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SAUDI ARABIA SCUBA DIVING : Scuba Diving in Saudi Guide

Saudi Arabia is really one of diving's last frontiers - very few Westeners have ever managed to diver here, despite the best efforts of many. The appeal of diving almost untouched, barely explored reefs, far from the hustle and bustle of the western Red Sea's tourist resorts, is undeniable: unfortunately, the barriers that prevent you from doing so are almost insurmountable. The main immovable obstacle to foreing visitors wishing to visit the country's spectacluar reefs is the Saudi government, which actively discourages foreign tourism in the country.

A Climate description of Saudi Arabia
Sea temperatures range from lows of 20°C or less in the Gulf of Aqaba in winter to over 35°C off the south coast in summer. This is mirroed by surface air temperatures, which can range from 10°C or less in the coast in winter to a blistering 50°C in summer.

DIVES AVAILABLE:

Boiler Wreck Depth: 15m to 45m

Unanimous choice as the number one dive in Saudi Arabia. Not just because for the coal-fired ship that lays on its starboard side at 18 m, but because of the overall dive profile offered at this location. The dive boat drops the divers off in open water 50 m west of the wreck where they descend to the first shelf wall 45 m below. A short exploration of this wall reveals large sea fans one meter in diameter gently swaying in the current, black coral bushes host to crustaceans and small fish, and soft corals of pink and scarlet red. A light is required to see the vast array of colours at this depth and to see into the small cavern. On any given dive sharks, manta rays, and large carnivorous fish like bonito, blue fin jacks and kingfish may pass along the wall.

It seems as if you just arrived when the computer warns that the nitrogen intake is getting critical and it is time to ascend to shallower depths. The shelf gradually slopes towards the wreck and a normal swimming rate matches the required ascent rate perfectly. Divers arrive at the screw of the wreck with plenty of bottom time to see the resident moray eel and other aquatic life around the ship. Like other shallow wrecks in the area the surge of the waves above have taken their toll on the hull. Little is left intact except for a small section of the stern and the two boilers for which it is named. As she ship most probably has been down for over 100 years the amount of coral attached to it dismembered hull is as abundant as it is varied.

On this mega-dive the ascent carries on forward to the bow that is lying in less than 3 m of water. By circumventing the bow, the diver will swim into a crevice in the reef and find himself in a tunnel leading through the coral to and open pool that is 15 feet deep. There are a series of caves that penetrate the shallows of the reef in four directions, each offering bizarre coral formations and a laser show of light through the small openings from above. The current and surge can be strong so care must be taken not to damage the reef or injure the diver. As the depth is only 3-6 m divers may spend as much time as their air allows before being jettisoned through the short but dark cave leading to the canyon south of the wreck and the dive boat moored above. It is easy to see why this is the most popular dive offered in Jeddah.

Ala's Reef Depth: 14 to 30 m

This site is actually a torpedo shaped sea mound that is 200 Metres long and about 20 Metres wide at its widest point in the middle. Located between the Old Kings Palace and the South Elisa Shoal Marker in the middle of the inter-coastal shipping lane, the mound rises out of the 365 m bottom to a depth of 14 m at the surface. The north and south end taper in and down to the depths below with current varying in speed generally from the north, although no current, or currents from the south, are not uncommon.

Invariably tourist guests ask where there is the best possibility to see sharks and large schools of fish, Ala's Reef is the ticket and often it is dived twice in the 21 dive package offered. Seldom are divers disappointed, the visibility is usually above the average of 30 m and the fish come out to play, especially with a strong northern current. A favourite dive scenario is to descend to 27 m on the southern tip and just wait for the fish to do their thing. There are always large schools of Black Triggerfish and baitfish like Sardines. These attract Yellowfin, Bluefin and Dusky Jacks, also Trevally, Queen fish, Mackerels, several verities of Tuna, and Red Snapper. These are open water pelagics that prey upon the reef in a great show of their speed and angling skill. Nigel, Lunartail and giant Greasy Grouper slowly patrol the bottom, edges and coral outcroppings of the reef, and occasionally in a flurry attack some unsuspecting prey. Parrot, Surgeons, and Unicornfish abound.

