Thursday morning I was up at 6:00 and on the bus at 6:40. We drove to north Jeddah which took about 40 minutes. I geared up at the Desert Sea Divers shop and then walked through a private resort to the water’s edge. On board the boat I enjoyed coffee, fruits, a slice of breakfast cake and plenty of cold water. Breakfast was served; what a great beginning!
We travelled out into International waters for about 40 minutes. Our first stop was at a reef called Chicken Wreck. It is a favourite site and gains its name because a misfortunate skipper, whose cargo was frozen chicken, ran his ship into the reef. Unfortunately he not only lost his load but his ship as well. This shipwreck is about 15 meters under the water. I found it a bit eerie seeing a sunken ship. I wondered if there were fatalities and I didn’t like that thought.
Cruising with my ‘snorkeling buddy’ Camille, I tentatively ventured away from our boat. She stopped me and told me not to touch anything! No worries. My hand was not going anywhere close to caves or crevices. What I quickly found out was that I could breathe air rather than water, my mask was tight enough that it didn’t leak, and the anti-fog drops allowed me to see clearly.
Oh my goodness! The glory and species of fish I saw, abundance of coral, aqua blue water, patches of bleached white sand and the buoyancy of the Red Sea made me instantly love snorkeling! Here are some schemas I made up as I snorkeled. I witnessed coral of all sizes and shapes. I viewed piles of brown potatoes, coral lettuce, gigantic brains, cream coloured mushrooms, bunches of lavender, purple lips (giant clams with purple insides), white bony fingers and a serving platter balanced on a pole.
The fishes were equally amazing. I saw my first barracuda and puffer fish. My favourite fish of the day I named ‘Uptown Lady’. Uptown Lady was grey with iridescent purple when she skirted by. It was like she was wearing a chiffon shawl which shimmered when she moved. Her most amazing feature was her bright red lips! Other fish were striped, ½ and ½ black and white, intricate designs, perfectly symmetrical, lime green, pink, sunshine yellow, rainbow, and the list goes on.
I can’t remember the name of the second reef we stopped at. Following that snorkel we enjoyed a delicious traditional meal of rice with spicy chicken and salad. Our third stop was the Garden Coral Reef. Oh my – it was like Victoria’s manicured Butchart Gardens; no gardener required.
After that snorkel we stayed anchored and enjoyed the sunshine and some traditional juice which we can purchase in Canada. We had more snacks, I enjoyed one last dive and swim in the Red Sea and then we motored back to land.
Reflecting on my fabulous day, I realized I was wearing my down jacket and toque while viewing Margarie Glacier in Alaska in July. In October, I was snorkeling in the Red Sea. I have so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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