Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The shore of the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

A cove like place on the shore in the Ras Muhammed water park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

A cove like place on the shore in the Ras Muhammed water park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

A small covered structure on the shore of the water near the Ras Muhammed marine park near the tourist town of Sharm el Sheikh. This seems like a very sharp place, with the structure near the water surface, and everything seems very sharp. However, this is also very close to the place where tourists come there through the overland route from Sharm el Sheikh. Tourists come here on vehicles, and enter the water through a much smoother section of the shore, where they can do snorkeling and visit the coral reefs that are to be found in the Ras Muhammed marine park. However, when somebody does get in the water, they need to be careful that they do not come close to these sharp surfaces.






Buildings on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Buildings on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Some buildings on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park near the tourist town of Sharm el Sheikh, near the Red Sea in Egypt. This is near the Sinai Peninsula, near the southern tip. A large number of tourists come for snorkeling, coming on small ships that take the small distance between the Sharm el Sheikh harbour and the Ras Muhammed marine park. However, other tourists come here through the road route, and these buildings seem to be built for the purpose of catering to these tourists who come through the road route. These tourists come to the shore of the water from here, and then slip into the water and visit the coral reefs.







The rough terrain on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

The rough terrain on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

All these photos were taken while we were on the ship, approaching the coral reefs in the Ras Muhammed marine park. The marine park is a protected area, where there are no commercial activities allowed, although tourists are allowed in this area (but there are rules for tourists as well, the prime one being not to pick up coral or disturb the animals over here). The state of this section of the coast shows how the land over here would have been desolate, and except for some facilities meant for tourists, there is nothing else that is allowed to be constructed for them.







Some buildings on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park, near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Some buildings on the shore in the Ras Muhammed marine park, near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Like a photo above, this photo is of some building like structures on the shore of the Ras Muhammed marine park, some distance away from Sharm el Sheikh. The Ras Muhammed marine park is a prime tourist attraction, that draws people here for the snorkeling and scuba diving that is done here. These buildings are colored in such a way that they seem to blend into the desolate desert kind of location.





Ships lined up next to each other at rest in the Ras Muhammed marine park in the Red Sea in Egypt

Ships lined up next to each other at rest in the Ras Muhammed marine park in the Red Sea in Egypt

These are 3 ships all lined up next to each other in the Ras Muhammed marine park. The Ras Muhammed marine park is a protected place, because of the delicate coral reefs found in the region, and the marine life that is found clustering around these coral formations. Ships are allowed to come close to the coral reefs so that tourists can reach these reefs quickly from the ship. We wore all our snorkeling equipment and went off the edge of the ship and reached the coral reefs for the purpose of snorkeling.

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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Oxygen cylinders and other equipment used for scuba diving near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Scuba diving equipment - oxygen cylinders and regulators

Scuba diving equipment - oxygen cylinders and regulators

Sharm el Sheikh, located near the southern tip of the Sinai peninsular is famous for the adventures you can have in the water. The Ras Muhammed protected marine park is nearby, and there are a large number of coral formations, along with sunken ships. These together provide a lot of attraction for tourists, to indulge in the sports of snorkeling and scuba diving. For scuba diving, there is the need of more equipment, such as oxygen cylinders, masks and regulators. These are typically stored in the rear portion of the ship carrying them, and this is a photo of such equipment loaded on the ship right next to ours.






Oxygen cylinders stored in the back portion of a ship in the Red Sea

Oxygen cylinders stored in the back portion of a ship in the Red Sea

Another view of the oxygen cylinders stored in the rear portion of the ship. These are some of the most important of the scuba diving gear, since you are going to be at a depth of 20-40 meters and you should know how long the oxygen needs to last for your trip, so that you do not run out of oxygen (for most tourist dives, that would never be a problem since these dives would never be long enough to cause these kind of worries). The photo was taken at full zoom, and is a bit fuzzy since it was taking a photo of something in the ship that was moving next to us.






