Dahab a Diver's Dream

Dahab, located on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, is known for its fabulous snorkeling and scuba diving sites. In fact the Red Sea has some of the best diving in the whole world. So I thought this would be the best place for me to finally learn to scuba dive.

Diving actually pretty incredible. Think Jacques Cousteau only better because you’re directing the action yourself. I have snorkeled in many places around the world and truly the Red Sea is the best I have ever seen. Then to dive in these waters – it’s like the difference between watching TV and an experiencing an OMNI 3-D theatre.

But diving is a lot more work then I ever imagined. There is so much equipment and a lot to learn. I did two dives a day for three days and homework and quizzes in between. I was utterly exhausted. For the dive you wear a wet suit (the water was a chilly 68), mask, fins, snorkel, BCD jacket, air tank and weights. Yes, as if the equipment wasn’t bulky and weigh enough already, they strap lead weights to your waist to keep you down. You put all of this on dry land (except flippers and mask) then lumber to the sea and try to get in without falling down. It’s even more difficult then it sounds. Each dive consisted of practicing skills and then a guided dive. Skills included things like: the instructor shutting off your air supply and practicing to not panic; taking off and putting on all the equipment under water and not floating away or loosing the equipment, and of course simply breathing underwater.

The breathing technique is a lot like meditation or yoga breathing. One, keep breathing no matter what happens or how scared you are. Two, breathe slow and steady. Three breathe in to float up, breathe out to float down – and try not to crash into the sea floor.

It was a lot of work but it was worth it. To look UP and see fish swimming above you is just amazing. And the coral it’s breathtaking. I don’t have a good underwater camera yet, so you’ll have to make due with some photos stolen from the web.

Although I do not yet feel like a skilled diver, I am PADI-certified to run amuck under the water, believe it or not. I will get better with time. And one thing that I hope passes quickly is the feeling I got every time I had to spit into my mask before each dive. I couldn’t help it but each time, the scene from JAWS when Richard Dreyfuss is about to get into the anti-shark tank and he says, “I haven’t got any spit” would pop into my head. I’d laugh at myself but still glance around for any fins.