Diving into the blue, or should that be red?

The sun sparkled on the turquoise water, silvery shadows of fish darted beneath the boat as we kitted up ready to jump in with growing excitement to explore their world. No, not the Helford on a bright spring morning but the Egyptian Red Sea!

Ruth Williams
Marine Conservation Officer, CWT

I spent a fantastic week in February, with my husband Jeremy, diving the spectacular reefs around Sharm el Sheik and in Ras Mohammed National Park at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. The water was crystal clear, and warm…. the biggest difference between the Helford and here….at about 23°C.

It is the Red Sea's great biodiversity that led experts to call it a natural wonder, and one of the main reasons I have always wanted to visit and dive here. Relatively constant water temperatures from 20°C to 30°C (68°F - 86°F), minor sedimentation due to lack of rain and run- off, and a high salt content resulting from a high rate of evaporation and a low level of humidity create the perfect environment for coral growth. The Red Sea is the saltiest, life sustaining sea in the world and one of the richest in concentration of marine life of all tropical seas.

The Red Sea isn't red at all but sometimes it appears to be. It got its name from a phenomenon caused by a type of algae called Trichodesmium erythraeum, which is found in the sea. When these algal blooms die off the blue-green colour of sea appears to change to a reddish-brown colour.

There are over 1000 species of invertebrates, around 200 recorded coral types and over a 1000 species of fish 5 to be found in this marine biologists paradise. I did my best to find and photograph as many as I could, but it's the sheer abundance of life here that blows you away. Diving along the reef walls we were literally lost in clouds of damselfish and beautiful golden anthias. Shoals of silver and blue fusiliers surrounded us then darted off into the blue. When we turned to look above us we saw the reason why…. barracuda, circling the reef, silhouetted against the surface, and looking for lunch!

In the Strait of Tiran the reefs spring up almost vertically from the seabed about 1km below. The strong currents that sweep up and down this narrow strait each day bring a fresh supply of food for the rich coral and invertebrate life that grow on these dramatic reefs. This in turn allows the bigger life to flourish and the reefs here are renowned for providing divers with encounters with top predators! Jumping from the dive boat we were plunged into the blue. The reef wall was only 2 or 3 metres away but dropped vertically into the depths, leaving you feeling like you were flying through the huge space of water around you. Turtles gently floated past, curious of what we were doing and playing in our bubbles - their version of a jacuzzi! We briefly spotted the silvery outline of a reef shark but it was obviously not interested as it glided away into the depths. Blue spotted rays nestled in the sandy patches on top of the reefs, the colourful cousins of the thornback rays to be found amongst the eelgrass beds in the Helford.

On the boat trip back to harbour, dolphins came to bow ride in the evening sun, playful creatures the world over. The marine life found in the Red Sea may be more dramatic and abundant, but back at home, the Helford will still be a firm favourite for diving and exploring and I look forward to a summer of doing just that. Maybe not as warm, but there's always a surprise waiting each time you venture for a glimpse beneath the waves.

Ruth Williams
Marine Conservation Officer, Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Extract from HVMCA newsletter No.28 Spring 2004