FREE Enter our photo contest to win a mini-safari trip - aziab media

T H E 

EQUALIZER 

B E C A U S E N O T A L L D I V E R S W E R E C R E A T E D E Q U A L 

ISSUE SEVEN 

Sep-Oct 2011 

**FREE** 

Luxor’s Ancient History Red Sea Sharks 

• Diving in Fury Shoals 

• Water Water Everywhere... 

• Meeting Egypt’s Tribes 

• The History of Luxor 

• Species Focus - Sharks 

• Red Sea news & calendar 

• Reef & wreck briefings 

• Photo contest results 

• Narcosis corner 

• and more... 

**Enter our photo contest to win a mini-safari trip**

THE EQUALIZER 

ISSUE SEVEN - SEP/OCT 2011 

CONTENTS 

REGULARS 

07 Dive Profile 

08 Wreck Briefing 

10 Reef Briefing 

12 Species Focus 

48 Photography Focus 

52 Photo Contest 

56 Narcosis Corner 

NEWS 

18 Red Sea News 

18 Red Sea Calendar 

22 Environmental News 

SELECTED FEATURES 

26 Laid Back in Fury Shoals 

30 Going Sideways 

34 Dehydration Demystified 

40 Egyptian Life 

42 Surface Interval 

46 Marine Park Focus 

THE EQUALIZER Sep-Oct 2011 

10 

12 

26 

40 

30

Cover Photo: 

School of Red Sea Fusiliers 

by James Dawson 

Anders Jälmsjö 

I have worked as a dive guide/instructor 

for many years and I still love every 

second of it. I have about 3.500 dives in 

the Red Sea under my belt and I’m still 

excited every time I’m about to jump in 

the water. 

I’m very interested in marine life and try 

to learn as much as possible about the 

species I see. If I can’t tell you what it 

was we saw during our dive, most likely 

I’ll have the book to find out. 

MEET THE TEAM 

James Dawson 

I had always wanted to dive and first got 

my opportunity on a holiday in Kenya 

back in 1999. Since those first few 

breaths underwater, I knew it wouldn’t 

be a one-off. 

Since living in Egypt, I have worked as 

a guide and instructor in most areas 

and have been fortunate enough to see 

some amazing sights and experience 

many wonderful dives. There’s 

always something new to look for and 

somewhere different to dive. 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Jennie Frank & Göran Bergman: Swedish dive instructors running 

H2O Diving in Lund, Sweden. Often arranging dive holidays to the Red Sea and 

other destinations. 

Georgina Cole: Georgina is a member of Tropical Gangsters DIve Club, a 

club for El Gouna and Hurghada residents to meet up for diving, snorkelling, social 

activities and holidays 

If you’ve missed any issues of The EQUALIZER, you can 

download them for free at www.aziabmedia.com 

THE EQUALIZER - equalizer@aziabmedia.com 

Distributed by Aziab Media Ltd 

Issue Seven - Sep/Oct 2011 

The EQUALIZER. The views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively. Editorial contributions are welcome and should be sent to The 

EQUALIZER. All due care will be taken with material submitted, but the magazine and publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. 

The EQUALIZER assumes no responsibility to return unsolicited editorial, graphic or other material. All rights in letters, e-mails and unsolicited 

and graphic material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes, and material will be subject to The 

EQUALIZER’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. The EQUALIZER is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in 

whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The EQUALIZER retains the right to publish your material in all media, including and 

without limitation, the Internet. Some of the activities covered in this magazine carry a significant risk of injury or death. Undertake them only with 

proper instruction, training or equipment. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given 

to readers, the writers, editor, publisher and proprietor cannot accept responsibility for any damages or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. 

THE EQUALIZER Sep-Oct 2011

EDITORIAL 

Welcome to the seventh issue of THE 

EQUALIZER. 

We’re busy celebrating our first birthday 

here at EQUALIZER towers and we 

would like to thank everyone that 

has contributed to the magazine and 

supported us in our first year. 

We have some great issues planned for 

the next twelve months so don’t forget to 

check each issue and see what’s going 

on in the Red Sea. 

This issue takes a look at the dive sites 

of Fury Shoals, diving with side mounted 

cylinders and the topic of dehydration is 

investigated. You’re likely to learn some 

things that you didn’t know! 

We also welcome a new photo contest 

sponsor, Colona Divers, who are offering 

the fantastic opportunity to win a minisafari 

in the Red Sea. 

The regular features are still here to keep 

you entertained and informed so read on 

and we hope you enjoy it. 

We’re off for another slice of birthday 

cake now before we start work on the 

next issue! 

As always, if there is anything you would 

like to see included in The EQUALIZER, 

please get in touch with us at; 

equalizer@aziabmedia.com 

Anders & James 

Mike Braun 

Age: Old enough to know better, but 

young enough to still do it anyway! 

Lives in Hurghada 

General Manager of Emperor Divers 

When did you start diving? 

MB: 1984 

Why did you start diving? 

MB: Because windsurfing was just too 

expensive at the time 

How long have you been in the Red 

Sea? 

MB: Since the start of 1997, but I had 

visited on holiday before that 

Which is your favourite dive site in 

the Red Sea, and why? 

MB: Small Giftun drift in Hurghada. 

There are beautiful fan corals and you 

can glide past them all with the current 

What was your most memorable 

dive? 

MB: A dive in January 1995 at Watamu 

in Kenya where we had 20 whale 

sharks and a large group of mantas 

as well. We had been sat at the dive 

centre with binoculars and we saw 

their fins break the surface. We got 

kitted up and had the dive of our lives 

If you could be a marine species, 

what would you be? 

MB: Something big. I would like to 

be a shark, hammerheads are one 

of my favourites so I’d like to be a 

hammerhead. The trouble is they are 

being caught for their fins - something 

we have to stop before it’s too late 

RED SEA LEGENDS 

DIVE PROFILE 

What do you think is the biggest threat 

to the Red Sea? 

MB: Illegal fishing that has increased 

dramatically in recent years 

Who is your dream Buddy, and why? 

MB: If I’m honest it would be myself. I 

love to be alone underwater but if I have 

to have a buddy then I would only ever 

choose my fiancée Cat 

What’s on your bedside table? 

MB: I don’t have one but if I did it would 

have my telephone on it. 

What are you doing in 10 years? 

MB: If I’m still alive, hopefully living as 

a kept man from the money that Cat’s 

business has made 

Mike hard at work in the Emperor Divers office 




MARINE LIFE OF THE RED SEA 

SPECIES FOCUS 

Sharks of the Red Sea 

words by James Dawson, photographs by Dray van Beeck 

Sharks have been branded as the bad 

guys of the sea throughout history. Horror 

stories about this monster of the deep are 

widespread and legendary. 

However the shark is a predator at the 

top of the food chain just as the lion is on 

land. It swims with a serene grace and 

has developed over millions of years to 

the pinnacle of evolution. To put the scare 

stories into perspective, there are more 

deaths each year from falling coconuts 

than there are as the result of shark 

attacks. 

