘the Gate of Tears’ a passage only 29km wide with a floor that rises abruptly to only 134m deep limiting the water exchange with the Indian Ocean.
The high air temperature and arid regions around the Red Sea provide a high evaporation rate, the lack of freshwater from rivers (the Red Sea has no influents) and the limited water exchange with the Indian Ocean result in an increase in salinity making the Red Sea the saltiest of all the open seas on earth. 38 parts per thousand which increases to 41 parts per thousand in the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba as opposed to the average ocean salt levels of 35 parts per thousand.
Due to the dry air and action of the wind there is a distinct difference between the summer and winter water temperatures (10 °C), especially in the northern part of the Gulf of Aqaba but the really distinguishing feature of the Red Sea is that the deeper the basin the higher the water temperature: at 1000m below sea level it is 21 °C, a temperature about 15 degrees higher than the rest of the world at that depth, the adjacent Indian Ocean has a water temperature of 6-7 °C at the same depth.
The cause of this phenomenon is due to the deep median trench on the floor of the Red Sea, a big intercontinental fracture with it’s origins in the Lebanon, crossing the Dead Sea and then stretching out into the African continent. Along this fracture the magma rises from the earths mantle and comes into contact with the seawater heating it.
Red Sea History
From the earliest recorded history the Red Sea has been a trade route. In antiquity Chinese and Indian seamen took advantage of the northern monsoon in spring to cross the Gulf of Aden and then sail on to the Red Sea offloading their cargo in Jeddah (in Saudi Arabia) or Suakin (in Sudan).
The origin of the name Red Sea is derived from a phenomenon that still occurs today, the recurring explosive growth of a blue algae known as Trichodeimium erythareum. The chlorophyll of the blue algae is actually covered over by reddish-orange pigments which make the water appear red rather than the expected blue-green.
The Red Sea is of course in the Bible story of Moses and the Ten Commandments where he famously parted the Red Sea when his people were fleeing Egypt, this has of course featured in several Hollywood movies.
With the emergence of Islam at the beginning of the 6th century the Red Sea gained steadily in importance. From Mecca the new religion spread westwards and northward across the Red Sea. Millions of pilgrims crossed the Red Sea on their way to the holy city of Mecca.
Madrassa of Sultan Hassan in Cairo
Moses Parting The Red Sea
The 1970’s brought a new kind of pilgrim to the shores of the Red Sea, Scuba divers from all parts of Europe began to arrive especially on the Sinai peninsula when word got round how easily accessible the fantastic offshore coral reefs were. The more adventurous divers even made it down as far as Port Sudan, from where they could reach the only atoll to be found in the entire Red Sea at Sanganeb. But the host countries took their time setting up any form of tourist infrastructure and the divers had few comforts for many years.
The 1980’s saw tourism slowly start to boom and the first liveaboards made it much easier for divers to discover the central and southern sectors of the Red Sea.
In the 1990’s tourism exploded, particularly in the likes of Sharm El-Sheikh but also in formerly inaccessible countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
Unfortunately in the modern times that we currently live in that tourism has now stagnated, it has drastically declined due to terror attacks such as the tragic flight of Metrojet 9268 which was returning tourists from Sharm El-Sheikh to St. Petersburg on the 31st October 2015, the flight was just 23 minutes into it’s journey when it exploded, an Egyptian faction of Isalmic State, Wilayat Sinai, immediately claimed responsibility. Subsequently several countries including the UK and Russia suspended flights to Sharm El-Sheikh which has had a detrimental impact to the local economy.
A Typical Red Sea Liveaboard
MV Whirlwind Of Tornado Fleet
Here you can find listings for Dive Centres in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Dahab, Marsa Alam and also for Dive Shops in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Dahab, Marsa Alam.
If you are a Dive Centre or Dive Shop owner / manager and would like to add your business to these listings or have your current listing amended then please contact info@redseadive.co.uk with details of your name and business details.
Please note that the above links will become active as the pages are created, please be patient as I am a one man team 😉
Red Sea Climate
In general the Red Sea climate is hot and dry. Because of it’s latitudinal configuration it has characteristics that vary from area to area but generally ranges from 22 °C to 30 °C. The Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba regions are subject to maximum temperatures in the June to August period of 45 °C and minimum (never below 15 °C) in January and February.
The seasonal activity of the winds is more evident in the South of the Red Sea. Here northeast winds in the winter and southwest winds in the summer are the influence of monsoons. In the North of the Red Sea the prevailing winds blow all year long from a northerly direction becoming stronger in the winter and tending to calm down in the afternoon or night. The local seamen call theses winds from the North the shamal.
Red Sea Statistics
| Length: | 2,250km |
| Average Width: | 300km |
| Width at Bab el-Mandeb: | 29km |
| Area: | 438,000sq.km |
| Average depth: | 2,000m |
| Maximum depth: | 2,850m |
| Depth at Bab el-Mandeb: | 134m |
| Average salinity: | 41‰ |
| Maximum temperature: | 30°C |
| Minimum temperature: | 20°C |
| Average temperature: | 25°C |
| Average hygrometry: | ∼70% (in the morning) |
| Average hygrometry at Aqaba: | ∼45% |
| Species of fish: | 1,248 |
| Species of endemic fish: | 17% |
| Species of corals: | ∼250 |
| Species of endemic corals: | 8% |
The Red Sea features some of the most beautiful reefs in the world and an astonishing amount of marine life living on those reefs.
From the thousands of varities of corals and sponges to the countless species of fish, you will have endless encounters with moray eels, turtles and dolphins during your visit.
If you are really lucky you may even encounter whale sharks or manta rays.
Or head out to the central Red Sea and go in search of Longimanus the Oceanic Whitetip.
There are many world famous wrecks and reefs divsites and a large amount of local dive centres to guide you on your Red Sea journey of dicovery, whether you are diving out of Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab, Hurghada or enjoying a Liveaboard holiday.
Giant Moray Eel