Wet suit, used for scuba diving, and even for the snorkeling guide

Wet suit, used for scuba diving, and even for the snorkeling guide

These are some of the wet suits, used by the scuba divers. In our case, we were doing snorkeling, so none of us was wearing wet suits, except for the guide. The guide was wearing wet suits, since he was going down deeper into the water while we were all staying at the surface of the water. So, we did see some of the wet suits in operation.





A more close up photo of the oxygen cylinders, being carried on the rear of the ship

A more detailed close up of the oxygen cylinders that are used for scuba diving. These cylinders are normally stored on the rear part of the ship during the travel to the scuba diving locations, and deployed when the people reach there. They are one of the most critical part of the equipment used for scuba diving.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Ships inside the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Rear view of a small ship taking tourists from Sharm el Sheikh to the Ras Muhammed marine park in Egypt

Rear view of a small ship taking tourists from Sharm el Sheikh to the Ras Muhammed marine park in Egypt

This is a classic example of a ship taking tourists from the pier of Sharm el Sheikh to the Ras Muhammed marine park located at a distance of around 12 km away. The Ras Muhammed marine park is a prime tourist attraction because of the number of coral reefs in the region, and because of the snorkeling and scuba diving that happens in the region. Since we were both moving, the photo did not come out as focused as I thought it would. I liked the image of the tourists casually sitting at the back of the ship, relaxing so close to the water. This photo was shot soon after we had left Sharm el Sheikh, and the ship was in front of us, but somehow the angle of movement was such that it actually seemed that Sharm el Sheikh was in front of us.





Multiple ships right next to each other with the shore in the background near Sharm el Sheikh

Multiple ships right next to each other with the shore in the background near Sharm el Sheikh

This seemed very interesting. We were at the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh, where a number of ships come to a rest while the visitors get down from the ship into the water and swim over to the coral reefs (what actually happens is that when you get down into the water, a guide comes along with you and then makes sure that everybody is fine - for example, there was an initial minute of panic which finally settled down). In this case, I was not sure why these ships were so close to each other, with 3 ships of different sizes. I asked the guide with us, and he had no answer why these ships were right next to each other like this, unless they were all part of the same tourist agency.






Smooth beach and sharp rock at the Ras Muhammed marine park in the Red Sea

Smooth beach and sharp rock at the Ras Muhammed marine park in the Red Sea

This seems such an image of contrast. This is one of the main tourist locations in the whole region of Sharm el Sheikh, with the coral reefs spread over different parts of the region, and to enjoy which people come here for snorkeling or scuba diving. The coral reefs are pretty close to the shore, although the terrain of the shore can be pretty diverse - towards the right is a region where the shore gracefully meets the waterline, and towards the left is a region of more violence, where a small cliff with jagged edges would cause much more furious movement of the water. The dark region of the water seems to indicate something very close to the water, which is many cases are coral formations.






Ships circling an outcrop of land in the Ras Mohammed marine park in the Red Sea

Ships circling an outcrop of land in the Ras Mohammed marine park in the Red Sea

If you look at the photo closely, you can see a sharp outcrop of the land that seems to punch into the water like a finger, forcing the ships to take a detour. This is the scene inside the Ras Mohammed marine park, where we are making our way from one set of coral reefs, having spent some time snorkeling here and then decided to make our way to the next snorkeling spot. With this case of land formation, the water depth will not be much, and if you look at some of the maps of the region, there is a certain amount of continental slope only after which the water starts to get deeper.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Ships and tourists near the coral reefs in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

Multiple small ships carrying tourists in the waters of the Red Sea - moving from Sharm el Sheikh to Ras Muhammed marine park

Multiple small ships carrying tourists in the waters of the Red Sea - moving from Sharm el Sheikh to Ras Muhammed marine park

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the prime tourist locations in Egypt which is not dependent on the tale of the pharaohs (as compared to some of the other tourist locations such as Giza, Abu Simbel, Luxor or the other which all showcase temples and other structures built by the ancient pharaohs). This place is popular with tourists because of the natural beauty of the place, with the cool and calm waters of the Red Sea, long beaches, and coral reefs within a short distance. These small boats are meant for carrying tourists from Sharm el Sheikh to the waters of the Ras Muhammed park and other places in the Red Sea where tourists go.