Sharks are found all over the world and 

there are more than 440 different species. 

The Red Sea has more than thirty of these 

species waiting to be found by divers. 

The sharks you may see on your next dive 

trip will vary depending upon the time of 

year and where in the Red Sea you visit. 

Here, we look at the biology of sharks and 

highlight some of the key aspects in the 

evolution of sharks over millions of years. 

Background: A tiger 

shark shows off its 

striped pattern 

Right: The typical 

anatomy of most shark 

species 

While different species of shark can have 

different shapes, habits, territories and 

feeding patterns, there are some common 

traits that are found in all shark species. 

Shape 

There is no single shape that encompasses 

all sharks since evolution has created 

the best shape for each species’ habitat 

and environment. Almost all sharks do 

share some common characteristics and 

the diagram below illustrates the general 

physiology of a shark. 

Tails (Caudal Fin) 

Variations in the shape of different species 

are most noticeable in the development of 

the tail (or caudal fin). 

Pelagic sharks (such as the hammerhead 

or oceanic whitetip) spend their life 

swimming in open water and the tail has 

evolved to provide efficient propulsion 

with minimal effort. Due to the shape of 

the tail the upper lobe is naturally more 

powerful and each thrust actually pushes 

the shark down. 

Opposite from top left: The distinctive shape of the hammerhead shark, a zebra shark rests on the 

seabed, blacktip reef shark, and an oceanic whitetip shark cruising near the surface with divers 

Benthic species (such as the zebra shark) 

that spend more time resting on the bottom 

have evolved to suit their specific needs 

and have almost lost the lower lobe of the 

tail. This allows easier movement across 

the seabed without hindrance from their 

tail. 

Species such as the Thresher family have 

evolved their tail to hunt fish by using the 

extremely long upper lobe to stun their 

prey before turning back and simply 

picking up the driftng fish. 

Skin 

Shark’s skin is covered with placoid scales 

(also called dermal denticles) that create 

tiny vortices that make swimming more 

efficient by reducing drag. 

The scales cannot increase in size but 

when they are lost (sharks can lose up to 

20,000 each year) new ones form that are 

larger as the shark grows. 

Shark skin will feel smooth when felt 

from head to tail since it is designed to 

minimise drag, but when felt from tail to 

head they have a rough sandpaper like 

texture. Certain sharks are used by small 

fish that will rub against the grain of the 

scales to remove parasites from their own 

body. 


Sense Organs 

Sight 

Sharks have eyesight that is 

well adapted to their marine 

environment. They have a tissue 

called the tapetum lucidum behind 

the retina which reflects light 

back to it. This enhances vision in 

dark waters but the effectiveness 

varies by species. They are also 

able to switch between monocular 

(magnifying) and stereoscopic 

(depth perception) vision at any 

time. 

Some species of shark have nictitating 

membranes which cover the eyes when 

the shark is hunting or being attacked as 

a form of protection. However, there are 

also species that roll their eyes back when 

striking prey to protect against damage. 

Smell 

Sharks have keen olfactory senses with 

some species able to detect as little as one 

part per million of blood in seawater. They 

are also able to distinguish between the 

scents of their prey and other secretions 

that will not stimulate a feeding response. 

Hearing 

A small opening on either side of the 

shark’s head leads directly into the inner 

ear through a small channel. The lateral 

line shows a similar arrangement and 

illustrates the common origin of these two 

vibration and sound detecting organs. 

Lateral Line 

This runs down the length of the body in 

most fish and detects motion or vibration 

in the water. Sharks have also been 

known to use their lateral line as an 

electroreceptor (in conjuction with the 

Ampullae of Lorenzini) to detect magnetic 

fields. 

Background: A thresher shark approaches the 

camera. Above: The gentle giant whale shark 

Range: Throughout Red Sea 

Size: Varies from 1.7m (Whitetip 

reef shark) up to 14m (Whale shark) 

Depth: Some species are known to 

go as deep as 500m (Silky shark) but 

many species are seen shallower than 

30m with several most often sighted near 

the surface 

Hazards: While there have been 

recorded shark attacks in the Red Sea, 

the risk is still very slight if you follow some 

simple guidelines. For more information on 

these steps, please see the next page. 

Ampullae of Lorenzini 

These electroreceptor organs number in 

the hundreds to thousands and are used 

to detect the electromagnetic fields that 

all living things produce. Sharks have 

the greatest electrical sensitivity of any 

animal and can use this sense to find prey 

or navigate using the Earth’s magnetic 

fields. 

If you would like to learn more about some 

of the shark species that can be found in 

the Red Sea, why not download the Aziab 

Media app for iPad and iPhone. More 

details can be found opposite. 


Aqua Life Images 

The ideal reference companion for any diver. A fully 

illustrated fish identification manual 

The result of five years of underwater 

photography and information collected by 

award winning Dutch photographer Dray 

van Beeck. This app for both iPad and 

iPhone is one of the most comprehensive 

underwater references available. 

Ideal for marine biologists, divers or simply 

if you wish to learn more about what goes 

on beneath the waves. 

Sharks of the Red Sea 

An illustrated guide to the common species 

Developed by 

Sharks of the Red Sea is a pocket reference 

for divers and underwater photographers, 

or just those who are curious about these 

amazing creatures. 

This app for both iPad and iPhone is fully 

illustrated with photographs from award 

winning photographers. With this guide 

you’ll learn more about the species of 

shark often seen in the Red Sea. 

Available from

Image Credit: Dray van Beeck 

DIVING WITH SHARKS 

GUIDELINES FOR SAFE 

SHARK ENCOUNTERS 

In time for the start of the autumn shark 

season, here are some rules to follow 

when entering water where sharks are 

present or likely to be encountered. 

Remember, you are entering the realm 

of highly evolved and perfectly adapted 

open-ocean predators, who should be 

treated with respect and caution. 

While the risks in diving with sharks are 

minimal, following certain behavioural 

rules helps to avoid potentially stressful 

or even dangerous situations. 

• Feeding or baiting sharks is 

illegal throughout the Egyptian 

Red Sea. If you feel there is any 

sign of feeding activity in the 

area; 

do not enter the water 

• Only enter the water if you are 

comfortable with the situation 

and confident that you can stay 

calm. 

• Avoid any quick, jerky or erratic 

movements. 

• You are most vulnerable at the 

surface so descend quickly once 

in the water and monitor your 

depth during the dive. 

• When you want (or need) to leave 

the water, do so in a calm and 

orderly fashion and remember 

to follow standard safe diving 

practices. 

• Avoid rapid ascents, especially if 

there is a shark directly beneath 

you. 

• Most sharks that are likely to 

come close to divers are found 

in open water rather than 

near the reef. If you don’t feel 

comfortable, swim near the reef 

and if conditions allow, surface 

next to the reef to avoid attention 

from curious sharks. 

