Family safari

Shaab el Erg is an extensive reef, in the shape of a horseshoe. This formation is open to the south with a shallow lagoon, which is full of ergs. The whole lagoon can be dived.

Very popular are the northern tip, the eastern wall or the southwestern tip - Gota Shaab el Erg.

The Carnatic, on a voyage from Liverpool to Bombay with 27 crew, 203 passengers, and a cargo of cotton, copper plates, and 40,000 pounds sterling in gold, ran aground on the reef Shab Abu Nuhas on the night of September 13, 1869. The ship initially remained on the reef, but broke apart and sank on September 15, despite various rescue attempts .

Overconfidence in the ship's stability had a disastrous effect. Since the Carnatic had not been cleared and passengers and crew members were on board, the ship took 27 people down with it . The survivors first rescued themselves on Shadwan Island and were later recovered by the Sumatra.

In October 1869, a helmet diver recovered most of the gold cargo as well as 700 copper plates. Several bodies were also discovered - one victim was still stuck in a porthole through which he had tried unsuccessfully to escape. 8,000 pounds sterling could still be in the wreck. No one has found them yet - perhaps they were secretly salvaged or disappeared under coral.

The wreck was rediscovered in 1984 and has been a popular destination for Hurghada dive boats ever since. Since then, souvenir hunters have plundered it thoroughly. The Carnatic lies on its side at the base of the reef at a depth of 20 to 27 meters. In the middle the ship is badly damaged, bow and stern are well preserved. The wooden decks have rotted away so that it is safe to enter the interior. The hull is densely covered with stone and leather corals.

After several previous owners, she finally changed to the shipping company Clarion Marine and was given the name Chrisoula K. Under this name she also made her last voyage, which took her to the area of the Abu Nuhas reef in the Red Sea on August 30, 1981 with a cargo of cheap Italian floor tiles.
Due to a navigational error by the captain, the ship ran aground on the reef during the night of August 30 and sank.
Today the wreck lies in an optimal position for divers at a depth between 5 meters and a maximum of 25 meters.
The ship is in a slight inclination, the middle part is heavily damaged by the impact.

For a long time the front half, which had run up on the reef, remained stationary and indicated the place of the accident, then it too sank and lay down on the port side.
The aft half of the wreck lies somewhat inclined on the port side. Above the front of the quarterdeck rises the smokestack with the large letters "D". The "D" stands for the name of the shipping company: Danae.

In front of the chimney is the bridge deck, behind it other spaces, a huge winch, the bollards, the intact railing, and even the frame that used to support a large awning was not damaged in the sinking.

At the base of the funnel are narrow portholes leading into the engine room. The engines are an impressive sight with their long rows of cam arms, valves and pipes.

The middle section of the ship resembles a junkyard, as iron girders are bent and torn, and the sides lie collapsed on the seabed. This area of the wreck is teeming with crocodile fish, scorpion fish and parrot fish. Some groupers have also made their home here.

Beacon Rock is a small reef that partially rises above the water surface, located 6.9 miles west of Ras Mohammed, and has a small lighthouse that marks the southernmost point of Sha'ab Mahmud. It was here that the English cargo ship Dunraven, which had mixed propulsion and had been built by the Mitchell & C. shipyard in 1873, sank in 1876 on its way to Bombay.

The wreck, which lies inverted and separated into two parts at a depth of between 15 and 29.5 meters, was first discovered in 1977 by geologist Arye Keller and underwater cameraman Howard Rosenstein. The Dunraven was the subject of a memorable 1979 BBC documentary and subsequently became a classic dive site.

Since the cargo consisting of wood and cotton bales was lost during the shipwreck and the ship caught fire, the wreck presents itself today as a large, almost empty cavern, into which one penetrates through three main openings on the stern, the middle section and the bow.

The Gubal Islands are two islands in the strait of the same name, Great and Little Gubal. Between the islands is shallow water, in the northeast of which there is a lighthouse indicating the fairway of the narrowest part of the Gulf of Suez. The Ulysses and Rosalie Moller sank near it.

Siyul is a fairly large island with many lagoons for kiting and beach holidays, as well as very beautiful dive sites for diving and snorkeling.

Geysum is a small island north of Hurghada. The island is located just north of El Gouna. The island is hilly, covered with small vegetation. You can take an interesting secluded walk around the island. Around the island there are shallow sandy lagoons with fine sand and wild beaches. The island offers unforgettable views of the sunset. Diving around the island is not very popular, since the depths are within 18 meters. But the variety of corals and marine life is amazing, and turtles often come there in the summer.

Giftun, an island located directly opposite the city of Hurghada. Sandy long beaches and a very comfortable entry into the water from the beach are ideal for kiting and swimming. The reefs located around the island are very often visited by daily boats. There are many spots and we will choose the best for you.

Abu Mungar is located south of Gaisum, two hours by sea. This very small picturesque island is usually loved by kiters for its good wind rose. The sand spit with fine sand goes far into the sea. A small beach allows you to comfortably spend time on the shore. It is pleasant to dive around, but there are also not great depths (up to 15-16 meters), which is perfect for diving with children and taking courses.