Family on a small tourist ship on the way to the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

Family on a small tourist ship on the way to the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

The weather in Sharm el Sheikh is very temperate, in winter, when a large number of countries in northern Europe and North America being exposed to very cold weather. At such a time, if you have the inclination to travel, and have the budget, who would not want to go to a place where you can relax in great weather, enjoy large stretches of water, and also get a chance to do snorkeling or scuba diving in some beautiful coral reefs. In this photo, you can see a family enjoying the sun on a ship in the waters of the Red Sea, in the time it takes to get from the pier of Sharm el Sheikh to the Ras Muhammed marine park. In the distance, you can see another ship and also the shore with a cliff.





Tourist ships in the Red Sea, very close to the shore near Sharm el Sheikh

Tourist ships in the Red Sea, very close to the shore near Sharm el Sheikh

The coral reefs which draw a large number of tourists, starting out from Sharm el Sheikh to the waters of the Ras Muhammed marine park, are fairly close to the shore for the purpose of snorkeling. If you want to do scuba diving, many of the diving locations are also not very far from shore, so the ships look to be very close to the shore when they get to their destination. When we were at our destination, we could see a number of ships not very far away, all of them letting tourists down from their rear position from where they can swim to the multiple coral formations that are close together. In this photo, you can see that the shore also contains a number of cliffs and other such locations.





The turbulence in the water when the ship is coming to a stop in the Red Sea

The turbulence in the water when the ship is coming to a stop in the Red Sea

This seems like a lot of turbulence in the water, but is actually a normal process. The ship, which was moving steadily in one direction, finally came close to the intended destination, and had to come to a stop. For stopping, the ship moves its propeller (or screws) in the opposite direction, which causes the turbulence in the water that you can see, and ensures that it comes to a quick stop. This is preferred than coasting to a stop, since this gives much more control and precision.





The shoreline in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

The shoreline in the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh

The shoreline near the Ras Muhammed marine park is very sandy and with rough terrain. In this photo, you can get an idea of the same. The terrain here is very rough, although it is near these areas that tourists who have come over the land route for the purpose of snorkeling in the coral reefs also slip into the water and go to the coral reefs.

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Monday, April 15, 2013

Tourists on the shoreline near the Ras Muahmmed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Tourists on the shoreline near the Ras Muahmmed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Tourists on the shoreline near the Ras Muahmmed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

The coral formations in the Ras Muhammed marine park are very famous, and draw a large number of tourists on a regular basis. These coral formations near the shore attract people here for the purpose of snorkeling. Since the coral formations are so close to the shoreline, there are 2 ways of getting here. One way is the way that we came here, through a small ship that took us from the pier at Sharm el Sheikh and through the few miles that it takes to get to this location. A large number of tourists come through this approach, since it also provides a good trip over the water (and we got the chance to see some dolphins in the water); there is another approach to come here, which is over land, and tourists come here on bus and other vehicles. This photo shows tourists on the shore very close to the water surface, where they can enjoy the water or actually use snorkeling equipment and slip into the water to get to the corals.





Tourists in the water near the shoreline of the Ras Muhammed park in the Red Sea in Egypt

Tourists in the water near the shoreline of the Ras Muhammed park in the Red Sea in Egypt

In the Ras Muhammed marine park near Sharm El Sheikh, you can see a number of tourists on the surface, apparently bobbing on the surface. They are actually snorkeling on the coral formations that are close to the shore, and some of these coral reefs can actually be upto the water surface (I remember one where it was impossible to get on the water on top of the coral, since it was actually breaking the water surface). If you look at the photo, you can clearly see the people, with some standing in the water as well as the sheer rock surface of the shoreline.






Multiple tourists above a coral formation near Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

Multiple tourists above a coral formation near Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

The water near Sharm el Sheikh (or rather, a short distance away in the Red Sea, not just outside the harbor) has a number of coral formations, close to the surface and very close to the shore of the water. In this photo, this closeness is pretty visible. You can see a number of visitors swimming in the water of the Red Sea, all around a specific area of the water. It is this area that has a coral formation, and they are almost all of them wearing snorkeling goggles, the air pipe, flippers, and a life vest, and looking downwards so that they can see the coral as well as the colorful fish and other animals that live on the reefs.






