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| The Alternatives | ||
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The Alternatives are a chain of small, mostly almost round coral rocks (Pinnacles) about seven kilometers west of Raʾs Muḥammad and about 3 kilometers south of Schaʿb el-ʿUṭāf in Egypt. These reefs offer a diverse underwater world and offer alternative - hence the name - Dives when other diving areas cannot be visited due to rough seas. In the west of the alternatives are with the Stingray Station and the Lonely mushroom two more similar rocks.
background
The reef chain Alternatives is on the way between the Raʾs Muḥammad National Park and the Beacon Rock. Over a length of three kilometers there are about a dozen small and almost round coral rocks, the reef roofs of which are all about half a meter below the surface of the water.
The term alternatives is modern. Local fishermen also refer to the area as Sabʿa ʿIrg (seven hills).
The coral stocks form the southern end of a wide, about eight to ten meters deep sandy lagoon. The reefs rise from the sandy plateau at a depth of ten to twelve meters. The sand plateau falls south of the coral sticks to a depth of 25 meters before the subsoil drops off steeply.
The diving area is suitable for both divers and snorkelers. All reefs are equally suitable.
getting there
Divers usually travel on a day trip boat from the jetty jetty) in the south of the Naʿama Bay of Sharm esch-Sheikh.
Tourist Attractions
The visibility at the dive sites depends heavily on the weather and currents and can be severely affected.
East of the middle of the chain of coral rocks is one of the largest coral sticks, the 1 Last alternative(27 ° 43 '44 "N.34 ° 11 '57 "E.).
Like all other coral blocks, it offers a diverse underwater world of corals such as soft corals and gorgonians as well as perch, blue-spotted rays and groupers. If you keep your eyes open, you can also find nudibranchs. Occasionally, leopard sharks can also be seen here. Since the coral blocks are not very large, they can usually be circled twice per dive. At a shallow depth of about 3 meters, the corals are of course most colorful.
At the northwestern end of the rock chain, about one kilometer west of the Last Alternative, there is another larger coral block, the 2 Stingray Station(27 ° 43 '49 "N.34 ° 11 '14 "E). The irregularly shaped, three-part coral block got its name from the stingrays that can be found here in spring (March, April). The dive usually starts in the west and circles the block about once.
About 2.5 kilometers to the west is another, isolated coral block, the 3 Lonely mushroom(27 ° 43 ′ 40 ″ N.34 ° 9 ′ 18 ″ E), the lonely mushroom .
Kitchen and accommodation
Catering is provided on the day boats. Accommodation can be found in Sharm esch-Sheikh or Dahab.
trips
Visiting the reef can be combined with other reefs in the Raʾs Muḥammad National Park or other local diving areas of Sharm esch-Sheikh connect.
literature
- : Sinai Diving Guide: Part 1; German edition. Verona: Geodia, 2005, ISBN 978-88-87177-66-4 . Dive site 32.
