Egypt Day 3: Jackson & Gordon Reef

Jon was the first up today again. He went for a jog and met a Russian from Kiew. He also filmed the jog and under the yeti with his Garmin camera.

When we where all ready we went to breakfast and after that to the first dive of the day. First one was at the Jackson Reef, the diving site was overcrowded a bit as there where many safari boats there. Jumping in I lost Ulis snorkel, another artefact lying at the bottom of the ocean. When we went down, there where already dozens of people diving along. Joined up and proceeded along the reef. Johanna saw a grouper fish, a rather large fish which looks similar to a Napoleon fish. In total we also saw three lion fish, all seemingly inactive, just sitting around on the corals. Also saw some small sea slugs, rather colourful fellows. Hiding behind/underneath a rock was a blue spotted ray and the highlight of the dive was a massive murrain eel, of which I only saw the tail. Hidden between some rocks where rather big sea urchin. Dropped of a bit at one point to see a big soft coral, but Hussein (our dive guide) reminded me to come back up as it was our safety stop. Had no problem with air today, as I had a 15 litre bottle on my back, is heavier thought. After getting back (jumping the waves with the Zodiac) and cleaning our gear, Mohammed tried to fix/clean the electric components of the GoPro, the results being that it can now film whilst being plugged in to an electric socket (which completely fails the point of the camera, but you could use it as a web cam). Whilst we where doing that, Johanna and Jon ran of to lunch and I had some later before going out to the Gordon Reef with Salah. Jumped down into a rather shallow sandy bank, once again a lot of people being around us on safari boats. Dived along the sand bank and spotted a crocodile fish lying in the sand. He swam away when the current of one of our flippers hit him and Uls (a fellow diver, sounds like he is from Switzerland) hunted him with his camera. Saw even more blue spotted rays in the sandy area. Reached some barrels from a Russian ship which had run on to the corals in 1981. After that it was flying along with the current across the corals. Bonked Johanna in the head with my flippers at one point and didn't understand most of what she was trying to say under water. Jon shot up like a rocket at one point whilst simulating a motorbike drive in the current. He came back down at top speed after letting out a lot of air from his jacket.

 At one point Salah and Johanna motioned me to them and I swam above them to see what they wanted. Turned out there was a fire fish stuck to the bottom of the coral and it took me a while to find out what they actually wanted to show me. Later they also showed me two small crabs hidden inside a hard coral and I took some time to realise what they wanted again. Salah lost his diving boy for Captain to find us, so when he drove past he let a blast of air out of his breathing gear. Got on to the boat rather fast as Captain had said he had spotted some dolphins a bit away, so we raced to that point. Could already see three boats following something so we tagged along and a short while later spotted the dorsal fins of a few bottle-nose dolphins. Drove along with the small shoal and saw that they had been hunting, as they had a colourful parrot fish and a big tuna in their mouths. Took me twenty years but at last I have seen some dolphins (my favourite animals) and what to we get to see, one pooped right next to us. Once they left we carried on and some flying fish rounded of the experience.

Back at the base we cleaned all the gear again and then sat down to write our log books. Then back to the accommodation to write the blog. Of to dinner after that.

More pictures at Picasa and a link to the reef map here.

Diving time: 115 min.

Diving depth: 20,4 meters

Speciality: Underwater: Blue spotted Rays and Lion Fish

Above: Bottle-Nose Dolphins and Flying Fish

Egypt Day 2: House Reef & Woodhouse Reef

Was woken up by an already awake and getting dressed Jon, as he had been asleep since 8 o'clock. Johanna and me where still in bed, so his solution was to rip open the curtains and let the sun stream right in to our faces. Got up, dressed and went to breakfast. Had to find Jon, who had reserved us a table and then had some eggs on toast.

After breakfast back to our accommodation to get prepared for diving. Carried all my gear over to the Extra Divers base and then geared up for the first dive. Got our Nitrox bottles and fixed all our air devices to it. Had our briefing from Santo and then proceeded to the yeti. Got the stuff on and then did our buddy check before jumping in to the water. Dived down to a diving platform at five meters depth and did a check up (if we can blow out our mask underwater). Had the GoPro on my head to film the first dive, so I was checking that the bubbles don't obscure the screen to much. After the check, where Jon and I got some extra weight, we started diving along the coral reef. Saw a bunch of really colourful fish (to be expected in the red sea) and the highlight of the dive was seeing a pair of clown fish with their baby (Nemo?) in their home, a red anemone. Was at 100 bars at that point, so it was time to turn round and head back. Saw some weird snorkel fish which none could identify. Reaching the yeti there where dozens of people in the water around it. Navigating through the people we reached the yeti and then proceeded back to the base to wash our gear.