• Do not try to touch or in any way 

harass any shark. Also ensure 

that you always leave the shark 

room to swim away and don’t 

block off any exits. 

• Do not be alarmed if a shark 

begins to calmly circle you. 

Ensure that you turn with it and 

maintain visual contact. 

• Stay alert and look around 

you from time to time to see if 

another shark is approaching 

you. As predators, sharks will try 

to approach unknown objects 

unseen as part of their natural 

behaviour. 

• Generally, sharks are more 

reluctant to closely approach 

groups of divers than individuals. 

Background: A diver encounters an Oceanic 

whitetip shark 

Right: The whale shark code of conduct 

Whale Sharks are passive creatures and can be agitated by aggressive behaviour 

such as being touched, or chased. It is as much a diver’s responsibility as anyone’s 

to ensure the survival of Whale Sharks for future generations. This means causing 

minimal disturbance to the sharks when approaching by boat or when diving. Although 

Whale Sharks are harmless, their sheer size makes it necessary to exercise caution 

around them, especially at the tail end. 

Divers need to be aware of any local regulations or protocols set by the dive organisation 

regarding behaviour around Whale Sharks before entering the water. Regardless 

of whether there are any regulations are in place, please follow these general 

guidelines developed and promoted by The Shark Trust, the Australian Department of 

Conservation and Land Management and PADI and the Project AWARE Foundation, 

both for your own safety and for the safety of the Sharks. 

Swimmers and divers 

WHALE SHARK 

CODE OF CONDUCT 

reprinted courtesy of The Shark Trust 

• Do not attempt to touch, ride, or 

chase a Whale Shark 

• Do not restrict normal movement 

or behaviour of the Shark 

• Maintain a minimum distance of 3 

metres from the Whale Shark 

• Do not undertake flash photography 

• Do not use underwater motorised 

diver propulsions 


RED SEA NEWS 

** NEWS ** 

Image Credit: Emperor Divers 

Emperor is leaving Marina 

Lodge and will open their 

new dive centre in the Marsa 

Alam area on the 1st October. 

Situated in a new seafront hotel, 

Moreen Beach, the centre is 20 

km south of the airport. Moreen 

Beach is a 4 star hotel operated 

by Concord Hotels. Emperor’s 

hard boat trips will operate as 

usual plus speedboat trips to 

the Abu Dabab offshore reef 

system just 15 minutes away. 

Luke Atkinson, Emperor Marsa 

Alam’s Manager commented, 

“Our operation in Port Ghalib will remain virtually the same with the addition of a super 

house reef at the Moreen Beach and easier access to Shaab Abu Dabab and Marsa 

Alam’s sites. We look forward to giving our guests more choice, memorable diving 

and the same customer-focused service”. 

Divers in Ras Mohammed on the 19th August were treated to a very friendly whale 

shark sighting. One group saw it on Yolanda Reef and another in Jack Fish Alley. In 

fact it was more than a sighting, as it seemed to be quite happy hanging around for 

some time with many of the divers. 

Image Credit: Dray van Beeck 

It seems like Sailfish are 

getting more common around 

our dive sites. Jilly, an 

Instructor at Ocean College 

Sharm el Sheikh, reports 

an encounter with a Sailfish 

and Crowley of Sinai Divers 

was lucky enough to see five 

Sailfish on one dive. There are 

also reports of Manta, Whale 

Shark and even Tiger Sharks 

around Ras Mohammed. 

Dray Van Beeck – dive guide 

at blue o two even saw a 

Whale Shark at Abu Nuhas. 


RED SEA CALENDAR: 

** CALENDAR ** 

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks 

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) start to 

appear regularly around offshore deep water reefs such as 

Elphinstone and Brother Islands, between October and February. 

These curious sharks are usually found near the surface 

investigating the sounds and smells of dive boats and will often 

swim close to divers. 

Thresher Sharks 

The Pelagic Thresher (Alopias pelagicus) prefers slightly cooler 

waters and tends to remain in deeper areas during the summer. 

As the water temperature begins to drop, they are more frequently 

seen within recreational diving depths. A shy and nervous shark, 

divers will need to stay calm and move slowly to allow them to 

come close. Like the Oceanic Whitetip, they are most usually 

sighted near deep water reefs. 

What to look for in the coming months 

Photo: James Dawson 

Photo: James Dawson

NEWS (Continued) 

** NEWS ** 

The last few months have seen several encounters with Hammerheads on Elphinstone 

near Marsa Alam. It’s not completely unheard of, but the fact that they have stayed 

around for such a long time is somewhat surprising. 

When it comes to marine life it seems that everything has increased lately. Of course 

this is good news and I can personally report far more juvenile Whitetip Reef Sharks 

than I’ve seen in a long time. Especially to the south in areas like St. John’s, Abu 

Fandira, Ohrob and Fury Shoal but also around Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada. 

Also on the on local dives in Sharm El Sheikh the marine life is heaving. For example; 

whitetip reef shark on Ras Katy, Manta on Ras Um Sid and what were maybe the 

most surprised Open Water students in Egypt saw a Hammerhead on a shore dive 

from Sensatori Hotel on Open Water dive # 4. 

Clare Wilders - DIve Bunnie also tells us of 

some exciting news from Sharm El Sheik. “By 

the Umbi Dive Centre in Shark’s Bay there 

was a recent arrival, in fact several arrivals. A 

nest of turtle eggs has been incubating there, 

completely unbeknownst to the dive centre, 

and other beachgoers, for the last couple 

of months. And… this week they hatched! 

Auntie Alex and Bev both long time Sharm 

residents, together with a host of guest divers 

at the Umbi Dive Centre were treated to the 

rare and wonderful spectacle. 

It was the 23rd August in the late afternoon, and the little brood 

of endangered baby hawksbill turtles saw their first light of day 

and scuttled their way towards the sea and a life on the waves. 

The picture here was taken by Paul and Darren Hobley, guests 

of Oonasdivers Ltd UK. 

Images by Paul and Darren Hobley 

The guys from the National Park were also called in, to assess the site, and there 

they found more un-hatched eggs that will be due in a week or so. Hopefully they will 

hatch during daylight hours again, thus allowing the guys at Umbi to pass the babies 

on to the National Park team. There they can be re-located to safety on Turtle Beach 

in the Ras Mohammed National Park. Known to be a turtle nesting site, this beach is 

a protected area, so there the babies will be sheltered until they are big and strong 

enough to venture forth on their own four flippers.“ 

For even more news and updates about all things Red Sea - visit 

www.aziab.com 


Research or An Exploited Loophole? 

by Anders Jälmsjö 

In 1973, Egypt signed a treaty with Convention on International Trade of 

Endangered Species (CITES), which included a ban of shark fishing and all 

trading with shark products. In 2005, a decree issued by the Egyptian government 

allowed the punishment of offenders violating this treaty. 

