Snorkeling in the Red Sea at Sharm el Sheikh

Time out for a fun blog, and not a lesson!  One of our visits on this trip was to the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea.  Safaa, our Fulbright Coordinator and friend, and the Fulbright Commission were really nice to give us a day off to snorkel the Red Sea, off the coast of Sharm el Sheikh!  It was amazing! 

Let me tell you a little about where we were.  Sharm el Sheikh is a resort town at the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula.  It was really hot - dry heat, but hot nonetheless!   Every time we were outdoors, boat excluded, it felt like the wind was knocked out of us!  Sharm el Sheikh draws a lot of Europeans, mainly Russians and Germans who just want to go to the beach.  It is cheaper for them to go to Sharm el Sheikh than to Greece, Italy or the French Riviera.  Most of the Egyptians in Sharm el Sheikh speak German and Russian.  I thought it was amazing, since the languages were self taught with no formal training.  It was funny to see Russian night clubs everywhere too, but their dominant tourists are the Russians.

Did you know the Red Sea isn't really red?  Well, it isn't.  Some people think it is called the Red Sea because Moses parted the sea and supposedly turned it red.  Others say the Red Sea got it's color from the reflection of the mountains on the water, but that's not where the name came from either.  It is actually a misspelling.  It was actually supposed to be the Reed Sea, but one of the "e"s was dropped in the spelling and the spelling has stuck ever since.  The Red Sea has nothing to do with the color red!

I thought snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef last year was amazing, but the Red Sea was beyond amazing!  After snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef last year, or rather holding on to the side of the boat and sticking my head in the water to see underwater, I was determined to take swimming lessons when I got back to the states.  I did and finally learned how to swim after all these years!  It helped a great deal, but I still used a ring and had someone helping me swim across the Red Sea.  I just can't let go of the fear completely.  I did it though!  I went snorkeling in the Red Sea and let go of the boat!  I ended up with a huge bruise and strained wrist after, but it was worth it!  I could kick myself for not bringing my underwater camera, but was able to purchase a cheap one to take pics.  I had to take pics!  Here we go, under the sea!

All the boats at the dock in Sharm el Sheikh

The Red Sea Mountains

Relaxing Before the First Dive

Part of the Gang of Fulbright Scholars

Mahmoud - Our Snorkeling Instructor

First Dive Sight

Greetings from the Red Sea

The Beauty of the Red Sea

Despite the beautiful pictures and the amazing experience, I was still terrified of the water. The crew wanted to drop me into the sea, but I just wanted to climb down the ladder. I had a freak attack when they tried to grab me and drop me into the water. Our guide had to tell them to leave me alone, so I could just climb in. They didn't want me to climb in because they thought I was going to get sucked into the engine. I almost did on the third dive, but I came out unscathed. It was so hard to get out of the water because we had to climb the ladder with our fins, so I kept getting pulled back into the sea. We had to take the fins off at the Great Barrier Reef before we climbed, but they wouldn't let me take them off! What a killer getting out of the water, but I did it!  Almost drown, but I did it!

The second dive spot was off the shore of a resort - Beautiful!

The last pic is of the Pacha party boat.  Pacha is a popular club in Sharm el Sheikh.  Great way to advertise!  Lol!