#marsa?? is that their ship name

[oodles-of-noodles]

it's been too long since i've been on this app and FAR too long since ive talked about mark and ilsah so have a quote as i continue to introduce you to them in the most unhinged way possible

markyle: "still, reason enough to party, no?"

ilsah: "someone went trigger-happy with the makeup, no?"

markyle: "c'est la vie"

my little frenchie (he's a louisiana native...)

[ezorderonline]

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[theladyragnell]

Godsfall, for the ask box meme? (And/or Five Dragons, I am just here to enable some D&D yelling!)

I will just have to do both!

Godsfall, with strong objections to having to pick a “least favorite” or “worst” anything:

favorite male character: Devon, our precious and wonderful son whom I love forever and always.

favorite female character: I mean, I feel like I should leave PCs aside, because I am obviously partisan and the answer is Elyn, followed by Maliah. And then the easy NPC answer is Loren, but we’ve got Devon repping the kids, so I am going to say Marsa, because I always know I am going to be delighted when she’s around.

least favorite character: How dare. Butttt I guess Peninth’zarthan? He killed TWO WHOLE CITIES, he’s a dick and he deserved to die.

prettiest character: I feel like I need to be partisan again and say my Beautiful Bard Cryptid, but if I avoid PCs, I feel like Gaizka is quite pretty and deserves a shoutout.

funniest character: I mean, I tend to get a lot of entertainment out of PC shenanigans in general, but also it’s you, so when there are excuses for puns there are puns and everyone is funny! But, I guess, shoutout to Bizza for the comedic genius of naming his shop I Don’t Give A Crepe.

favorite season: It is all one season so I don’t have to pick one, thank goodness!

favorite episode: The climactic Rugira Prime party episode! What an absolute delight.

favorite romantic ship: Probably Maliah/Marsa, because of the endless entertainment it offers me, but also Athan and Kian are #relationship goals.

favorite family ship: I have so many feelings about Elyn and her Sestrilles family and how far she’s come about admitting they’re her family!

favorite friend ship: Aside from the team itself, I am so delighted by Elyn and Brennu, Trauma Buddies.

worst ship: Maliah/Drewyn???

Five Dragons:

favorite male character: I think we all know it’s the Trashbag Man, Haoti for those who do not know him as such.

favorite female character: I refuse to choose between our girls.

least favorite character: Other than Seath, SOLOMON. Like, we were supposed to hate Seath, but we were supposed to like Solomon, and then the SHOCK COLLAR.

prettiest character: Probably canonically Quil!

funniest character: I am gonna toot my own horn, Valira is hilarious.

favorite season: No seasons in D&D!

favorite episode: One of the Underdark episodes, definitely! But I am not sure of exact session divvying. Probably the one where we got the Beholder stoned, though.

favorite romantic ship: Valira/Haoti, I have to be partisan here.

favorite family ship: Found family!!!

favorite friend ship: See above!

worst ship: I feel like we were supposed to think Seath/Lolth was happening? And ew.

[cloudberry-sims]

I made a ship name list for my Sims 3 couples! ❤

I got bored okay and I started to think about ship names for my sims like any normal person would ?? I used a generator to help me since I’m awful at ship names.

(OBS! This might contain spoilers for future couples or characters and if it might mean something offensive , I apologies but it was the generator who randomized them , not me! Like I said I’m awful at ship names ) 

The Charm Legacy/Random Legacy couple:

Woss- Winter & Moss 💚

Vielo- Vanilla Lime & Cielo 💙

Vinto- Vanilla Lime & Minto 💚

Cirage  - Mirage & Calico. (fuck Calico!) 🤢

Marlett- Mirage & Scarlett (for those who might ship them. I do and I wished I could made them into a couple but the rolls said no ) 😥 

Chewy- Stone & Azura ( I laughed since that’s a combination of their last names Charm & Dewy and I love Chewbacca so)🤣 

Grint- Flint & Grape. 💜

Amylide- Arylide & Amarillo 🧡

The Quirrell Legacy/Harry Potter Legacy couple:

Cavalon- Avalon & Cassiopeia

Valin- Valhalla & Martin

Nerwalda- Merwalda & Nathaniel

Romrora - Romilda & Aurora.

Percia- Percival & Lucia

Remmersyn- Emmersyn & Raul

Prewiona- Prewitt & Ivona

Preth - Prewitt & ???

Prewu- Prewitt & ???