Tourists wearing snorkeling gear close to the shore in the Red Sea

Tourists wearing snorkeling gear close to the shore in the Red Sea

The area of the Ras Muhammed marine park (located close to Sharm el Sheikh, at a distance of around 12 km from the tourist city) is famous for its coral reefs and for the number of tourists that it attracts. There are many coral reefs, located close to the shore, and at a height where it is very close to the water surface. As a result, there are a number of people who come here for snorkeling, such as can be seen in this photo. The shore also seems very dangerous, since the land is composed of sharp cliffs, and any waves could be dangerous.





Tourist ship approaching the shore in the Ras Muhammed park near Sharm el Sheikh

Tourist ship approaching the shore in the Ras Muhammed park near Sharm el Sheikh

The previous photos showed tourists on the shore and in the water near the coral reefs, in the Ras Muhammed marine park. This photo shows one of the ships approaching the shore, a ship that had started its journey from the pier of Sharm el Sheikh, picked up tourists from there, and then started on the short journey to the coral reefs in the marine park. Many of these coral reefs where snorkeling can happen are very close to the shore, and that is where the ship is heading towards. It will come to a stop very close to the shore.

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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Ships in the Red Sea on their way to the Ras Muhammed marine park, having started from Sharm el Sheikh

Driving the direction of the tourist ship through the wheel

Driving the direction of the tourist ship in the Red Sea through the wheel

With today's technology, it is no longer complicated to use these modern small ships, especially those used for tourist purposes. All the controls for the boat are right there in front of the person, and with regard to today's world, there is a provision for powering up mobile phones as well (and that is an incredibly useful provision - one of the most often searched for facilities anywhere is about making sure that the mobile phone can be charged). With the Red Sea totally calm and no wind either, it is effortless to take this small ship along with the tourists to their destination.





Tourist ships emerging from the Sharm el Sheikh harbour in the Red Sea in Egypt

Tourist ships emerging from the Sharm el Sheikh harbour in the Red Sea in Egypt

On any given day, there are a large number of ships that are seen to be coming out of the Sharm el Sheikh harbour. All these ships are heading for various destinations that are significant to tourists, typically being coral formations, where they can do snorkeling, or to deeper coral (and also other destinations such as sunk ships) where scuba diving is the activity. This was the scene as seen from our ship, when we had left Sharm el Sheikh harbor, with ships having left in front of us, and yet others behind us. We were there during the winter months, and there are a large number of such ships.






A small tourist ship in the Red Sea with the Egyptian flag on top

A small tourist ship in the Red Sea with the Egyptian flag on top

A tourist ship on the way from Sharm el Sheikh to various tourist destinations in the Red Sea. Sharm el Sheikh is located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and draws a large number of tourists, especially in winter (when the weather is very cold in large portions of Europe and North America). The Red Sea is a very calm water surface with a very temperate temperature, ensuring that tourists find this place very comfortable. In the photo, one can see one such ship that would be taking tourists from Sharm el Sheikh to the various destinations, such as the coral formations in the Ras Muhammed national park, where commercial activity is prohibited other than tourist related activities (in fact when we were there, a visitor tried to pick up a piece of coral, and the guide prevented them from doing that).






A tourist ship in the waters of the Red Sea with the coastline in the background

A tourist ship in the waters of the Red Sea with the coastline in the background

I like such photos, where there is a wide landscape with just one small item in the center to catch the attention of people. So it seemed in this photo, where the blue color of the Red Sea was prominent, along with the coastline of the Ras Muhammed maritime park (somewhat blurred in the background, and is the place where visitors can come through the overland route from Sharm el Sheikh). In the middle is a small ship on which tourists come to the various coral formations that are present in the park.