It unfortunately turned out that the housing of the GoPro wasn't as waterproof as the builders of it had said it would be. Salt water had run all over into the housing and soaked right in to the GoPro. Built it apart and left it to dry whilst writing the dive log and hope it will work by tomorrow.

Had lunch shortly after that, lots of lasagne with a beef burger and some desert which tasted good. Back to diving after that, this time to the Woodhouse Reef with Salah and some other German speaking people. Drove out with a Zodiac, jumping from wave to wave and racing two other speed boats. Reached the dive site and all did a backwards dive in at the same time, so we wouldn't knock ourselves out. Shot down toward the ground, but as we where diving along a cliff side we stopped at 18 meters. Johanna being my buddy we checked the other person and then proceeded along the reef.

The highlight of the journey was a murrain eel, slithering through the reef and a sea turtle feeding (or something like that). Nearly backed in to the reef at one point but had an early warning buddy system, Johanna warning me before I impacted. My air nearly ran out at one point so I was hooked up to Salah for nearly the rest of the journey. Carried on along the cliff and saw lots of different inhabitants of the reef. Safety stop at five meters and then on to the boot. Proofed to be a challenge to get the weights and gear of and then getting on to the Zodiac. Sped back to the hotel, Jon taking a film with his new GPS video camera. Cleaned everything an then wrote the log book with Salah and Mohammed. Back to the accommodation to write the blog and then to dinner.

More pictures at Picasa and a link to the reef map here.

Diving time: 108 minutes

Diving depth: 18 meters

Speciality: Murrain ell swimming and a giant sea turtle, ran out of air early

Egypt Day 1: Flight and Snorkeling

After two weeks of school, plus a weekend away from home, I was ready for something different. Coming back on Friday, I was of to a party with Johanna and Nico. Stayed there until they threw us out, as the good youth is supposed to do it.

Next day was spent packing and testing a new game mode. Packing was the big thing, because I am of to Egypt with Jon and Johanna. After sleeping for three to four hours until two in the morning, I packed the last things for the journey. Met Rhiannon coming home from somewhere and said goodbye. A few minutes later the two Frenches where in front of the door and we where of to Zürich. Our original flight from Munich had been cancelled, but we got 5 days longer in Egypt for less money, good for us. Reached Zurich about three hours after we left and parked the car, before trying to find the shuttle bus. After looking around, starting to walk a bit toward the airport and finding an other lost couple, we got some help from a local and found the bus stop. Waiting for a bit in the pre-winter weather of Switzerland, we caught the bus, arrived at the airport and checked in rather fast. The airport was rather empty, as it was 6 o'clock in the morning. Had some problems at the security check, as they probably thought that the diving lamp I had in my hand luggage was some kind of futuristic weapon. After filling out some forms we had a coffee whilst waiting for the plane. Got on as planned and the plane it's self was full, considering all the warnings Germany has been telling us about. I got the window seat (guy with the camera) and had a super view over the Alps emerging out of the autumn mist (temperatures being about 4°C). Saw the Alpspitze on our way to Sharm el Sheikh, followed by Venice and the coastline of the Adrian sea. Passed Crete at some point and the clouds from the Alps looked as if they where stretching all the way down to Africa. Us three watched a film on the way with some airline food in between. Landed in Sharm el Sheikh after approximately four hours of flight.

First time I have seen a desert with my own eyes. Got out of the plane and temperatures where near to 30 °C, seven times warmer than at home. Coming in to the terminal the first culture shock. Not the organised terminal of Europe, but a friendly, some times chaotic run airport from the locals. After finding our tour guide we where driven to the Melia Sina, our hotel here. Had some lunch on arrival and then got to our bedroom (after hearing a loud, elderly Russian discussing with the staff).