While the fish mentioned represents a rainbow of colours and a diversity of swimming and hunting skills, it is the larger fish like Humphead or Napoleon Parrotfish, Barracudas, Eagle Rays and Sharks that bring divers to this location. Ala's reef is one of the few places to see Hammerhead Sharks with their eyes protruding from the extensions of their heads looking nervously at you when they cruise by. The much feared man-eaters like Oceanic Whitetips and Tiger Sharks, are commonly seen plying the deeper waters along the shelf. Smaller Whitetip Reef Sharks are usually seen every dive on the top of the reef and occasionally Manta Rays. It is best to dive here early morning before the seas get up and during the full moon cycle so the currents are really moving.

Redmah Wall Depth: 12m

The undisputed best soft coral wall known to date in all of the waters off Saudi Arabia is unquestionably the 150 m section of the Redmah Wall. That is a bold claim but the site is open to inspection for anyone that may care to dispute it. Located on the northern end of the marker at Redmah Reef this wall never fails to deliver. Usually this dive is made after a visit to the outer reefs therefore the seas are usually rough, so it is best for the boat to drop divers off and let them drift along the wall towards the marker. After circumnavigating the coral heads at the front of the reef, the diver is confronted with a deep channel and vertical wall that parallels the reef. There are small channels to explore, that penetrate a few metres into the reef, and like most reefs it is best to drift along at 9-12 m to see the most reef fish and have the best colour. There is hardly a square meter to be found that doesn't have soft corals of some description and because there is a deep channel several species of sharks, and pelagic fish have surprised the unexpecting diver.

This dive is a photographer's nightmare, as you really don't know what to shoot next. There are Nudibranchs of every description and colour, Starfish, spotted Hawkfish, Gobies, Feather and Basket Stars all of which are either attached to or semi-hidden in the coral ready to pose. The wall offers sun silhouettes; back lit soft corals and unlimited choices of wide angle, close-up or microphotography. A little deeper there is a forest of whip coral covering 30 or more square metres of the hard coral bed. The dive is not over once you have passed this soft coral mass, for the landscape changes back in forth, from walls with small tunnels burrowing to the surface and coral outcroppings, to short shelves with scattered coral heads and huge Tabletop Corals all delicately coloured in blossoms of Soft Corals and clusters of Sea Anemones with yellow Clownfish fussing about in their tentacles. It is not uncommon to see three or four Blue Spotted Rays on these sand shelves or as many Moray Eels lurking holes and under the coral ready to strike. Upon surfacing the dive boat picks the divers up along the wall so it is understood why this dive is so popular.

MAIN DIVING OPERATORS IN SAUDI ARABIA:

Desert Sea Divers

P.O. Box 50817
Jeddah, 21533
Saudi Arabia
Tel: (+ 966 2) 656 1807
Fax: (+ 966 2) 656 1288
info@desertseadivers.ws

Dream Divers

Mr. Eric Mason (Executive Manager)
Tel: Diving office (02) 234-0473
Tel: Dive Shop 234-0417 Ext. 145, 146
Fax: (02) 234-0417 Ext. 144
erikmason_fwd@yahoo.com

Blue Reef Divers

P.O. Box 122015
Al-Hamra District
Jeddah, 21332
Saudi Arabia
Tel: +9662 6613931
Fax:+9662 6613935
Riyadh - Tel/Fax: +9661 4644134
Jubail - Tel/Fax: +9663 3615178
Yanbu - Tel/Fax: +9664 3968174

Saudi Divers

Sameria Commercial Center
Jeddah
Saudi Arabia
Tel: 966-2-6607616
aealireza@yahoo.com

Al Khorayef Sea & Sun

Thalatheen Street
Suliemaniyah
Riyadh
Tel: +9661 4034376
Fax: +9661 4034376
khorayef@icc.net.sa

Source: Scuba travel