A tourist ship heading our way in the Red Sea near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

A tourist ship heading our way in the Red Sea near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

There are a large number of tourist ships in the Red Sea near Sharm El Sheikh. These ships all cater to tourists who either want to go to the snorkeling sites or to the scuba diving centers near Sharm el Sheikh. These are the places where tourists head to, such as when we went for snorkeling in a ship similar to this one. The trip was not very long, and there were 3 specific spots where there were coral formations, where we could do snorkeling on the surface of the water. It was a lot of fun.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Ships in the Ras Mohammed protected marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Tourist ship in Sharm el Sheikh, full of tourists enjoying the trip

Tourist ship in Sharm el Sheikh, full of tourists enjoying the trip

The waters around the tourist town of Sharm el Sheikh (located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt) are full of these ships, especially in the winter months. The waters around Sharm el Sheikh see a large number of tourists, because of the temperate weather of the area (especially when many areas of the world are freezing in brutal winter temperatures) and also to see the coral formations in the area which are famous for offering tourists the option of doing either snorkeling or scuba diving. This ship seems so full of tourists, and if you look towards the back of the ship, you can see the oxygen cylinders piled there, needed for scuba diving along with other equipment.





View of a ship carrying tourists a short distance away from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

View of a ship carrying tourists a short distance away from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

This is an example of the standard small ship, used for carrying tourists from Sharm el Sheikh harbour. Typically, these ships carry tourists to and from the harbour and the Ras Muhamed protected marine park, where they get to see a number of coral formations. These coral formations almost come to the surface of the water and are near the shoreline (atleast for those who prefer snorkeling, such as we did). For those who prefer scuba diving, places are shown with more depth, including coral reefs as well as sunken ships, which are abundant with marine life.





Ship close to the shoreline so that passengers can get access to coral reefs

Ship close to the shoreline so that passengers can get access to coral reefs

This photo shows the ultimate destination of those who use the ships from Sharm el Sheikh to go for snorkeling in coral formations. Here, this ship is inside the region of the Ras Mohammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh, where there are a number of coral reefs. Many of these are are located fairly close to the shore, and in this photo, you can see a small objects in the water, very close to the shore. These are actually tourists, who are busy snorkeling and who are mostly face down in the water, admiring the coral formations. The ships can come to a safe distance close to the coral formation, so that tourists can get to the reef easily.





Tourist ship at anchor close to a coral reef so that people can get to the coral

Tourist ship at anchor close to a coral reef so that people can get to the coral

In this photo, you can see a small ship inside the Ram Mohammed marine park near Sharm el Sheikh. The park is a protected area with prohibitions on commercial activities which also includes no fishing. Tourism is the key activity in the region, famous for the number of coral formations where which allow people to do snorkeling for those coral near the surface, and scuba diving for those at greater depths. If you look closely at the photo, you can see a person at the rear of the ship, with the flippers showing. There are some structures on the shore and a vehicle (with the structures meant for those visitors who come there over the land route, not over the water).

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Tuesday, April 09, 2013

A ship stopped near a coral formation with tourists taking a look at these coral formations near Sharm el Sheikh

The shoreline near the Ras Muhamed Protected marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

The shoreline near the Ras Muhamed Protected marine park near Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the non-historic tourist locations in Egypt (well, you can get to an ancient Saint Catherine Monastery from here, but otherwise it is non-historic places, atleast none of the ancient temples and other signs of the age of the Pharaohs). It is more famous for the excellent weather, especially in winter, and also for the Red Sea. There are a number of coral formations, and the Government has given them protection in the form of the Ram Muhammed park where commercial activities except for tourism are banned. When you do get here, you do end up seeing a number of small ships and other boats that are carrying tourists here for the purpose of snorkeling or scuba diving. In this photo, you can just see a sample of the number of ships (there are a large number of ships that are visible here, with these just being a small set).





A typical example of the small ship used to carry tourists to the coral formations in Sharm el Sheikh

A typical example of the small ship used to carry tourists to the coral formations in Sharm el Sheikh

This is a typical example of the small ship that is used to carry tourists from the Sharm el Sheikh harbour to the various tourist locations in the Red Sea. The prime aim of these ships is to take people to the various coral formations where they can do snorkeling (fairly close to shore, and in waters that are typically not deeper than 20 feet), or they can do scuba diving in the more deeper parts of the coral or in sunken ships (all of these attract a large number of colorful marine fishes and others). While on the way to these locations, sun-bathing is a common time spending activity.






