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Scuba Diving in the Red Sea
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Dive Site: The Canyon / the Fish Bowl
Location: North Dahab, 28°33.294N; 34°31.257E
Description: Reef / shore dive / technical dive site
Depth: 100 metres + (300 feet)
Visibility: 30 metres (100 feet)
Rating: *****
A fantastic dive for all levels. From a shore entry you can level off at about 30m along the gradual drop-off which continues for hundreds of metres. The canyon is a natural tunnel in the seabed which can be penetrated at several points along the rift. Once in the canyon, you can ascend up through and come out in the fish bowl, a natural cave teaming with glassfish. There is about space for six divers to rest on the sandy bed, whilst the glassfish swirl around you and cleaner wrasse will inspect masks and regs. Watch out for lionfish which guard the entrance and exit from the fish bowl.
Jenny Pickles, BSAC Dive Leader
Again a shore entry dive, made by walking into a sand lagoon and then swimming at 3 metres out over the sloping reef wall. Head northeast down to around 18 metres where you can drop into the canyon. The canyon is a reef tunnel with several entry points. It drops down to around 30 metres at the first entry point and you can follow this down to almost infinite depths. Once you have explored the canyon head back west where it turns vertical at the 30 metre mark. Divers then ascend one at a time up a chimney which finishes in a small cave at 15 metres. There are several small entry points from the chimney top, and this cave is home to shoals of glassfish and sweepers, as well as lionfish. Once back on the gently sloping reef wall you can head north for a while before turning and returning in the shallows. There are some beautiful coral formations and the waters are literally teeming with life. Cone coral and raspberry coral covers the upper slopes and there are Indian tubeworms, pufferfish & lionfish. A stunning dive.
Rik Vercoe, BSAC Advanced Instructor
This is a great dive. We did the first swim through and immediately saw two scorpionfish. We also saw a large Napoleon wrasse, pufferfish, boxfish, lionfish, an octopus that changed colour from brown to white as we approached it and a spotted moray eel.
Anna Wright, Advanced Open Water
My favourite dive site in Dahab. Easy shore entry suitable for all levels. An abundance of marine life and the drop into the Canyon is wonderful. Take a camera as there are many types of fish and nudibranch along with coral pinnacles, and of course the canyon caves. Don't miss it if you dive in Dahab.
Mick Hatswell, MSD
The Canyon is one of the most popular dive sites in Dahab and an essential dive for all fanatics of caves and cavern diving. The Canyon is up to 10m deep and virtually closed over at the top. It snakes its way up from the depths, to emerge in a large glassfish-filled coral dome, the Fishbowl. After an easy shore entry, you cross a sandy lagoon that opens onto a gently sloping reef marked with coral heads. The amazing and eerie canyon soon comes into view. It has three main openings. At about 12m is the fishbowl. Below that is another large bowl, opening at about 20m. Deepest of all is a narrow exit at 52m. In between these openings the walls have grown together to virtually close over the top of the canyon, forming a tunnel. From the top it has the appearance of the fluted mouth of a clam shell. Descend into the Canyon at 20m and drop to the bottom which sits at around 30m. Make sure you stick to a depth well within your ability. Take a minute at bottom and enjoy the magnificent view, the light coming through the crack that forms the entry of the Canyon while you sit in semi-darkness, it is an amazing sight. From here you exit through the Fish Bowl. Finish the dive by swimming through a coral garden at about 8m where there are very good chances of finding the resident octopus.
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