Despite the fishing of sharks being illegal 

in Egypt, it still continues to some extent in 

remote areas, which are difficult to patrol 

and monitor. Inefficient enforcement of 

the law is causing a hidden damage to 

the shark population, which in the future 

may prove devastating to one of the Red 

Sea’s most vulnerable as well as valuable 

species. 

With the prices of shark fins increasing as 

the sharks are disappearing, the problem 

is not likely to go away until it is too late. To 

be fair, you can’t entirely put the blame on 

the fisherman for seizing the opportunity 

to put food on the family’s table. Much 

of the blame must lay with the consumer 

SHARK CATCH, TAG & RELEASE 

buying the end product and creating the 

demand. However, at the end of the day, 

here and now is where it happens and 

here and now is where we need to try to 

stop it. 

This summer I have visited areas such 

as St. John’s, Abu Fandira and Ohrob in 

the southern Egyptian Red Sea near the 

Sudanese border. These are areas rarely 

patrolled by authorities and on every trip 

I have found and collected long-lines 

entangled in the reefs with large hooks 

attached by steel wires, designed for the 

purpose of catching sharks. Every trip 

has revealed new lines indicating ongoing 

fishing. 

Another worrying observation is the 

presence of a so-called Catch, Tag and 

Release operation going on in the same 

areas. A small speedboat fitted out for 

sports fishing, has been seen and even 

been approaching dive 

boats asking if and where 

they have seen sharks. 

The explanation has been 

that they are conducting a 

scientific survey by catching 

sharks, putting a tag on them 

and then release them. 

Opposite: One of the 

speedboats that operates the 

Catch, Tag and Release system 

photographed in the southern 

Egyptian Red Sea. This Page: 

Shark fin products on sale in 

the streets of Singapore that 

demand high prices and carry a 

higher cost 

The EQUALIZER has spoken to Elke 

Bojanowski a well renowned shark 

research expert in the Red Sea regarding 

the scientific value of such a project. “This 

is a common way to circumnavigate the 

laws of ‘No Shark Fishing’ in many parts 

of the world” she says and explains that 

very little scientific results come out of this 

kind of tagging. 

“Most of the time you completely exhaust 

the shark just by reeling it in to the boat, 

then, to make it worth anything, you need 

to get it into the boat to collect data like 

sex, weight and length plus attach the 

tag. After this the animal is thrown back 

into the sea where it almost doesn’t have 

the strength left to swim away. Quite often 

this shark actually falls prey to others of 

the same species.” 

If you think of it, the only way to retrieve a 

tag like this you need to again catch the 

shark which has to be done illegally. Who 

would report that they caught a shark to 

help this study if it means that you’ll go 

to jail? “I can see no scientific use of this 

program!” says Elke. 


After these observations were 

reported to HEPCA (Hurghada 

Environmental Protection and 

Conservation Association), an 

investigation has been started and 

their Project Manager, Urte Friek 

says that no proof has been found 

that the Catch, Tag and Release 

program has been sanctioned by 

the Egyptian Authorities. 

“We urge liveaboard guides working 

in the area to help in collecting 

information, preferably photographs 

of any suspicious activities and 

send it to us” says Urte. 

The EQUALIZER will keep reporting on the 

development of this investigation. 

This Page: The gruesome effects of shark finning 

and the devastation caused to shark numbers by 

illegal fishing are clear to see from these pictures 


Daily Diving from Hamata 


Over the years in Egypt my path has on a few occasions crossed with John, a 

journalist from UK. This time he’s back to write about diving with a rebreather 

and the chosen destination is the famous area of Fury Shoal. By chance I was 

present in the periphery again and when asked to join I jumped at the chance. 

The prospect of diving on my rebreather again was also an alluring factor. 

To dive Fury Shoals from the shore, you 

leave from the port of Hamata. I was in 

Hurghada so I had a four and half hour 

drive to get to where the action would be. 

We stopped on the way for the obligatory 

pit stop in El Quesir. If you pass through 

here on a Wednesday or Thursday you 

are likely to see trucks loaded with camels 

on their way to or from the Camel markets 

in Wadi Gemal and Shalateen. 

Along the way we stopped here and there 

to take the opportunity to photograph 

the stunning dessert landscape with its 

spectacular rock formations, windblown 

vegetation and shifting sand dunes. At one 

point we even find a camel standing knee 

deep in sea water feeding on mangroves. 

We had a nice journey due south and 20 

minutes before we arrived we passed 

through Wadi Gemal National Park. 

The National Park is one of the world’s 

best places for bird watching with an 

exceptionally large population of sooty 

falcon. 

The coastline through Wadi Gemal is 

equally gorgeous with a more or less 

unbroken fringing reef all the way and I 

have to admit to the thought of taking a 

cylinder for a quick “dive-stop” on the way 

back. Or maybe stay on land one extra 

day and take my scuba-kit for a camel 

ride into the park and dive amongst the 

mangroves. Hmmm… tempting… 

Hamata is a village in the very south of 

Egypt, slightly north of the peninsula of 

Ras Banas and Port Bernice. Just off 

the coast is the famous region of Fury 

Shoals, which contains some of the most 

spectacular dive sites in the Southern Red 

Sea. These sites used to be accessible 

only by liveaboard but development over 

the years in the Hamata area now offer 

divers the option of diving this area from 

shore as well. 

Hamata itself is hardly more than a 

mosque, a school (financed by USAid), a 

coast guard office, some camels, a few 

donkeys and a bunch of goats, but most 

importantly a jetty for the dive boats. Just 

south of this metropolis is the Zabargad 

resort (named after the 

nearby island), which is 

where the dive centre is 

based. 

Main Picture: Macro life is plentiful in the Fury Shoals area 

Below: The long road south and the sign that welcomes visitors to the park 

Zabargad Beach Resort has their own 

time zone and set their watches one hour 

ahead of the rest of Egypt. Being 

as secluded as it is I suppose it 

makes sense to use some sort of 

“daylight saving hour” since there 

is no interference from the rest of 

the country. This means that we 

have to get up one hour earlier to 

get on the transfer to the boat. 

For the first day our Dutch dive guide 

Leo takes us to Abu Galawa Kebir. This 

is where Thien-Sin, a Chinese tug boat, 

sunk in 1943 while deployed to help 

another boat in distress. Today it’s a nice 

little wreck with the stern resting on a flat 

sandy seabed on 17 metres and the bow 

almost sticking out of the water next to the 

reef. 


Image Credit: Leo Faasen

We had a very relaxed and nice day and 

made two dives, one on the wreck and 

one in a small lagoon in the main reef. To 

get into this lagoon you swim through a 

narrow channel in the reef wall and end 

up in a cathedral ambience with a flat 

sandy bottom surrounded by coral walls 

and a coral tower reaching for the surface 

in the middle. Spectacular! 

