Lahami Bay
As the plane arrived (rather a bouncy Landing) in Marsa Alam, we disembarked and were hit by he heat and the dry air. Customs, which on previous occasions had been a drag, was cleared up by a local official who had enough stamps and went through immigration and collected all our bags. They were all there, a small hiccup as John Rogers was asked back something to do with his passport and immigration card. With this sorted out we filled the two waiting mini busses.
The journey to Lahami Bay was about 2˝ hours, stopping off at Marsa Alam for fuel. Health and Safety was not a strong point with fuel and smoking going on together.
On arriving we were met in the lobby by one of the Managers who welcomed us and hoped we enjoyed our stay and ushered to the restaurant for Dinner. This was about 10.30 and we were all very hungry and tired. We sorted a few things out had a meal, arranged to meet at the Dive Shop at 09.30 to listen to the Dive introduction, and sort kit out for the first dive, off the beach. This, turned out to be a check out dive for all! The dive was nice, a good way to blow away some cobwebs and memories of Horsea
The rest of the trip we spent mostly on day boats leaving between 0800 and 0900 depending on dive sites, and returning between 4 and 5 pm. This meant getting up for breakfast at 7.00am, having breakfast looking over the Furry Shoals, ah hard work.
Some of us stayed back and dived the House reef which was a really good, though a bit of a long swim, and also went on boat trips to the outer House reef, to one of the five buoyed dive sites.
Some went on the early morning trip leaving at 05.30 where we were in the water for the first dive at 07.00am. This did wake us up especially Frank. The second dive was on the farthest point Sataya Kebir, a huge horseshoe reef, where the colours were amazing as was the dive, a great wall section. On returning to the boat a large Napoleon Wrasse swam around the boat, a great way to finish the dive. When we were heading to the last dive site we stopped to watch a large school of Dolphins. (a very good day)
Most of us achieved about 12 + dives over the week. There was
even time to get a night dive in before the meal on the last night.
The highlights were, Nicky’s face seeing the Clown fish, the excitement on those
visiting the Red Sea for the first time. The Hotel Swimming pool. Being invited
back to the Sea master (Our Dive Boat) and having to walk along the beach, with
all those Crabs!! and three screaming Girls. The amazing Coral Gardens in
pristine condition, and the fish life in general.
It all went too quickly and thoughts of blighty were starting to appear in our
thoughts. Now that we are back in the cold, wet, dank, winter days, was it a
dream, my calf muscle says not.
Until next year.