Livona- Leon & Ivona

Wyron: ??? & ???

Wendelica: ??? & ???

The Halo Legacy/Midnight Sun Challenge:  

Zalo: Halo & Zahri

Marsa: Mars & Ursa  

Urury- Mercury & Ursa 

Which couple is your favorite? I must say I love Cavalon as a ship name and Chewy just made me go awww ❤

[plumquot-blog]

The Works of Khaled Mattawa, Part 1

HISTORY OF MY FACE

My lips came with a caravan of slaves

That belonged to the Grand Sanussi. In Al-Jaghbub he freed them. They still live in the poor section of Benghazi Near the hospital where I was born.

They never meant to settle In Tokara those Greeks Whose eyebrows I wear --then they smelled the wild sage And declared my country their birthplace.

The Knights of St. John invaded Tripoli. The residents of the city Sought help from Istanbul. In 1531 The Turks brought along my nose.

My hair stretches back To a concubine of Septimus Severus. She made his breakfast, Bore four of his sons.

Uqba took my city In the name of God. We sit by his grave And I sing to you:     Sweet lashes, arrow-sharp,     Is that my face I see     Reflected in your eyes?

                       *

A train whistle and I cling to handlebars as though it were my last chance at birth. In the cabin my thoughts stutter no further than the window, never penetrating the glass. Why did I go see her village? Buffalo carcasses floating on channels and channels suffocating with water hyacinths. Pot bellied grain boats stranded and a boy sleeping on deck, flies swarm his thin face. She lived beside the train tracks. She lived and played and waited for the caboose to shake her home. And the musty smell of the cow stall and the mule, a depository of rage and affection, a whole family of angry kicks, and the boy called to piss on its wound. They waited for the train, for the day to slip like a shovel in the metallic taste of dirt. Weddings and feasts-- oboes and clarinets drift to nearby villages beckoning guests and pariah dogs. And the meals of lentils and rice, the head of a calf hung above the day, a charm, and proof nothing was spared. But who ate its heart and tongue? No one knows.

                       *

We are not in a valley. Cow bells in the afternoon. We are not looking at a river. Fishing boats, miles of nets. We are in a London mall. "Like a mouse in the Pasha's storeroom," she is astounded by the choices, filling bags with dresses and cheap shoes. Her neighbors Her extending tribe. Then she sees the toddler, blue eyes, blonde curls, picks it up, a flurry of kisses and hugs, and God bless and God protect, the father--enraged-- rushing toward her pulling the baby from her embrace-- his face a universal sign of disgust. On the train, her bags at her feet, she is dejected and wants to go home. She turns to me. But I have no pity to give.

                       *

The road a ribbon paralleling the railway, stitches on the desert floor. She rides west now and now is then. Before the cramped resorts. Before the road swelled, shoulders pockmarked by watermelon stalls. And confetti. Millions of black plastic bags. Hollow crows. No, no, I was not the child who wept Let us go back, the one who was laughed at for years. She rides west now in a van, two daughters at her side. They see the train and drive beside it for hours. And for hours the children wave at strangers and strangers wave back at them. After Marsa Matrouh they crane their necks searching for it until someone remembers that at Marsa Matrouh the railway ends.

On her wedding day my sister kissed my cheek and begged me not to grow. It talked to her yesterday on the phone. She said she shows the picture to her children and tells them when I was her slave I ran away aboard a ship to Marseilles. From there I was sent to the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. They gave me to Columbus who traded me for gold to the Indians.

But the Indians had no us for me; they needed neither angels nor slaves. She tells them I live on a street with 22 churches and a synagogue. On Rossville Boulevard I pawned my wings for rent money, and now I man store where poor black women buy their groceries and they pay me with "Sugar," "Darling," "Honey bun."

                       *

Summer, the only time children saw the moon. My father and his friends chat, their white robes, silver flags rippling in the dark.

                       *

In May my mother breaks a twig from our largest fig. She licks the milky sap, the more bitter the taste the sweeter the crop.

                       *

Mosquitoes pop on bedroom walls, white paint freckled with blood.

                       *

Under the grapevine shed my mother roasts ears of corn. Beside her tea water boiling on a charcoal stove. Late afternoon I climb to pick. Clusters. Blue feet, hundreds of toes.

                       *

The gardener stopped drinking coffee. We were alarmed. Serving him tea, we asked about his health. He joined the army one spring. The peppers died, the spinach, parsley, and mint.