For day two we’ve signed up for a special 

trip to Sataya, also know as ‘Dolphin 

Reef’. The journey is slightly longer and 

we start 06:15 (05:15 normal Egyptian 

time). We have breakfast on the boat 

and as we head south we chat with the 

Swedish bikini team who are also on the 

boat. 

When we arrive, I kit up and jump in with 

John and promise not to be in his way 

when he’s taking pictures. “I might need 

some photos with a diver as well” he says 

and added “Why not use the Swedish 

super model”. I of course think he means 

the bikini team and turn around to look for 

them but when I can’t see them realise 

that it’s me he’s talking about. 

The dive site is the south-east corner of 

Sataya, a site I know well from my time 

on liveaboards, which starts as a wall and 

transforms into a sloping coral garden, 

which then merges with the plateau. 

We slowly follow the coral garden and 

marvel at the wonderful condition of the 

hard corals. The beauty of being off the 

beaten track is that fewer divers visit 

these sites and it shows in the pristine 

reefs. As we return to the boat we’re both 

sure that we can hear dolphins but despite 

scanning the water, we can’t see them. 

After lunch we slowly cruise through the 

horseshoe shaped reef system to see we 

can find the dolphins we heard on the dive 

and before long we see their fins breaking 

the surface. These are not the common 

bottlenose dolphins that you more usually 

encounter in the Red Sea, but the slightly 

rarer spinner dolphins. 

A large pod swims past including a few 

juveniles. As they pass us they are 

jumping and spinning delighting the 

guests on board who are happy to take 

the opportunity to capture pictures they 

can show friends and family back home. 

Leo has planned Shaab Claudio for the 

second dive of the day, which just happens 

to be one of my absolute favourite dive 

sites in the area, if not the favourite. It’s a 

reef ascending from a flat seafloor at 19- 

22 metres and full of caves like a Swiss 

cheese. 

The arrangement was that I would again 

model for John and we had a great dive. 

We were swimming in and out through the 

maze of caves and tunnels and even if 

the wind and waves created weird surges 

inside the system, everyone was happy 

with their experience. 

For our last day of diving we visit two more 

local dive sites. We have a few new people 

on the boat so the first site will be a check 

dive. We go to Shaab Bohar and Shaab 

Hamam to let them ease into their week of 

diving. I have to say that if these are the 

sites for check dives, then I’m more than 

impressed. The hard corals are in mint 

condition and there is an arch and a canyon 

on Shaab Hamam that is absolutely world 

class and the north side is covered with 

soft corals and gorgonians. 

Besides the obvious attractions like the 

sharks, dolphins, and dugong there is 

also a large amount of less conspicuous 

marine life to be found in Fury Shoal. 

The macro life is simply amazing. From 

the tiniest flatworms, nudibranchs or 

shieldslugs to gobies and Spanish dancers 

with companion shrimps all the way up 

to stonefish and frogfish. They are all 

competing for posing time in front of your 

camera. 

So all in all we have had three very nice 

diving days from Hamata. I wish it had 

been a week but work commitments called 

me back to Hurghada. One thing is sure 

though, I will be back in Hamata for some 

more relaxed and laid back diving in Fury 

Shoal. 

Clockwise from Top Left: The wreck of the 

Tien Hsin, The mosque in Hamata, One of the 

many cave systems in the area, Overview of 

the Fury Shoal region 


Going Sideways in the Red Sea 

by Jennie Frank and Göran Bergman 

During a wonderful week we had the privilege to join h2odiving from Lund, 

Sweden on a weeklong liveaboard with blue o two. The trip was targeting the 

wrecks in the North as well as Brothers Islands. With this itinerary we already 

knew from start that there were going to be a lot of wrecks as well as deeper 

reef dives. 

The normal choice would be a single tank, 

perhaps a 15 litre to get longer time or even 

a twin set to get extra long bottom times. 

A twin set also offers extra safety in the 

form of separate first stages needed for 

wreck diving with advanced penetration. 

However, we decided not to go for any 

of the above mentioned alternatives but 

instead do the trip using two side mounted 

standard tanks. 

‘Side mount’ means that you have the 

tanks on the side of the body instead 

of having the tanks on your back. This 

means that you can have extra gas as 

well as separate first stages needed for 

deeper dives or technical dives but the big 

advantage compared to a standard twin 

set, is that you are a lot more flexible in a 

narrow passage inside a wreck or cave. 

LOOKING AT A TWIN SET ALTERNATIVE 

For people with back problems it can also 

be an alternative instead of having the 

tanks on their back. An added bonus is 

of course all the confused looks you will 

get from other divers who try to find the 

missing tank on your back. 

Side mount diving started with cave divers 

wanting to get into restricted areas where 

a standard back mounted twin set was 

just too big. With most side mount rigs it is 

possible to easily push the tanks in front 

of you. With the tanks in front of the diver 

they are able to get into passages which 

are no larger than the actual body of the 

diver. While this evolved into an extreme 

form of technical diving, side mounted 

tanks are now becoming more and more 

popular among recreational divers. 

Above: Posing by the flag with the side mount 

configuration Left:Jenny and Göran between 

dives 

In the early days of side mount diving 

there was no commercial equipment 

availably, so divers had to build their own 

rig. Also, there were no courses, so the 

new side mount divers needed to learn 

how to use the equipment on their own. 

Today, there are a growing number of 

equipment manufacturers with ready to 

use rigs, however since all divers are 

different most side mount divers make 

some adjustments and modifications for 

their personal needs and areas of usage. 

Courses are now offered in side mount 

diving by a number of training agencies. 

Most side mount rigs have an extra 

‘buttplate’ attached with rails to which 

the tanks can be attached. The neck of 

the tank is attached with bungee cords, 

which make it possible to move the tanks 

in front of the diver without detaching the 

top part from the BCD. The two tanks are 

completely independent of each other, 

with their own first stage, second stage 

and pressure gauge. The left tank also 

holds the low-pressure inflator hose. 

During the trip we had many dives where 

we were happy to have our two tanks, for 

instance when diving the Rosalie Möller. 

The Rosalie Möller was a 108 metre long 

British cargo ship which was sunk during 

the Second World War. Now it lies on the 

bottom of the Red Sea with its bow at 40 

metres and the stern at approximately 45 

metres. Here we could easily stay at the 

wreck when the others, who were using 

single tanks, had to end the dive early 

since they were running low on air. 

Hanging under an SMB on the safety stop A diver explores the Rosalie Möller 

Also on more shallow dives such as the 

Chrisoula K at Abu Nuhas we had great 

use of the side mounted tanks. The 

Chrisoula K was a 98 metre long cargo 

ship that sank in 1981. She lies at the 

famous Abu Nuhas reef and the diving 

depth is quite moderate ranging from 4 to 

26 meters. Here we had no real need for 

the extra gas we had with us. 

On the Chrisoula K you can easily make 

an hour dive on a single tank but going 

inside the narrow engine room with only 

a single tank is not to recommend. If 

something goes wrong inside the wreck 

you need the redundancy of separate first 

stages. 


