CURRENTS IN THE RED SEA
Current Check:
The ocean water moves
around all over the globe all the time. The tides, weather and wind dictates the
direction and the strength of these movements. The moon and the sun is what are
ultimately responsible and there is nothing we can do about it. Sometimes
current is good, sometimes current is bad. Knowledge and planning is the only
weapon we have to make the best out of the situation. Failing to plan is
planning to fail.
 Your guide is responsible for checking the
currents and plan the dives in a safe and enjoyable way.
To plan a dive alongside
an off shore reef like Brothers or Daedalus it’s crucial to know what the
current is up to for several reasons; where to start the dive, which way to
swim, how to use- or avoid problems with the current, where the interesting
marine life can be expected and maybe most significantly; where you most likely
will surface at the end of the dive.
You might use a line
with a small weight next to the boat to find out the general direction of the
current. Or maybe there are a lot of jellyfish in the water to give you a
hint. Sometimes it’s enough to watch the surface and it’s obvious. Anyway it’s
good to have an idea where to start your current check before you get into the
water.
Right:
Black and White Snappers hanging in the split point.
Left: Anthias sweeping in
and out in the split point.
Photo:
Peter Bergquist
Mask snorkel and fins is
all you need. Let the zodiac take you to the place where you suspect you will
find the split point. At the edge of the reef you swim against the current till
you find the split point. The best way is to look at the anthiaes. They always
face the current and how hard they work to stay in one spot is a good indication
of the strength of the current. Where you find a huge cloud of anthiaes facing
straight out from the reef, or maybe even randomly swimming around in no general
direction at all, that’s your split point. Most likely you also have a school of
snappers in mid water a few meters outside the wall but you can’t trust them.
They move around too much. One thing is sure though:
Never trust that groups from other boats have done a current check and
know what they are doing. Just because they roll in from the zodiac over there
doesn’t mean that that is the right spot.
Using the current:
To hang in the split point
often takes no effort at all. Here the current is week and you can make
excursions out from the reef to have a look into the blue knowing that you will
not be swept away from the reef. Here is also where most of the action is going
on and most of the time this is where sharks are patrolling. Tuna, trevally,
barracuda and other predators come in for fast attacks in pursuit of pray.
There are a few guide
lines that can help you predict the current. Generally a moon in the first or
third quarter rising in the east creates the strongest currents and the second
and fourth quarter raising in the west the least current.
When making a drift dive
it’s easy to give in to the temptation to “go with the flow” from the first fin
kick but when it comes to this kind of diving you get more out of the dive if
you first go against the current till you find the split point. That’s where you
have the action. Providing your guide made a good current check and dropped in
close enough.
Use the reef profile:
Most reef walls are not a
straight wall. They bend in and out creating a zigzag profile. Outside along
the wall the current fly by undisturbed but in those small bays you will find
the current weaker. On a small reef like Little Brother a dive can be over in
less than 10 minutes if the current is strong. Then you can use the reef profile
to hide from the current making the dive linger. Also the current may swivel
inside a bend in the reef and actually go in the opposite direction compared to
outside.
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Up and down current:
When the current hit the
reef from the side it can create up and down currents. For the inexperienced
diver this might cause changes in depth the diver is not aware of. During a few
days challenging diving to the 40 meters of the north plateau on Little Brother
you don’t need unexpected yo-yo profiles. The easiest way to avoid this is again
to keep an eye on the anthiaes and pay attention to changes of pressure in the
middle ear. If you see a cloud of anthiaes facing straight up or down working
hard to stay in one spot, just go a few meters away from the wall to avoid the
risky stretch.
Negative entry:
Having problems equalizing
or not having enough weights might normally not seem like a huge problem.
However, when making a negative entry on a dive like the north plateau of little
brother this probably means you miss the dive. Empty your BCD and suck out the
last air through the inflator orally. As you roll in exhale so you get
extra heavy. A few fin kicks and meet up with your buddy on 5-6m.
If it happens:
If you would be swept out
of visual contact with the reef you should immediately go to the surface, of
course not faster than 18 meter/minute but without making a safety stop on the
way. (This is one of the reasons why you never should run into deco out here) If
you try to find your way back to the reef under water, which will be
unsuccessful, and then on top of that time loss, stay 3 minutes on 5 meters, you
would probably be halfway to Sudan when you finally reach the surface. Most
likely you will also end up in the sparkling reflection of the sun on the
horizon. The next human contact you can hope for is in a helicopter many hours
later.
Before getting in the Zodiac:
Make sure you have everything you
need. Most commonly forgotten items are weights, masks, computers and cameras.
Make a buddy check!