A ship stopped near a coral formation with tourists taking a look at these coral formations near Sharm el Sheikh

A ship stopped near a coral formation with tourists taking a look at these coral formations near Sharm el Sheikh

This is a ship meant for taking tourists for scuba diving (you can see scuba diving equipment at the rear section of the ship including the oxygen cylinders). The ship is full of tourists, on the lower deck and the upper deck. The ship has stopped near a coral formation, with the coral being pointed out to the tourists on board the ship. If you look closely, you can see that there is a difference in the color of the water near the back of the ship, which is a sign of there being some coral formations here. Some of the tourists have obviously seen this before, since they remain where they are instead of heading to the rear of the ship.






A ship close to our ship, moving at a fairly fast clip, close to the Sharm el Sheikh tourist town in Egypt

A ship close to our ship, moving at a fairly fast clip, close to the Sharm el Sheikh tourist town in Egypt

This is a view of a ship, fairly close to our ship, heading towards the Ras Muhammed Park, located a few miles away from the tourist town of Sharm el Sheikh near the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula. I like the view of such ships, since they seem to be fairly sleek and fast, and look well maintained (atleast from the outside). You can also see some tourists at the lower and upper levels of the ship.

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Monday, April 08, 2013

Ships in the water of Sharm el Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt

Buoy in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

Buoy in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

Buoy's are floating objects in the water that are meant for multiple purposes. A buoy floats on the surface of the water, and cab be used to designate a specific area of the water (for example, they were used as markers in a lake where the water was starting to get deeper so that swimmers would know to avoid that area), or they can even used to tie up boats (after all, when you have a boat that needs to be tied up in a water body, not on the shore, then you would tie the boat to something on the water surface - which can be either wooden logs insert into the lake bed, or to a buoy floating on the surface of the water). In the present case, these buoys were in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh harbour, and used for multiple purposes).




Staff member doing some work at the back of the ship in Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

Staff member doing some work at the back of the ship in Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea

There are a large number of these small ships that are present in the harbour of Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt (on the Red Sea, at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula). These ships take people to the coral reefs and other sites in the vicinity. At these points, there is either snorkeling or scuba diving. For snorkeling, the equipment is traditionally picked up at the shore and the visitor carries these with themselves on the ship. On the other hand, for scuba diving, there is a lot of equipment carried on these ships including the oxygen tanks and other such equipment. Before a trip, these need to be thoroughly checked by the staff members.





Tourists on board a small ship in the waters of the Red Sea in Sharm el Sheikh harbor in Egypt

Tourists on board a small ship in the waters of the Red Sea in Sharm el Sheikh harbor in Egypt

There are a large number of such small ships or yachts in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh harbor, used for tourist purposes. Part of the attraction of Sharm el Sheikh is the presence of the Red Sea. The waters promise a great temperature (especially when compared with the extremely cold weather of tourists coming in from Europe or North America), further the coral reefs in the region promise a lot of snorkeling and scuba diving, ensuring that there are a large number of ships and other boats in the region to cater to tourists.





Smaller ships and a large luxury liner in the waters of the Red Sea in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Smaller ships and a large luxury liner in the waters of the Red Sea in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

There are a large number of small ships in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh (at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt), these ships catering to the tourists who want to enjoy excursions in the temperate waters of the Red Sea, and also have a lot of fun with snorkeling and scuba diving (there are a number of coral reefs with a number of colorful marine animals as well as sunken ships that are also ideal for scuba divers). In addition to these small ships, one can also see this large luxury liner in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh.

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Friday, April 05, 2013

Boats headed out to the open sea and with smaller boats tied to buoys in the water

Multiple ships, including small ones and a large cruise liner in the Red Sea off Sharm el Sheikh

Multiple ships, including small ones and a large cruise liner in the Red Sea off Sharm el Sheikh

The waters in the harbour of the Egyptian tourist city of Sharm el Sheikh can get very busy. The place attracts a large number of tourists since Sharm el Sheikh is blessed with a number of features that makes it very attractive for tourists such as the temperate weather in the region in winter when large sections of the northern hemisphere, especially regions of Europe and Russia are facing the harshness of their very cold winters. The long beaches make it very attractive to come here. And, to add a bonus to the whole package, and the reason for all these ships, the presence of a number of coral formations in the waters nearby - these coral reefs support a large number of marine creatures and encourage people to do snorkeling and scuba diving. We had also headed out in one of these smaller ships to head to these coral reeds where we had a lot of fun doing snorkeling.