Time for some fun & games on the ascent line 

However, to be honest it was not at 

all dives we were happy to have side 

mounted tanks. At Brothers Island in the 

middle of the Red Sea a lot of the dives 

were made using Zodiacs to get to the end 

of the reef. In the water the side mounted 

tanks gave no problems, instead they 

made it possible to stay a bit longer at 

the deeper plateaus looking for the many 

species of sharks that roam around the 

isolated reef, but going in the Zodiac with 

two twelve litre tanks hanging on the side 

is not the easiest when there are some 

waves coming. 

After the dive when the zodiac picked us 

up the difference in getting in was not so 

big. The other divers took their BCDs off 

and sent them up to the crew in the zodiac. 

We kept ours on but unhooked the tanks 

and gave them to the crew. 

When we came back to blue Horizon the 

crew placed the other divers BCDs in 

their places and refilled them. We kept 

our BCD in our boxes and had only the 

two tanks up for refilling. 

An afternoon encounter with a Napoleon Wrasse 

When it was time for the next dive we just 

put on our BCDs and, at the dive deck, we 

attached the tanks. The blue Horizon has 

a really huge dive deck, which made the 

pre-dive preparations a lot easier. 

All in all we had a great week! The 

extra possibility and freedom that the 

side mount tanks gave us makes the 

choice of tanks for the next liveaboard 

an easy one. 

We will be back for another week and 

side mounted tanks will, of course, 

be the configuration next time as 

well. 

If you see us under the water, say 

hello. After all, we are easy to 

recognise! 

Cruising over the wreck of the Numidia at Big Brother 


THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF LUXOR 

EGYPTIAN LIFE 

A Photographic Tour of Luxor 

Luxor was once the home of pharaohs and if you want to see a slice of ancient Egypt, then this is a must 

see destination. It is without doubt a city steeped in history and a visit to Egypt wouldn’t be complete without 

a tour of its temples, tombs and trinket shops; 

Clockwise from top right: The colourful riverboats of the Nile add to the sense of occassion, the lifelike 

face of Nefetari at Karnak Temple, the Colossi of Memnon that guard the entrance to the Valley of the 

Kings, a small selection of the statues that lined the roads in ancient Karnak, the Temple of Hatshepshut 

that was carved into the mountains, Luxor Temples heritage illuminated by night, the unassuming setting of 

the Valley of the Kings where the Pharaohs were buried, and the alleyways of modern day Luxor where you 

can find a flavour of local life as well as a wide array of souvenirs. 

All Images: James Dawson 


Characters of 

Egypt Festival 

by Georgina Cole 

Having already booked a trip to their 

favourite dive camp at Marsa Nakari, south 

of Marsa Alam, members of the Tropical 

Gangsters Dive Club were interested to 

hear about a three day festival happening 

in the desert just a few kilometres further 

south. Club member Christiana Taghian 

had visited the festival the previous year 

with her husband Hosein and highly 

recommended it. “You must go and visit 

this area” she said. “It is a wonderful 

opportunity to see the Egyptian tribal 

culture.” 

It was lucky that the festival began the 

day before the planned dive trip so 

arrangements were made to depart one 

day earlier. We were too late to book 

online so took a gamble that there would 

still be available accommodation when 

we arrived. Driving in private cars it took 

around four and a half hours from El 

Gouna to reach Fustat Wadi El Gimal, 

the National Park 49 kilometres south 

of Marsa Alam. We were directed off the 

main road by Tourist Police and towards 

the registration building. It wasn’t looking 

hopeful at reception to hire any tents as 

everything was fully booked 

but we paid for a day ticket and 

then proceeded another 10 

kilometres along a sand track 

through the desert and towards 

the mountains to the festival. 

Upon arrival we were greeted 

with a cup of tea fresh from the 

fire from one of the tribesmen. 

All around the entrance were 

MEETING THE TRIBES OF EGYPT 

the different tribes’ shelters with the 

men sitting around chatting on blankets 

and smoking shishas. Many volunteer 

students from all over Egypt were helping 

with the organisation and were keen to 

assist us with our enquiries about hiring a 

tent. We were in luck and they found us a 

three-man tent and a small igloo tent. We 

also hired sleeping bags but unfortunately 

all the mattresses were booked. 

Having sorted out our accommodation and 

unpacked a few items we then explored 

the festival. Around 45 tribes from the 

oases and deserts were invited to gather 

for this annual tradition. There were tribes 

from Siwa, Farafra, 

Aswan, El-Arish, 

Sharm El-Sheikh, 

Mount Sinai, 

Nuweiba and the 

Red Sea Mountain 

Range. During 

the afternoon they 

competed against 

each other in games 

like long jump, high 

jump and tug-ofwar. 

We then took 

prime position on 

the mountain side 

for the eagerly 

anticipated camel 

race at 4pm. Club 

Member Dave Taylor had climbed to 

the top of a nearby mountain to find the 

optimum view but was soon scurrying 

down again as the camels approached 

the finish line at more of a brisk trot rather 

than a gallop. “Was that it?” he said not too 

impressed at the leisurely pace and large 

interval at which the following competing 

camels and their boy jockeys arrived. 

Hardly Royal Ascot but very entertaining. 

Time to enjoy the sunset on a wagon 

drawn camel ride into the peaceful desert 

before venturing into the relaxation tent 

with our disguised gin and tonics! This 

large canvas structure was equipped 

with comfy sofas, Egyptian lamps and 

old artefacts scattered around creating a 

wonderful atmosphere. We enjoyed the 

barbecued chicken and salads for dinner 

and then each tribe took turns to entertain 

the crowd under the stars with their 

musical instruments as well as singing 

and dancing. The bands played for several 

hours encouraged by the clapping crowd 

and the Tropical Gangster Girls showed 

off their belly dancing skills encouraged 

by the gin and clapping tribesmen! 

The music drew to a close and everyone 

retired to their tents. Drifting peacefully to 

sleep with the sound of distant drums from 

the tribal sleeping area and to a chap from 

Los Angeles serenading the night gently 

with his saxophone. It wasn’t easy to get 

comfortable on the hard desert ground 

so we awoke early to the smell of wood 

smoke and camels. I stuck my head out 

of my tiny igloo tent just after sunrise and 

was greeted with “Hello Georgina!” I was 

surprised to find that in 

the tent next to me was 

Emad Ibrahim, the El 

Gouna Library Manager, 

wrapped in a towel and 

off to the shower block. 

Small world! 

Clockwise from top: A hard fought tug-of-war contest is one of the many activities during the 

festival, Tribesman gather for a friendly game, enjoying a camel-drawn carriage ride at the end of 

the day, the camel racing is one of the highlights of the weekend, if not raced at full speed! 


