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Israel Red Seausing a set of blue lights and yellow filters
more info about Almog Beach including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines South China SeaFound this particular shrimp hiding in a small gorgonian coral while shooting something else. Thanks to the shrimp for jumping around that caught my attention. There were quite a few of them in the coral. Luckily I was using a compact camera so the setup is small enough for me to poke in for some shots. Not easy to shoot this small size creature close up as a beginner. Guess I was lucky.
more info about Basura, Anilao, Philippines including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines Philippine SeaEels, a precious encounter with such a beautiful create.
more info about Dunagetti including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificThe water offshore from Kona is alive with big marine life. Don't be afraid to go cruising the blue for megafauna.
more info about Blue Water including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaThe last in the north and the most beautiful of the fourth reefs of the Straight of Tiran. There is the Lara's wreck (a cyprot big cargo ship that in 1985, in navigation in the night went against the reef) upon the Reef in the north. Beautiful fire coral garden (max dept 7.5mt)full of soft corals and a big salad coral on the west part of the reef; beautiful big fan corals, black corals, and beautiful very red anemon (28mt depth), in the middle, with sandy bottom max depth 45mt; on the east vertical wall with a lot of fan corals and massive corals and soft corals. All the divers want to do "Jackson outside", in the north, close to the Lara's wreck, in the blue, 'cause there is a Scalloped Hammerheads's observer area and in the summertime is full of Scalloped Hammerheads Sharks. The reef outside, in the north, is poor of marine life, 'cause there's no light, 'cause the rays of sun don't touch that area.
more info about JACKSON REEF - Straight of Tiran - Sharm El Sheikh - Sinai Peninsula including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaVertical wall full of soft corals, big table corals and big fan corals. The best part is on the corner
more info about Ras Za'atar - Ras Mohammed National Parck - Sharm El Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaBeautiful dive site with vertical wall that degrees slowly deeper. Gorgonians, soft corals...
more info about Paradise Sharm El Sheikh Egypt including maps, reviews, and ratings...
South Africa Indian OceanDiving From Mabibi is only avalible from Thonga Beach Lodge as it is in a restricted part of the Coastal Reserve . Diving these parts are best during the summer months and Turtle tracking is in season from Nov - Feb . We have Loggerhead Turtles and Leatherbacks nesting during this time .
more info about Mabibi Beach @ Thonga Beach Lodge including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States Caribbean SeaIve been diving for over 40 years and never thought of Stuart Cove becuse of it to be too touristy but ive been there now three years in a row,14 dives in 4 days and can't say enough.I LOVE IT THERE...
more info about Stuart Cove Nassua Bahamas including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaThe Million Hope Wreck
Location:
28 03' 42" N, 34 26' 40"E. Southern Gulf of Aqaba on east coast of Sinai Peninsular
Access:
Day boat from Sharm El Sheikh
Minimum Depth to Wreck
0m (Superstructure above water level)
Maximum Depth to Seabed:
22m (at stern)
Average Visibility:
20-25m
The Ship
Built in Japan, as a Bulk Carrier with additional facilities for transporting vehicles, the Million Hope was launched as the "Ryusei Maru" in 1972. She was a very large ship - displacing 26,181 grt and measuring 174.6m x 24.8m with a draught of 10m. Her bridge castle is located at the stern behind 5 cargo holds - in between which are four massive cranes towering high above the decks. The ship was powered by two 6 Cylinder diesel engines capable of producing 11,600 bhp and a top speed of 17 knots.
The ship had several names during her lifetime before being purchased by the Aksonas Shipping Co Ltd of Limassol, Cyprus for 136 million in 1996. It was at this time she was finally renamed "Million Hope" and promptly insured for 41 Million. Only six weeks later, she became a constructive total loss.
The Loss of the Million Hope
Loaded with a 26,000 ton cargo of Potash and Phosphates, the Million Hope sailed from Jordan's only port of Aqaba on 19 June 1996 - destination Taiwan. Visibility, however, quickly deteriorated and early on 20 June the vessel struck the inshore Reef near Nabq - on the western shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, approx. 3 miles north of Sharm El Sheikh.
Lloyds List dated 24 June 1996 carried the following item under "Casualty Report:"
"MILLION HOPE "(Cyprus) Jun 21: Egyptian Maritime Officials said yesterday they were concerned about possible leakage of about 23,000 tons of phosphate and potassium plus 700 tons of fuel from the bulk carrier Million Hope which sank off Egypts Sinai Peninsular, Cairo radio reported. All 25 members of the crew ere rescued by Egyptian naval vessels and other vessels in an operation that lasted more than 20 hours. The vessel, on voyage from Jordan to Taiwan, was ripped open by coral reefs near Egypts Sharm El-Sheikh resort. The vessels mainly Filipino crew huddled in the stern and refused to abandon ship until it became clear the vessel would sink, Cairo radio said. Some of the crew accused the vessels master of failing to follow the areas prescribed navigation routes and of maintaining speed despite poor visibility."
The cargo actually comprised 15,000 tons of Potash and 11,000 tons of phosphate rock and the big concern was that this would slowly dissolve in seawater - producing an algae-like film that would blot out essential sunlight from all adjacent reefs. Major Salvage companies were, therefore, invited to tender for the salvage of this cargo which was separately valued at 1.3 million. This operation was successfully carried out.
With much of her superstructure still out of the water, the Million Hope can be seen from several miles away. She is basically upright but with a pronounced list to port - i.e. away from the Reef. Her entire starboard side rests against the reef on which she foundered and her keel lies along the seabed at the base of that reef at between 19 - 24m. Her decks are underwater but not the focsle. Apart from fairly superficial damage, the vessel is completely intact - with no evidence of salvage.
more info about Million Hope Nabq Sharm El Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaThe fist one and the biggest one of the fourth reefs of the Straight of Tiran. Nice dive with sandy bottom and also a plateau full of corals. Barrels, the cargo, (north/east) and also pieces (south/west) of the Louvilla Wreck (1981) that now is upon the reef in the north. The current split in the middle of the reef.
more info about Gordon Reef - Straight of Tiran - Sharm El Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaVery quiet dive site with sandy bottom
more info about Ras Gohzlani - Ras Mohammed National Park - Sharm el Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaRelaxing dive site with sandy bottom max depth 20mt, on the drop off vertical wall undefined depth, 3 big pinnacoles that appears one temple.
more info about Temple - Sharm El Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Maldives Indian OceanHouse Reef at Six Senses Laamu, a 5 star resort in the Laamu Atoll
more info about Six Senses Laamu House Reef including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaReef coast and satellite reef separed by sandy street
more info about Jackfish Alley Ras Mohammed National Park including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Spain Mediterranean SeaShot of Fried Egg Jellyfish with sun behind, giving sunset affect
more info about Medes Islands including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Ukraine Black Seaflight conditions.
more info about Rybatshe including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Malaysia Asian SeaOne of the many beautiful island of Sabah Malaysia.
very beautiful above and below water. Sometimes, it is not just Sipadan.
more info about Mantabuan Island including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificBeautiful location. Water was clear. Both open sandy area and rocky, kelp forests. Can easily swim to shore. Lots of fish, lobster, octopi, and bat rays along with numerous species of plant life.
more info about Reflector Cove, Catalina Island, CA including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Indonesia Bali SeaBeautiful protected bay for snorkeling and diving. Changing current brings big schools of fish and also quite big fish. Sunken objects are perfect hiding places for many differrent creatures.
more info about Jemeluk bay including maps, reviews, and ratings...