We had originally planned to go to Sharm El Sheikh in November 2016 when Debbie needed a referral to somewhere warm to complete her PADI Open Water qualifying dives. Those plans were scuppered when a Russian passenger jet was brought down by ISIS in October 2016, with the loss of 224 lifes, resulting in tourism to the region being cancelled. At short notice we changed our plans and went to Bonaire instead. Since then we have done several Red Sea diving trips to Hurghada and Marsa Alam but hadn’t been to the Sinai Penninsula, so it was time to give it a go.

Debbie was keen to find a comfortable all-inclusive resort with a choice of restaurants and the Steigenberger Alcazar in Nabq Bay met her exacting requirements. In addition to the main “eat as much random stuff as you want” buffet restaurant there are five a la carte restuarants. There are also three adult pools, two separate children’s pools, 350 metres of private beach and handy pool and beach bars.

Steve’s only concern was whether the sun loungers were shaded well enough to be able to see to play chess on his phone. Apart from that he was much more interested in the diving than the resort facilities. This would be the trip when he completed his 700th dive!

Dive Logs

Date	Location	Notes
5/11/23	Ras Nasrani	Check out dive on the house reef of a hotel. OK dive but not the best, house reef was pretty knackered.
6/11/23	Laguna Reef	Around a lagoon off Tiran Island. Reef on the right at 20m then on left at 10m because the current changes with depth. Blue Spotted Stingray and Napoleon Wrasse in the distance below us.
6/11/23	Woodhouse Reef	Lovely drift at 20m, reef on left.
7/11/23	Stingray Alley	Circular tour around plateau at 24m with lovely coral heads. Saw a free-swimming moray eel.
7/11/23	The Alternatives	Similar to the previous dive with table corals and fan corals. Very pretty. Found a moray eel under a rock and shoals of glassfish
8/11/23	Jackfish Alley	Swim through cave at 6-9m Coral Garden at 25m. Very pretty
8/11/23	Yolanda Reef	Anenome City, Shark and Yolanda reefs, Ras Mohammed. Excellent dive between three pinnacles, ending with the wreck of the Yolanda (the one with the toilets!)
8/11/23	Gazelle Reef	Stop off on the way back to Sharm. First five minutes doing swim throughs. Steve’s 700th dive!
10/11/23	Jackson Reef	Swam into the current to the corner, then drifted back over the coral garden. Very colourful and pretty with many small fish.
10/11/23	Woodhouse Reef	Long gentle drift.
10/11/23	Gordon Reef	Much faster drift (about 2kt) good fun! Saw a couple of stigrays and porcupine fish.
12/11/23	Ras Fanar	Nice drift with two moray eels.
12/11/23	Shark and Yolanda Reefs	Drift from Shark to Yolanda and on to Satellite Reef. Amazing dive; saw Moray, Napoleon, Lionfish, Porcupine Fish and a Turtle.

Logistics

Outbound:	WizzAir W9 5769 depart: London Gatwick (LGW) 3/11/23 11:10 GMT arrive: Sharm El Sheikh International (SSH) 18:30 GMT+2
Accommodation:	Steigenberger Alcazar Address:  Nabq Bay, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt Phone: 002 069 3710950 Email: info@steigenberger.com
Inbound:	WizzAir W9 5770 depart: Sharm El Sheikh International (SSH) 13/11/23 19:05 GMT+2 arrive: London Gatwick (LGW) 13/11/23 22:55 GMT