Breakfast was purchased by the item and 

included bread, cheese, beans, eggs and 

salad. Quite pricey, but all the profits 

from the festival go towards preserving 

and spreading environmental and cultural 

awareness. It helps to transport 350 tribe 

members to the festival and provide all 

the facilities at the campsite. It also funds 

the camel race, which gives a much 

needed income to the tribesmen. We sat 

around the fire drinking Ethiopian coffee 

made from ground coffee beans and 

ginger served straight from the hot ashes. 

Powerful stuff and a great kick start to the 

day. 

As well as the races there are lectures 

to attend to learn more about customs 

and traditions, tribal law, poetry and 

astronomy. We decided to continue to 

the coolness of the Red Sea and to our 

luxurious and spacious tents at Marsa 

Nakari and venture underwater to wash 

away the dust and sand. “I really enjoyed 

that,” said Gounie resident and keen 

snorkeller Mandy Lloyd-Jones. “So glad 

that I experienced it. Well worth the trip.” 

For more information on the plans for 

2011 or to learn more about the festival, 

please visit the organiser’s website at: 

www.charactersofegypt.com 

Background: Up early for 

sunrise at the start of the day 

Right: The view of the festival 

tents from a nearby hilltop 


MARINE PARK 

ZABARGAD & ROCKY ISLANDS 

Two Very Different Neighbours 


Sail straight out from the St. John’s Reef area into the open sea and you will come 

upon two islands not far from each other geographically but hugely different in size 

and topography. These are Zabargad and Rocky Islands, one big with high mountains 

and the other a speck in the ocean in comparison and flat as a pancake. Two things 

they do have in common though. They are both Egyptian Marine Protectorates and 

hosts beautiful reefs for visiting divers. 

Zabargad Island Marine Park 

• Marine Protectorate since:1986 

• Area: 4.976 km2 

• Entry fee: 5 US$ / Person / Day 

Now uninhabited, this island was in the 

past exploited by ancient Pharaohs, 

Romans and, more recently, the Egyptians 

who mined its precious green olivine 

mineral. Situated 46km south east of the 

Ras Banas peninsular and 20km due 

east of St John´s well known reef system, 

Zabargad is a large island encircled by 

reef and with several lagoons that offer 

liveaboards well protected moorings. 

There are plenty of alternative dive sites 

around Zabargad Island but the most 

commonly used are likely to be the south 

side with a gorgeous sloping coral garden, 

the Habili to the north east and the wreck 

of the Russian “Spy Ship” Khanka. The 

reefs on the south side are relatively 

shallow walls with coral pinnacles rising 

from the gentle slopes creating overhangs 

and swim throughs that add interest 

to the dive. The shelf next to the walls 

progressively plunges down into deeper 

water. Most liveaboards only use this dive 

site for night dives but it’s actually really 

pretty and is worth a dive during the day 

as well. 

Zabargad is an interesting and important 

part of the Red Sea ecosystem as a well 

known breeding site for Green Turtles. 

Over 2,000 nests have been reported on 

the sandy beaches of this island. This 

is an extremely important and fragile 

process, which can easily be destroyed. 

It’s a good thing that this island is located 

far from shore and likely to escape tourist 

developments, which has destroyed 

many of the breading beaches along the 

coastline. 

Rocky Island Marine Park 

• Marine Protectorate since:1986 

• Area:0.176 km2 

• Entry fee: 5 US$ / Person / Day 

Just, over 5 km south east of Zabargad 

we find Rocky Island. This is a low island 

in contrast to the high peaks of Zabargad. 

The reef surrounding the Island plunges 

straight from the top just beneath the 

surface down steep walls into the 

abyss. Because Rocky is more exposed 

to weather and wind than Zabargad, 

liveaboards tend not to stay overnight 

here. 

Diving around Rocky Island is gorgeous 

with the traditional Red Sea beauty of soft 

coral and anthias. Basically you would 

check the currents and conditions and 

then dive the side most suitable, but in 

general there are always good alternative 

dives around the island. The north face 

takes the brunt of the prevailing weather 

and currents which might offer a slightly 

more challenging dive, but the flip side is 

the presence of numerous pelagic species 

notably hammerheads, grey reef sharks, 

as well as large groupers and Napoleon 

Wrasse. The coral growth is best on the 

east side with beautiful coral formations 

and a small plateau. 

Rocky is also the location of the wreck of 

the Steamship SS Maidan, an impressive 

152.4 m long cargo vessel. She made her 

final journey in 1923 and hit the southern 

shores of Rocky Island the night of June 

9th and sunk the next day into deep water. 

Her passengers and crew climbed onto 

the island and were rescued that same 

day. 

The position of the wreck was uncertain for 

a long time, but she was finally discovered 

in October 2003, by Grant Searancke and 

Kimmo Hagman. They managed to get 

the first photographs and video footage of 

the wreck. The SS Maidan now lies at a 

depth of between 80 to 120 m accessible 

only to experienced Trimix divers. 

Top: Green Sea Turtles use Zabargad Island as one of their nesting beaches in the Red Sea 

Above: Rocky Island is less imposing than its neighbour Zabargad (Opposite) 


Get Creative With 

Your Lighting 

words and photos by Dray van Beeck 

Selective lighting can give a great new 

atmosphere to your photos. The easiest way 

is to use your torch to light a subject. This 

will give the subject light while the rest stays 

darker and has less colour. 

The help of your buddy could make the 

photography easier. If your buddy holds the 

torch and shines it on the subject, you can 

position the camera and have a more hands 

free approach. 

Sometimes it’s possible to position your torch 

behind a subject and lighting it this way from 

the back. A fan coral or feather stars are quite 

suitable for these kinds of photos. 

Another possibility is using one of your 

strobes to backlight a subject. Either you use 

the strobe in slave mode or attached to your 

camera. Experiment with the right angle, right 

position and amount of strobe light. 

The new rage from 2010 was the reinvention 

of a studio technique from more than 50 years 

ago - the “snoot”. Portrait photographers in 

the forties and fifties used a cone shaped 

appendix over the lamps/strobes to create a 

darker area around the face. This technique 

can be used underwater to highlight a subject 

without the area around it - (of course you 

can also do this afterwards in editing software 

such as Adobe Photoshop). 

A snoot, a cone you attach to your strobe, 

can be bought or self-made. The size of the 

opening dictates how much of your photo is 

illuminated. 

Left: A torch was used to backlight this soft coral and 

bring out the detail in the stems 

Above: The anemonefish was highlighted by a dive 

torch to make it stand out from the background 

PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS 

Making a snoot is easy. Take a plastic bottle, 

cut away the bottom half and paint it black. 

Find a way to attach it to your strobe and you 

are ready to go. Keep the cap and make a 

small hole in it. For macro photography this 

can give a neat small light area. 

Modern snoots that are available from 

good camera retailers, come with all the 

accessories you need. 