Problem in our room, three people, two beds. After three hours Johanna got her bed, followed with us registering ourselves at the local diving company. Had a warm welcome from Tanja, who received some chocolate and gummy bears from Jon. Johanna took me snorkelling for the first time following our registration. The sun was just setting so some fish had gone to bed, as there where only a few there. Did not stop a parrot fish rallying some cronies and attacking Johanna. Don't know what they where trying to achieve with that. Got some pictures of the sunset and under water, before heading back and having a chat with Jon and Mohamed (a local dive guide). Stuffed ourselves with the food of the restaurant later and then started writing the blog. Other two are asleep now (I think) and there is some disco music being played outside. Doesn't matter, am knackered enough to sleep.

More pictures at Picasa and a map of the reef here.

Diving time: 15 minutes

Diving depth: 5 meters

Speciality: Fish swarm attacking Johanna

College Four Geocaches

As it is Saturday today and I had got nothing planed or things I needed to do, I was geocaching again.

I woke up rather early for Saturday and after eating breakfast I transferred a few geocaches to my GPS. Looked out of my bedroom window and saw sunshine and blue sky, but a rather cold wind, so I put my rain jacket on. Opened the front door and was greeted with rain from the sky, typical. The weather forecast had mentioned rain today, but really, a change in the span of 2 minutes?! Set of for geocache Nr.1 (link) and found it in a downpour, looking in tree holes and the likes. Took me rather a long time, but after logging it, it was of to Nr. 2 (link). When I reached the top of the hill it was located on the weather had turned in to a rainstorm, so I took shelter for a while in a pavilion. It wasn't getting better, so after searching for the clue and doing some mathematics in a rainstorm I found the geocache in disguise of a hedgehog. Took me by surprise.

The Naturpark Rhoen 2+4 was my next one. After a walk along a country road with the weather getting increasingly better I found it in a rather remote place. The sun was out by then so I continued on to Nr. 4 (link) and after walking through an autumn deciduous forest and frightening some deer (I should have bought my DSLR, I like taking pictures of deer) I found that, too. After that, on my way back to the apartment, I tried to find two more but failed at that. Super four geochaches and a rather surprised me that the area has got some nice places to see.
Some more pictures at Picasa.

College Quarry Geocaching

Got college for two weeks again, up in Northern Bavaria. Rather far from home.

To get a better feel of the area, I decided to do a geocache after school. This was actually planed for the weekend, but as the weather forecast has foretold rain I decided to do it today. After school and lunch (burning some rice) it was up the hills and past an airfield. Not a lot going on as the weather wasn't that good either. Under ten degrees Celsius and a bit of rain. Found the first way-point rather easily and proceeded to the cache. It was only a small multi-cache. Found the box after a bit of a crawl through brambles, logged in and left a travel-bug there.

After enjoying the view down into a quarry, it was back to my rented apartment.

Geocache informations can be found here.

Wild Foxes and Geocaching

Yesterday saw dad and me having a grill evening in Freches Vieweid with some friends and a rather friendly wild fox. He even tried to steel a rucksack from right under our noses, but Hopsing being the owner got it back without much difficulty. Some pictures of the evening from Jon here.

Today I went Geocaching after a long time out. Actually wanted to go with Nico and Franzy, but Franzy was not well, so I went on my own. I did visit them before continuing and had a bit of a piano session with Franzy. After saying goodbye it was on to the geocache.

Parked at the bottom of the Blender and walked up a bit until I got to the first stage. Solved that rather easy and continued on. Had problems with stage 3 but after about 30 minutes it was found with the help of the hints. Found the cache in the Twilight, just in time as I had no torch and after logging in it was back to the car and home. Geocache informations can be found here.

Diving Urisee

Was out diving today with my diving instructor in the Urisee near Reutte in Austria.

Had to get geared up first, which took some time. After getting into our wetsuits we went down to the lake. First aim was a platform at 5 meters depth, where we got our bearings to carry on towards the “shark”. After that it was gliding along a moon-like landscape, with trees coming out of the blue until we reached the shark. Some local divers had put up a replica of a great white shark, stuck on a pole. After that visit we carried on a bit and when Uli said so we turned round. Swam back a bit further than before and visited the face carved out of wood, like we had last week. Then back to the platform at 5 meters for our safety stop after which we resurfaced. Dived for 40 minutes and had about 500 bar*l left in my tank, so no more extended diving. Went back to our changing place and had a drink and an Apfelstrudel in a near by restaurant whilst writing the logbook.

Max. depth: 12m

Diving time: 40 min.