The
now familiar group of European fellow divers was ready to get wet on
that sunny Egyptian morning of February. I was ready for my 16th dive
ever. The
gear was loaded into the local so called "taxis" and we headed out of Dahab through part of the
Sinai desert towards our dive site : "The Bells". Memet our
dive guide pointed out two engraved slabs on the mountain side which
had been
placed there to commemorate
divers who lost their lives at 200 feet below the surface trying to exit
the 'Blue Hole' site through a tunnel in the reef. Memet added that 2
of his friends had recently died
trying that very dive. A shiver went down my spine.
But, WE were diving "The Bells".
Richard M., our instructor, briefed his students on shore. This was
going to be a qualifying dive towards our Deep Diver speciality. We
had to walk 10 minutes geared up along a very rocky shore to reach the
entry
site.
Half of the group which was
far too experienced to bother with gaining extra-qualifications went
in first. Richard K. (several hundred dives logged) who was the last
one of
that
half to enter the water,
popped back up to share his first glance at the site with his instructing
friend, "Wow, Richard you are going to LOVE this one!".
Richard M., like us, was starting to overheat in the sun and replied
(to use his very own words...) "Thanks Richard! Now they're all shitting themselves
!" He was of course referring to us, the inexperienced students.
The entry site being through a chimney in the reef, we could only get
in one
by one. Head in! Finally! The
wonders of the Red Sea showing for yet another dive! The chimney was
covered with diverse corals and populated with colorful tropical fish.
But coming
out of the chimney there it
was awaiting for us : the Big Blue!
What a feeling! No bottom, only blue, dark blue with over 100 feet
visibility. To one side the reef wall seeming magical with life and colors, to the other
side endless blue. It was like flying at 100 feet below, like being lost in space, there
were no limits to it, no reference, you just felt surrounded by blue and more blue.
I now understand Luc Besson and his film 'Le Grand Bleu'! We stared
through the blue to try and locate bigger life such as sharks but it was just blue ! The
reef wall would take us back to reality, and what reality ! The richness and beauty of the
colors and the life on that reef cannot possibly be described with words. There we stayed
for 30min reaching a maximum depth of 120 feet. Richard M.'s first sentence coming up from
the dive was
"This was the best dive of my life!"
I made him sign this very quote in my log book. He has dived for 34
years ! This was only my 16th dive, what a dive....
email: Claire Gaudry