                       *

New neighbors moved in. An old couple, seven daughters and a dog. They gave us a puppy, a bitch. We fed her meat from a can. Hungry, she mauled my mother's chicks. Then fled.

                       *

An olive tree bears no fruit the year its owner dies. My grandfather died and a gardener brought a basket. He shook the tree; he shook. Two nests fell with broken blue shells.

http://www.webdelsol.com/mattawa/km-part1.htm

[samyazaz]

Maliah/Marsa, Space Regency AU

Heyyyy, guess who utterly failed at keeping this to 3 sentences? But I don’t know how you expected me to do these two, and space, and regency, in that amount of space, so really you’ve no one to blame but yourself. ;) 

--------

“But-- you can’t!” Maliah gapes at the woman in front of her, with her sly smile and her hat tilted at a rakish angle, dripping with enough beads and embellishments that it’s obvious she’s either going to or coming from the station’s ball. “I’m-- I can’t read a star chart to save my life, and I only learned obscure languages that are no use to anyone, and even then only a few of them, and I’m hopeless with tech, and--” It’s only making the other woman grin brighter, only making her eyes dance in the light of the stars through the viewport. “I’m not at all accomplished,” Maliah finishes helplessly. “There will be any number of people at the ball more accomplished than I am. Probably all of them.”

The woman hums, thoughtfully, and smiles, dazzlingly. “Is that so,” she says, crouching to pick up the arrow that had landed at her feet, that had nearly landed in her and is the whole reason Maliah even caught her attention in the first place. She twists it between her fingers, making it spin, and gives a little tug at the gold coin pierced on its end, that Maliah had been using for target practice. When she looks back at Maliah, her smile is curved even wider. “That hardly seems true to me.”

What is she even doing here, when the whole station ought to be down at the ball. It should have been empty here, that’s why Maliah came and--

“I don’t have a dress,” she blurts, desperate.

The woman glances down at herself, at the trousers that she’s wearing, made of a delicate weave, and loose and flowy enough to still make a fine picture on a dance floor, and then back up to Maliah. Her smile doesn’t waver. “Neither do I.”

“I don’t know how to dance.”

The woman’s grin is brighter than a sun. “I will teach you, then,” she says. Her smile fades a little, gentles, turns questioning. She lifts a brow at Maliah. “If you wish to learn?”

Maliah looks at her face, warm and welcoming, at her eyes, holding all the light of the stars within them, and-- She takes a breath, slings her bow over her shoulder, and places her hand in the woman’s.

---

Later, when she’s been swept around the ballroom floor until she’s dizzy and giddy with it, and has begged a break for just once dance to catch her breath, she overhears someone greet the woman with a dipped head and a murmured, “Captain Lerwun,” and the bottom falls out of her stomach because she knows that name, of course she does, everyone on the station knows the Virforth’s Tempest, one of the largest, fastest ships to make dock on the station, and this woman, this woman who introduced herself only as Marsa, whose hands were so warm on Maliah’s waist and pressed against her own, who hasn’t once seemed embarrassed to be dancing the evening away with Maliah, who isn’t dressed for a ball-- she’s it’s captain, and she could have anyone at all in this ballroom for a dance partner if she wished it, and she--

And she’s coming back from the refreshments table, weaving her way through the crowd with a drink in each hand, and she’s looking at Maliah like she’s the only other person in the room.

[letterstosestrilles]

Dear Tyko,

Staying up late to write this while Maliah and Cloudleaper sleep the sleep of the truly drunk. I only had one drink tonight (yes, I know, I just wrote you a few hours ago, but I want to stay up and enjoy the quiet, since I think the morning will be fill of hungover friends), so I've got some energy left, and can write you a little letter.

It was a nice evening, honestly! First we went down to the docks to see if I recognized any ships in port (there are three sets of docks, and two of them we haven't gone anywhere near yet), and ended up in luck when I spotted Tririsien, which The Promise did business with a time or two. The employee on door duty did not seem impressed with our approach, but was prevailed on to pass us on to someone more senior, which turned out to be Elur, who I got spectacularly drunk with one night, so at least he was friendly, even if I didn't make the most professional of impressions with that memory behind us.

Anyway, we went to their break room, which was full of all the old comforting ship's noises, and had a chat about the thefts. He seemed surprised to hear that the thefts might be connected, and didn't know anything, or recognize the descriptions of the people Athan and Kian told us about, but he took the conversation seriously, said that he'd put word out and put us in touch with anyone who might know more, and generally it was a productive conversation.

