Jeddah Trip Report

[Phoenix]

Have just come back from a couple of days diving off Jeddah KSA (Red Sea). On Thursday I went out on a boat belonging to Desert Sea Divers Desert Sea Divers the boat was well run with good food and all 3 of my fills were >300 Bar.

The first dive was the "Cable Wreck", vis at 25m meant that we could see a lot of the wreck from the boat as it starts at 15m, had an enjoyable relaxed swim around the wreck, easy to see how it got its name as the cargo of wire cable is strewn around the bottom, found 3 pipefish which are amongst my favourites.

The next two dives were at Table Mountain and Apo (sp?)Reef, in both these locations the corals are in really good condition with very little manmade damage. What surprised me though was how few fish there are. I haven't dived anywhere else in the Red Sea but am used to hearing how good it is and lots to see etc, well that doesn't seem to be the case on the Eastern side.

On Friday I went for  a bimble off the beach at the Al Bilad beach resort, this is a good training site with a 13m ledge then a drop off down to 26-40m, here there were a lot more fish than I'd seen the previous day but I couldn't stay in too long as I had a flight back last night.

I'm hopefully going back in a couple of weeks to do a cheap "existaboard", no beds! just 2 nights of sleeping on the deck with lots of diving, hopefully I'll see some more fish then.

Ian

[Odin]

Brings back a few memories!
There were loads of fish out there in 1987 - 89!
I used to dive from Al-Bilad complex 3 or 4 times a week (part of the Hospital perks!).
The reef drops down to 40m to a sandy slope, which then carrys on to another drop off at 65m. Sheer wall! (Don't ask - I was even more foolish in those days )
I remember the large cave at 35m which was always full of glass fish, and a sleeping shark!
The Titan trigger fish were vicious and used to patrol their patch like a Rottweiler with a bad attitude..
Ah... happy (days off) from the King Khalid National Guard Hospital. Work was the pits though

[Phoenix]

I have only gone down to 30m at the beach, which way is the cave? I'm intrigued now and feel a return visit coming on.

Ian

[Odin]

Having to think back a LOT of dives now!
I seem to remeber that you went slightly out to the left of the beach and then down at around 35m!
Were are you based?
I am off to Marsa in September - cannot wait to be back in the Sun!
Grey and miserable here in Devon today!
Ma'salama!
Paul

[Phoenix]

I'm based in Riyadh at the moment though will probably be spending more time over in Jeddah in the next couple of months. I'll try going left further next time & see what I come across, I have normally gone right as I've mainly been teaching OW at this site and didn't need the depth.

Funnily enough, it's grey, miserable & wet here today (still hot though)

Ian

[Janos]

I was in Jeddah about 4 or 5 years ago in August diving with Desert Sea Divers and it was great! I got on the wrong boat, and ended up on a boat with 15 Irish nurses!

As soon as we were out of site of land the captain said 'yashmaks off' and they all took them off to reveal bikinis. Remember I hadn't seen a women for about a month at that point as I was on an all male project team (of three).

The Kingdom is a very 'different' place

Laters,
   Janos