Snoots work very well if you use the spotting 

light of your strobe. This way you can see 

where it focuses and where the snoot will 

Above (clockwise from top left): An example of a homemade 

snoot, a shop bought snoot with accessories, the snoot fitted on the 

strobe for wide angle lighting, a lionfish illuminated by the spotlight 

appears to be performing on stage, a tube sponge top lit by a snoot 

aim the light. The easiest “snooting” is with 

wide-angle photography. Macro requires a 

lot of patience and positioning. It can be a 

good idea to use a tripod to offer even greater 

control. 

More tips and advice 

can be found in this 

new guide. Available 

as an app for both 

iPhone and iPad. 

Click here for details 


FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER - Henrik Jonsson 

This month’s featured photographer is Henrik Jonsson. Henrik used to live for the extreme types of dives in cold waters, low visibility 

and rusty wrecks. He has now mellowed and prefers more tropical waters to take his photographs. You can see more of Henrik’s 

work at his webste here www.f64.se 

All Photos: Henrik Jonsson 


The winners of the latest EQUALIZER photo contest are; 

FIRST PLACE - ERIC THOREN 

SECOND PLACE - JUN LAO 

THIRD PLACE - HENRIETTE EGE ANDERSEN 

FIRST PLACE - Eric Thoren 

3rd Place - Henriette Ege Andersen 

PHOTO CONTEST 

2nd Place - Jun Lao 

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank 

you to everyone who took the time to send in their 

photographs. The quality was very high but after a 

lot of deliberation, the judges all agreed on the final 

three. To enter, see the details opposite. 

COMPETITION RULES 

If you fancy yourself as a budding Alex 

Mustard or simply have a photograph 

that you think can cut the mustard, why 

not share it with us? 

Each issue we will choose three 

underwater photographs to be published 

in THE EQUALIZER, with the best of 

the three receiving a special prize. So if 

you’ve ever wanted to see your favourite 

image in a magazine - this is your chance. 

Please read the guidelines below before 

sending your files to ensure that they 

meet the requirements. 

Your file must be saved as a jpeg and 

be a maximum of 250kb in size. 

The image itself should be a minimum 

of 500 pixels along the longest edge. 

Please rename the file so that it is your 

name (i.e. JamesDawson.jpg) and include 

in the body of your e-mail any details you 

would like to add. 

Then simply e-mail your images to us at 

photocontest@aziabmedia.com 

Our panel of judges will then select the 

top images each issue to be published in 

the magazine. 

So don’t be shy. Send your favourites to 

us now and you could see your work in 

the next issue of the magazine. 

Checklist 

• Image must have been taken 

underwater 

• Less than 250kb 

• At least 500 pixels on longest side 

• yourname.jpg 


CONTEST PRIZE DETAILS 

PHOTO CONTEST PRIZE TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

The prize consists of one space on a three days/two nights mini safari with COLONA 

Divers in Hurghada, on any scheduled and confirmed departure, according to 

availability. 

The prize must be claimed within one year of being contacted by the organisers. 

The prize is to be confirmed with COLONA Divers in Hurghada via email hurghada@ 

colona.com within 60 days of winning the prize. 

All communication regarding information 

about the prize should be obtained directly 

from COLONA Divers. 

The EQUALIZER magazine will contact the 

contest winner and COLONA Divers so that 

the prize can be claimed and arrangements 

made directly with COLONA Divers. 

The EQUALIZER magazine is not 

responsible for the prize offered and is not 

connected to COLONA Divers in any way. 

The editor’s decision is final and no 

correspondence will be entered into. 


The last few months are traditionally a very 

busy time in the dive industry out here in 

Egypt and I have had a tough time of it on 

two levels. First of all, I was working day 

in day out to deal with all of the divers and 

students we had at the dive centre, and 

then I have had to cope with the stresses 

and turmoil of a couple of days off after a 

long period of work. I’m not sure which was 

the more exhausting 

of the two! 

The work is busy, 

certainly, but you 

know that before 

you start and you 

have a chance to 

mentally prepare for 

it. You can look at 

the scheduling board 

and say to yourself, 

“I’ve got a busy day 

tomorrow so I’d better 

get myself ready.” 

You can then plan to 

have an early night to 

ensure that you are 

fresh the next day. 

You don’t always 

seize the opportunity, 

but at least it’s there. 

When you start looking at the board and 

realise that you finally have some time off 

soon, your mind starts to play tricks with 

you. Instead of focusing on tomorrow’s 

task you begin a mental countdown to that 

next lie in. As it gets closer, the countdown 

switches from days to hours and then you 

know you’re in trouble. 

NARCOSIS CORNER with Michael Onkers 

BACK TO WORK FOR A REST 

A light-hearted look at a few days off work in the Red Sea 

by Michael Onkers 

I had all the classic symptoms last week. 

I was nearing two days off together 

(practically unheard of during peak 

season), but I knew deep down that I still 

had an open water course to get through. I 

won’t go into details, but the mask (and for 

that matter, water) were not my student’s 

friend and it was one of those courses 

where I really had to earn my money. 

Finally the day 

came where I knew 

that leaving work 

that afternoon, it 

would be an entire 

62 hours before 

I was back in the 

dive centre. My 

plan was to head 

home, do the 

washing, put some 

food in the fridge, 

settle down on the 

sofa and relax for 

a little while. What 

actually happened 

is still a bit of a blur 

but I remember 

there being shots 

and a problematic 

taxi ride involved. 

I woke late the next day and was not in my 

best physical shape. This was not a day 

for housework so the shopping, washing 

and tidying up were put on hold. I had just 

about enough in me to get to the sofa, turn 

on the TV and fall back to sleep as the 

opening credits for a seventies cop show 

were starting. 

After my nap I felt a lot better, so I thought 

I’d pop out to see some friends for a 

quiet night and a catch up. That became 

a bit fuzzy as well but I know that it was 

a different taxi driver that I upset on that 

night. 

I still don’t understand how it keeps 

happening to me. I went out with every 

intention of being home by eleven at 

the absolute latest, but there’s always 

someone else you bump into that you 

haven’t seen for ages and have to have 

a quick drink with. I blame the natural 

sociability of the diving world myself. 

One more day off work and I still had 

a lot to do. It didn’t get done. It was 

another day of sofa, headaches, naps 

and very bad TV. I did buy some food 

for the flat. Admittedly, crisps, chocolate 

and a strange looking cake type thing 

(that I had to buy because it looked so 

intriguing) may not be considered the 

most balanced of diets but it did the trick. 

I even managed to get the laundry finished 

as well. Well, I say “finished“, but at least 

I put it in the machine. It may still have 

been a bit damp when I remembered 

the next morning while getting ready for 

work, but that’s the beauty of the climate 

here - everything dries so quickly. 

Not quite quickly enough for the taxi driver 

that took me to work though. He does 

have a slightly damp passenger seat and 

he wasn’t best pleased. It’s good to be 

back at work so that I can relax a bit. 

Happy Diving 

Mike Onkers

FREE** **Enter our photo contest to win a mini-safari trip - aziab media

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?

FREE Enter our photo contest to win a mini-safari trip - aziab media