72h to 48 hours before departure - Q-tip through the nose.
Moment of truth and definitely the most unpleasant part of travel preparation: the coronatest. Reliable sources report that after this the sinuses are thoroughly cleaned, thoroughly opened and ready for diving.
Arrival day - mask off!
After the critical assessment by the Egyptian authorities, adjusted according to hair colour and gender, the masked travellers meet in front of the airport in Marsa Alam. Thanks to registered diving luggage and the expected low water temperatures (25-26°), half-dry (the Graphene Club) and dry (the „freezers") could be accommodated in the suitcase without any problems.
On the Ocean Window, snood jumpers (also known as face masks) can finally be taken off and everything can be made ready for diving. New and old couples move into their cabins and at sunset we set off in the direction of Fury Shoals.
Dive day 1 - Mask on!
Check dive at Satayah Reef: Masks are on again in the water and lead is diligently handed down from the boat. Then it's a leisurely dive with a good dozen blue spotted rays. Then saltwater for breakfast with the dolphins. As we forget the time a bit, the last dive of the day is done at dusk, as a two for one, so to speak. We enjoy the last rays of sunshine in the caverns of Reef Claudia. Those who have missed the reef shark console themselves at the delicious buffet with the watermelon shark or the tasty shark cookies.
Brändi Dog with wine and beer is already established here as a fixed evening entertainment. Romantics and amateur astronomers enjoy the moon and the starry sky on deck. Only a select group of brave people is still busy and listens intently to Annick's theory lesson on deep diving.
Diving day 2- Fanta please don't dazzle us
The day begins as the last one ended: Claudia's reef calls once more. Alternatively, a short trip by Zodiac may be undertaken; at least if you promise not to snuggle too much on it. The day continues to the thing of the bell: eating, diving, eating.... maybe a quick sleep and logbook writing in between.
The dives at Fury Shoals are varied and never fail to amaze. Even an underwater toilet has been thought of. Lucky are those who can use it in style thanks to the zipper in the crotch!
Today, a real night dive is on the agenda: don't disturb the sleeping parrotfish and don't dazzle the Fanta can! If you haven't seen a Spanish dancer yet, you'll get your money's worth on this dive at the latest.
With the Swiss dinner of homemade spaetzli and rösti, the onward journey to Daedalus Reef begins.
Dive day 3 - Shore leave with Longimanus
Through the porthole we are greeted by the lighthouse in the morning. Where can you get the best Sunday pastry outside of Switzerland? On the Ocean Window, of course! Bruno generously hands out the first one, only to snatch the second one for himself.
To do justice to the diving anniversaries (congratulations to Stefan and Zerrin on 500 dives each!), we now look for big fish. Always nicely adapted to the current, we dive around the reef. By the end of the day, not only Nemo was found, but also at least one Longimanus under water and one around the boat.
As diving is not allowed at night, we use the time for T-shirt shopping during a short shore excursion to the lighthouse.
Dive day 4 - Awesome!
Early morning dive with the hammerhead sharks. Our guide Momo proves once again that he likes to dive deep for a long time. The deep dive training is now paying off!
The Longimanus under the boat are rather shy. As soon as we are in the water they are only visible from a distance. At least now everyone knows exactly what our ship looks like from below.
After the last dive, the anchor chain is already lifted and we are ready to continue our journey.
Dive day 5 - UFOs in the sea grass
As Elphinstone is closed, we head for Abu Dabbab. After this day's dives, however, no one regrets this. Underwater we are compensated with nudis, ghost pipefish, mighty green turtles, puffer fish, and more.
During the lunch dive, the crew set up the inflatable slide. A welcome opportunity to practice evacuating the ship by jumping.
The day comes to an end with an extended night dive and it's time to continue dreaming of cuttlefish, octopus, chasing lionfish, boxfish and Spanish dancers.
Dive Day 6 - Egyptian Crocodile
The rising wind tries to make our approaching farewell easier. There is another piece of good news: as our return flight has been pushed back, we can still do three dives today in the Marsa Shouna reef.
There is something here not only for sand eel lovers. The corals look like lettuce ready for harvesting and the largemouths that have come along can pose with their fish relatives, the largemouth mackerels. Finally, the discussion about whether there are crocodiles in Egypt can be put to rest: Yes, there are definitely crocodile (fish) in the Red Sea.
Departure Day - Dolphin Escort to Marsa Alam
The equipment is freshly rinsed and reasonably dry again, so the journey to Marsa Alam can begin. A school of dolphins sweetens the short return journey to the harbour. Apart from packing, the most important thing to do there is to eat ice cream and visit the few shops that are open.
Then it's time to say goodbye so that the crew can go on their well-deserved holidays. Thank you Ocean Window, we will be back!
You want to come along? - Ask us about our next Red Sea Safari 2021!
Photo Credits: Jürg Schlegel, Stefan Schlegel, Jana Lanni, Bruno Tüscher, Annette Esch