A Life Guard boat tied to a buoy in the water of the Red Sea off Sharm el Sheikh

A Life Guard boat tied to a buoy in the water of the Red Sea off Sharm el Sheikh

With the presence of such a large number of tourists in Sharm el Sheikh, and so many of them taking to the water, it was important for the Egyptian Government to ensure that these tourists are safe. After the scare of many years back where tourists were attacked by militants, including a bomb blast even in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt saw a reduction in tourism. Given the dependence on tourism to provide employment for a large number of people, it was important that tourists felt safe. This includes ensuring that tourists in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh see that there are facilities available if they get into trouble, and this boat is an example of that. Of course, I have no way of ensuring the response time if an emergency does happen.





A broken boat taken out of the water for repair in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

A broken boat taken out of the water for repair in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

The water of Sharm el Sheikh sees a large number of tourists, but with commercial fishing banned from the region. Boats are typically used by the crew of the tourist operators and for other such purposes, although like any other sea, the presence of boats in the water can be corrosive. In this case, the boat seems to have either been corroded by the water, or broken through impact with some hard object. The boat has been taken out of the water and mounted so that it can be repaired.





Boats headed out to the open sea and with smaller boats tied to buoys in the water

Boats headed out to the open sea and with smaller boats tied to buoys in the water

This is a view from the ship that we were in. We had just set out from the pier, and were following a number of other boats who had already set out for the coral reefs in the distance. There were of course other ships that were going to set out after us, and was an example of the high popularity of the coral reefs in the region (both for the purpose of snorkeling and scuba diving). In the short distance, one can see some small boats tied up.

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Monday, April 01, 2013

A well decorated boat in the waters of Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Tourists and locals on a colorful boat at Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Tourists and locals on a colorful boat at Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt

Sharm el Sheikh harbour is typically bristling with a large number of ships, mostly of the standard white color. Given the importance of the waters of the Red Sea to the tourist town (including the stretches of coral reefs where a number of tourists indulge in either scuba diving or snorkeling), most tourists to the area do get onto the water in some form or the other. However, when I saw this interesting local ship there, I was intrigued because of its colorful nature and the way it seemed to resemble ships of old (that was its charm maybe).



Ships with a number of tourists at the Sharm el Sheikh harbour in Egypt

Ships with a number of tourists at the Sharm el Sheikh harbour in Egypt

The previous photo showed a beautiful old style ship in the harbour of the Egyptian tourist town of Sharm el Sheikh. This photo shows more such ships in the harbor, with one of these beautifully decorated ships and another ship that is more traditional, white and with these sleek lines. If I had to travel, I would rather do it in the older style ship, which is decked out in a traditional workmanship, along with ropes and masts. It sure looks great, and if you look between these ships, you will see a rubber dhingy.




2 ships of different styles crossing each other in the harbor of Sharm el Sheikh

2 ships of different styles crossing each other in the harbor of Sharm el Sheikh

Yet another photo depicting 2 such ships of different styles in the harbor of Sharm el Sheikh in the Red Sea in Egypt, off the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula. If you look closely, you will see a person sitting at the front section of one ship, almost being able to cross into the other ship. In the background is the coast of Sharm el Sheikh and the busy part of the harbor.




One of the older style ships in the Sharm el Sheikh harbor

One of the older style ships in the Sharm el Sheikh harbor

There are a large number of ships in the harbor of Sharm el Sheikh, with most of them being in the traditional style of the small kind of ship. These are white, with a lower and an upper deck. However, in Sharm el Sheikh I saw these other ships that were built more in the manner of an older style. I had not seen any of these from the shore, but in the water I was able to see some of them, although I have no idea of whether they were going to the same coral reef type of location, or some other location. The photo shows the darkened windows of the cabins inside such a boat.

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