Day 7. Fri 19th September
Snorkelling at Hurghada.
A lie in! Today we will spend snorkelling in the Red Sea off Hurghada.
SCUBA is also an option, which Ian and Isobel take. I have my PADI certificate
with me, but as I have not dived for several years I would have to do a
half-day refresher course, so I decide to go with everyone else for a day
on the snorkel boat. Jenny, Hugo, Judy and Bev decide to opt out altogether
and spend the day in Hurghada. The rest of use catch the minibus service
to the harbour.
The boats hold 28, but any group over 10 can hire one of their own,
and we do so. There are hundreds of these dive boas all around the coast.
You can sunbathe on the foredeck, or relax in the shade of the canopy on
the upper deck. I am glad that I have brought my own fins, mask and snorkel,
as there is a big palaver, reminiscent of the first day of a skiing holiday,
as fins that fit and masks that don't leak are sought from a huge box full
of equipment.
We have a few complete beginners in the group. Lisa has already decided
in Ras Mohammed that she loves it. The two Anne's are not so sure, but
with the help of buoyancy aids and a reassuring hand, are game for a go.
This time I have had the forethought to buy a cheap (65 EGP = £6.50)
waterproof (to 4M) disposable camera, and enjoy myself immensely duck diving
and trying to photograph something more than the fishes' backsides as they
hurry away. This excercise is, more than anything, an object lesson in
the difficulties of underwater photography, as the photos, when I get them
back, are a poor representation of the beautiful underwater world. The
colours are drab, and the fish are always too far away (although some judicious
adjustments with the computer make the ones shown here significantly better
than the actual prints). One lesson learned is that it is well worth paying
the extra money for a camera with a flash, as this captures the colours
much better. The best results are when Nigel and I swap cameras and take
underwater photos of each other.
The snorkelling here is certainly not as good as at Ras Mohammed, and we
are unlucky with the weather as there is a stiff 4-5 blowing which limits
our choice of diving sites. The first site is pretty good, the second not
quite so good. Lunch is provided on board, and after a siesta we move on
to the third site. However the wind has risen, and the water is quite cloudy.
It is actually becoming rather chilly in the water, and most of us return
to the boat fairly quickly. All three sites are very crowded.
By 14:00 we are back on shore with a couple of hours to kill before
dinner. I nip into town and discover that the Kodak shop will process my
film in one hour (10EGP for developing, 1EGP per print - the camera says
27 exposures but I only get 22, I don't know why). While I wait I find
an internet cafe, scan my e-mails and send a few home.
We eat at a restaurant on the shore (I treat myself to yet another
huge seafood platter) and saunter back through town. Dave, Hugo and I can't
resist a beer before bed (the restaurant, like many in this muslim country,
served no alcohol), and then we're off to bed - we have another early start
in the morning.