Port Ghalib 2015

May 14th - Car Trouble

It's 7 in the morning and we are ready to go. Get the car, Petra says, so we can load in the luggage. Since she has her own little car mine is parked outside. And since she loves driving that new little car mine is mainly parked. Too often it showed. As I tried to start my car I hardly heard a click. Probalby the battery is gone (9 years and 170k km ... ). Even pushing it to jump start the car didn't work.

So, the little car will be taking us to Schiphol this time. Despite it's size (Fiat 500) the huge luggage fits easily. So with just a bit of delay we're on our way. My being the co-driver for the first time in many years :-)

Arke (TUI) check in and flight were good. In no time we arrive in Marsa Alam. A tiny transfer (Marina Lodge is 1st stop) and there we are. "Welcome back". Room 6323 has been reserved for us, exactly as we requested. Just pasted the room we had before, with an open bath room, a larger balcony and a better view. Another improvement is the Wifi strenght. This time I had to pay for it (495 EGP for the whole stay, 4 connections) as they are not longer an Intercontinental, and hence my IHG Gold membership is worthless this time around.

May 15th - Check in and Relax

First day: a long sleep in. Easy, relaxed and long breakfast. Slowly towards the diving shop. Jörgen immediately jumps up when he sees us. "Welcome back". Tomorrow at 10 we'll be picked up to do a House Reef dive. Now some more relaxing, swimming, lunching, dinning ... .
May 16th - Good to be back

Yep, it sounds strange, but little to report. And to be honest, that is the best part. This is our 4th time in Port Ghalib, 3rd time The Palace. And despite they aren't a Intercontinental anymore (Red Sea Resort now), all is as it was. And that is - as before - perfect. So nothing to complaint and hence little to report.

Jos: 62 [min] / 20.4 [m] | Petra: 62 [min] / 19.5 [m]

Same story for the Extra Divers dive shop. We found it as we left it. Many familiar, friendly, faces. A very nice 1st diving day.

May 17th - Again, and again, and again

When checking my dive log from last visit I see we only did 2 boat dive days, all other days we did the - O so beautiful - House Reef. And I wouldn't be surprised if we are going to repeat that schedule this holiday. Not because of the wind due to which the boat dives may be not too interesting ("too much wind" and than anchor around the in Marsa Imbarrak the whole day). Also not because the shore dives with the minivan is such a hassle (gather a certain time, always someone late, 1 hour in the minivan, gearing up in the hot sun). No we do all that with pleasure. No. Just because the House Reef is such a beautiful and magical place.

Jos: 65 [min] / 25.0 [m] | Petra: 65 [min] / 22.6 [m]

And always full of surprises. Today no big game, but the Remora that followed us all dive makes you think: "who did he loose?". The Dugong, a Big Turtle, .. ? It's all around. Even Dolphins. Some days you're lucky and see they. Other days it's the excitement of knowing you might. And than the reef itself with all its tiny inhabitants. It will make you come back again and again. Tomorrow ... I think yes.

May 18th - Night Dive

I wanted to try yesterday, but I was asking too late for Extra Divers to arrange the needed permit (arranged in El Queisir). So tomorrow (being today) it would be. Arriving at the dive shop I understand I am the only one. Okay. "Your guide is Ghalid". "You know him?". He impersonates a very big guy. "Hulk". Sure I know him.

Jos: 65 [min] / 23.9 [m] | Petra: 65 [min] / 22.4 [m]

Jos: 51 [min] / 18.9 [m]

The guide, Ghalid, was very nice and calm. A very pleasant night dive. I need to do this more often!

May 19th - Boat Dive Day

To my big surprise Petra had entered us on the boat dive list for today. She had been insisting for days that she didn't want to do any boat dives. Even not tomorrow (Elphinestone). The boat was full, but not too full. Dive spot is Marsa Shouni. Only two other boats around so quite okay.

Jos: 63 [min] / 27.4 [m] | Petra: 63 [min] / 25.3 [m]

Jos: 61 [min] / 20.4 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 19.3 [m]

The dives were nice as was the reef. But the House Reef is better. If you have a Dugong encounter here I can understand it is a "Yippie ai yee"day, but without it is just okay.

May 20th - Elphinestone

As every other year we also booked a trip to this famous dive spot this year. As a nice difference to last year the sea is calm and smooth this time. Not very busy. Only 4 or 5 other boats around, we have seen that much different. Also the drop from the boat was - 1st time ever (4th time here) - spot on. The reef is as beautiful as I remembered it. No (HH) Sharks on the 1st dive (North Plateau). Half way the 2nd dive (South Plateau) a WTR Shark cruises just below us.

Jos: 56 [min] / 32.4 [m] | Petra: 56 [min] / 31.1 [m]

Jos: 54 [min] / 28.5 [m] | Petra: 56 [min] / 26.8 [m]

A pod of Dolpins plays in the bow wave on our return. What a nice day!

May 21st - Scootering

Today we want to do a Scooter Dive. We had arranged it yesterday with Mostafa, our instructor from last year. When we build up and checked the scooters, mine wasn't working. After some trying and checking for the issue I saw the wire to the battery was loose (broken out of the connector). Mostafa fixed the issue and off we went.
Fish Market and back was the plan. After half an hour we turned, well passed the last (Crown Plazza / Siva) jetty. I noticed I was slowing down. Little later I wasn't moving at all anymore. Dead Scooter. Petra had to tow me back. At he Interconti Jetty we decided to get out. No way we could still reach Fish Market on one Scooter, towing 2 divers and another Scooter! So a dive that started as a fun dive ended in a bit of a disaster. Pity.

Jos: 57 [min] / 20.4 [m] | Petra: 58 [min] / 19.4 [m]

"Oh no" she is back. Seldom have I seen/heard such a bad singer for live entertainment .. .

May 22nd - Yep ....

A new day a new dive (site)? No! The same dive again, and that was a good choice. We enter at CP/Siva which was not so easy due to the waves (yes, quite a wind today). From there slowly 'back' to the IC Jetty. It seems the current has turned? For sure there is quite a surge, so this time we really need to swim a bit. Half way Petra sees a nice big Mangrove Stingray. He's quite shy and swims away. Visibility worsens during the dive.

Jos: 61 [min] / 25.7 [m] | Petra: 61 [min] / 23.2 [m]

Not sure if it was the wind, or the many Safari Boats leaving the harbour last night ... and they stir up a lot of sand. Anyway, the closer to the harbour the worse the viz. Glad we didn't do our 1st plan: IC -> IC. That would have been a bad dive.

Petra isn't feeling too well, so no more dives today. Just relaxing.

May 23rd - Time to Go

But not before ... yes, another last time on the House Reef. We both had a bit of a funky stomach (that had been long time ago .. ) but insisted to do another - last one for this holiday. But not too late as we fly at 11:10 o'clock tomorrow, so we need to get in early. It is again a beautiful dive, as every dive on the House Reef. Bye bye colorful fish, until next time!

Jos: 65 [min] / 24.4 [m] | Petra: 64 [min] / 22.1 [m]

Lunch - Relax - Pay Extra Divers - Dinner - Pack - Sleep.

May 24th - Home

Our holiday plan, from an efficient use of time or value for many point of view, was a bad plan. Arriving late, leaving early. Often flights out are late, giving you an almost full day at the pool or beach (like we had last time). But to honest, this is better. In stead of arriving home in the morning - very tired after a night without sleep in a plane - we now arrive home in the early evening, relaxed and rested. Totally perfect, like this holiday.

Can't wait to go back ... again.


Link to all pictures ...