En Route with the Zodiac:
Before the Zodiac start moving,
defog your mask and put it on, then the regulator in your mouth, after this
start getting your fins on. This way, if you lose balance while fiddling around
with your fins and fall back into the sea, you won't have any problems. Do not
put your mask on the floor of the Zodiac if you don't want it to break.
Getting back into the Zodiac/dive-platform:
If it's rough there are a few
things to think about at the end of the dive both for your own and your fellow
divers safety.
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Using SMB
• When it’s time for the
safety stop it’s time to start planning for the re-entry onto the
zodiac.
• Make your safety stop close to the reef.
• Send up your SMB at least one minute before you plan to break the
surface. |
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Zodiac:
Photo: Winston van Oosterhout - M/Y
Rosetta June 2007
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The crew can't take the Zodiac too
close to the reef because then it might be swept on top of the reef by the wind
and waves. You have to swim out and meet it.
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Grab the handle/rope with your
left hand.
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Release your weights and give them
to the crew in the Zodiac.
-
Keep holding the Zodiac and
release all buckles with your right hand.
-
Unclip the left shoulder strap and
swing your BCD around your body holding the inflator and inflate.
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Help the crew by pushing from
underneath your cylinder.
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Swing your legs out to get your
body in a horizontal position.
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A few hard fin kicks and pull
yourself over the tubing.
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Well done! This while procedure
takes maximum 20 seconds.
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Dive
platform:
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Hold on to the line rather
than the ladder.
-
Keep regulator in your mouth
and mask on your nose.
-
Do not put your knee on the
ladder, this can take your kneecap off if there is a big wave.
-
Wait for the platform to
descend, get on the ladder and use the next wave to lift you up.
-
Stay clear from the area below
the ladder until the diver before you is on the platform. To get hit in the head
by the tank of a diver falling back in can be fatal.
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Equipment Problem
"OH NO! I can't believe it! I
just had it serviced before I came out here" That's the most common line I
hear if there is a problem with a regulator on arrival. Have no fear, there are
plenty of service technicians here. Even if you're going on a safari the next
morning you can actually get it done "over night".
If you have rare or irreplaceable
equipment you might want to consider to bring your own spare... Like Richie's
mask to the left...
Red Sea Dive Site
Name Dictionary
Everybody who's been
diving in the Red Sea probably once or twice wondered what the name of the dive
site actually means. Some dive sites have English names but they also have an
original Arabic name. Believe it or not but Elphinstone is not the original
name, it's Shaab Ruhr Abu el Hambra. This refers to the red mountain on the main
land that can be seen from the reef.
Abu – Father
Dahra – Straight line
Erg – Pinnacle
Eshta – cream
Eroug – Pinnacles (plural)
Fanadeer – Rocks on top of reef
Fanous – beacon
Fasma – Channel through one or between two reefs
Foug -
Up/Upper
Gammar – moon
Ganoub – South
Gebel – mountain
Gota – Piece of…
Habili – Reef not reaching the surface
Halk - Bay with only a small opening in the surrounding reef
Hambra - Red
Hashish – sea weed
Helwa – beautiful
Kafan – deep water
Kebir – big
Malag – Bend/Bay in the reef (spoon)
Marsa – Open bay with coral reefs on each side of a sand beach
Ras – Head (Peninsula)
Soraya – small
Shaab – Coral/Reef
Shaab Ruhr – Reef close to…/Extension of the reef…
Sharm – Open bay with coral reef all the way around
Shemaal - North
Taht -
Down/Lower
Torfa – Tongue of reef…
Um – Mother
Quais – good
Wadi – valley
Chamber of Diving and Water Sports - Egypt
There are rules and regulations in Egypt as to who
is allowed to teach diving, guide qualified divers and snorkelers around the
reefs. To guarantee the quality of the instructors and guides C.D.W.S. issue a
card to those who are. Make sure your guide has one.
Read more about C.D.W.S
here.
Deco Insurance In Egypt:
Every
dive operator with at least an ounce of self respect will offer you a chamber
insurance when you're checking in. You should be aware of that even if you have
a health insurance that covers sport activities it might not extend to scuba
diving. Even if yours does it might not work in Egypt. If you have a DAN
insurance it's all green light but if the chamber staff does not recognize the
insurance company you might have a problem.
Read
more about Chamber insurances
here.
Liveaboard at night:
One good thing with diving from a liveaboard is
that you don't have to go back to the hotel in the evening. And in the morning you can roll directly out of
bed in to your suit and you're ready.
Another advantage with diving from
liveaboard is that you reach dive sites you'd never get even close to by daily
diving.
But the best about liveaboard is
that the format of your day is Dive, Eat, Sleep, Dive, Eat, Sleep, Dive, Eat,
Sleep........
Photo left: Sun set on Brothers
Winston van Oosterhout -
Rosetta June 2007
All Liveaboard Vessels in the Red Sea
In Alphabetical Order
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