Return to Aqaba

 by Keith Waugh

The water temperature was 25^oc, the air temperature 32^oc and the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky. The boat rocked gently on a calm, blue sea. There was a light northerly breeze which was as warm as a hair drier. Where were we? In the Sound of Jura of course, off the west coast of Scotland !! 

And if you believe that, then you’ll believe anything. We were actually moored in 10metres of water to the south of Aqaba in the Red Sea. We, Pauline my wife, and I, were last here in February 2005. The water was just as warm, the sky just as blue, but the wind was a little chillier. Well, it was February! This time we were visiting Jordan towards the end of summer and it was, to say the least, very comfortable.

We spent our first week in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and visited various historical sites such as Jerash, Ajloun Castle where Saladin was based, Bethany on the River Jordan where Christ was baptised, the Dead Sea for a swim, Kerak, Petra and Wadi Rum – the Land of Lawrence of Arabia. Jordan is in the middle of an ancient civilisation and was on the Trade routes between Asia and Europe.

Finally, we arrived at Aqaba for 6 days diving and snorkelling. I was diving and Pauline was snorkelling. The sea coast of Jordan is only around 10miles long. Nevertheless, the sea life is prolific and the coral reefs are in very good condition. There are 2 or 3 wrecks but the most accessible is the Cedar Pride lying in around 28metres depth. Many of the fish are a little timid, making it a bit difficult to obtain good photographs. Being right at the top of the Red Sea you don’t see many large fish however we did see some small Moray Eels, an octopus, a couple of Electric Rays and plenty Lionfish, plus all the other typical Red Sea fish such as Parrotfish, Triggerfish, Butterflyfish, Lizardfish, Red Sea Bannerfish, Scalefin anthias (Goldfish) and the ubiquitous Clownfish. The waters are clear with visibility between 25 to 40 metres and depths to …………………!

I dived with “Dive Aqaba”, ( www.diveaqaba.com )one of the leading dive operators in the area. The dive team, lead by Rod and Ash, is very friendly and well organised, though it did take some time to get away in the mornings, the time being taken up organising newly arrived divers and snorkellers. After all, it is important to kit them out correctly and get them to sign their lives away.

Once everyone was ready we were taken to the harbour by coach where we walked the short distance to the boat. After a 40 to 60 minute boat trip we kitted up and dropped in to the water at the chosen dive site. The diving was easy and very relaxed. Nitrox 32 was available to those qualified to use it. With 12 dives in 6 days I felt a little more comfortable than I would have been on air. After the dive we would sit around, have a cool drink, relax in the sun, tell diving tales (anyone smell a bull in here?), then prepare for the second dive on a different site.

After the second dive, a late lunch was served in the saloon. Bread, salad, a vegetable mix, rice, chicken breasts and legs, various sauces plus tea, coffee, soft drinks and water, all prepared on board whilst we were diving. It was just a typical lunch that you would eat back home in Scotland! After that, I didn’t want an evening meal!!! But occasionally we forced ourselves!

We would arrive back at Aqaba between 1630-1730, wash our kit, though the Dive Aqaba team would do it for you if you wished, and prepare to do it all over again the next day. Life can be hell, but someone has to do it!

My most enjoyable dives were the two I had on Cedar Pride. On the second dive in particular, towards the end of my trip, the wreck was covered in blue Lunar Fusiliers. Apart from the wreck of Cedar Pride, the sites are fairly similar. 











A gently sloping coral reef shore, gradually increasing in depth to around 18-20metres. The reef then drops away fairly steeply to ........ quite deep! Certainly in the area of the Power Station site, the wall drops to over 150metres. Don't be misled by the name Power Station, the whole reef area is in very good condition with plenty of corals and thousands of colourful tropical fish, though as I have stated, they can be a little difficult to approach. 

The sites are quite close together. You could swim out from the shore to all of them, and swim from one site to the next in many cases. However, it is much more relaxing and safer to dive them from a boat, plus you don't get your gear covered in coral sand.