With that done, we decided to try The Horns again, figuring that the worst that could happen would be that we'd have a drink and leave. We ordered our drinks (Cloudleaper something higher-brow than I would have expected, Maliah something at the bartender's recommendation, me something low in alcoholic content because we were, after all, supposed to be there to make professional connections) and found a table, looking around at the patrons. It's a fairly quiet bar, and I didn't recognize anyone, but Maliah's attention was arrested by a group of women playing darts across the room. I encouraged her to go over, and then Cloudleaper practically dragged her, only stopping long enough to let Maliah put down her bow, since she worried that if they knew she's such a good archer they might not let her play.

(As though darts aren't a common pastime out in space and in bars frequented by crews.)

The group adopted she and Cloudleaper without any trouble at all, it seemed, and they bought into the game and played a few rounds—and had a few more drinks. Cloudleaper, after however long she was in the monastery, had lost her alcohol tolerance, and was soon staggering enough that she elbowed poor Maliah in the head and went stumbling off to fetch ice for her before … I am not sure what she was doing, honestly. Scribbling something in a notebook and then staring dreamily at the women playing (well, I know what she was doing then). She stopped playing after that, but Maliah kept on, and won a few rounds. She also made a particular friend, who seemed quite happy to be chatting with her, but more on her in a moment.

I lost track of them for a while because an old acquaintance of mine walked through the door—not a captain, but a crew member of a ship I'd met a few times, a tiefling I talked tech with in Infernal, whose name I couldn't remember for the life of me. Thank goodness that one of her friends mentioned that she's called Nielas, and she introduced me to Eldarel and Marchin, the friends she came with, and we caught up a bit. Nielas and Elur both seemed quite shocked that I'm an adventurer now, but then again, I would have been surprised if I'd run across Nielas again and she explained that she was a wizard now, or Elur a paladin, so I can't blame them.

Eventually, Maliah and her friend came over, the friend introducing herself as Marsa. We had a nice little chat, I introduced myself as a former hand on The Promise (and I had almost forgotten how many doors that will open, in some circles) on station on an errand for Brathin, and once again launched into discussion of the thief. The woman—Marsa, who eventually gave her last name as Lerwun and is the captain of Virforth's Tempest, which you may remember has good odds on making a big haul in the next few months—immediately went into business mode, asking for details. I gave what we had, doing my best to be scrupulous about what we know and what Athan could conjecture from his sources (I'd love to know what those sources are, but I doubt he'd tell and I don't want to make him uncomfortable, and even if he did tell, I don't like the odds on a ship's captain trusting his sources).

Eldarel and Nielas listened to the discussion, and Eldarel offered a tenuous lead but the best we've had since our arrival: she's a halfling herself, and on a station with few of them, took note when she saw a green-haired one at the docks not long ago. It was at one of the docks we haven't yet visited, but we'll certainly be visiting tomorrow, and Marsa mentioned speaking to the dock warden to put out the information and description, which I ought to have thought of before.

Eventually, Marsa excused herself back to her darts, Cloudleaper excused herself to the nonexistent dance floor, and Maliah said we could get Cloudleaper out before a brawl broke out if I played a round of darts first, so I let myself be taken over to the dartboard, where they were gearing up for a round where everyone got to shoot three darts, since one alone would have been an unfair score at that point, with how much they'd all been drinking. The drinks seemed to hit Maliah before that round, and she didn't do particularly well, but I'd been nursing one drink all night, and played plenty of darts when I worked on ships, so I showed them all up and won the betting pot, feeling perhaps more pleased with myself than I should have for beating a bunch of people who were at the very least three drinks in. They didn't seem to have any hard feelings, though, and Maliah was absolutely delighted.

She was also on the tired side of drunk, and decided to ride Squirt back to the inn, and I fetched Cloudleaper off the dance floor and we managed to make it back to the inn without incident.

Honestly, if Maliah and Marsa both weren't so drunk, I would have wondered about Maliah coming back to the inn at all—well, you know Maliah, and heard about the debacle with Mezeru (which I need to tell Cloudleaper about, so she doesn't cause another panic), so perhaps not, but Marsa would have been quite interested, I am fairly sure, and Maliah seemed to enjoy her company, if nothing else. Honestly, for someone who claims she has no idea how to flirt, she was doing a very good job at it from what I could see across the room while she was playing darts. (And just look at the broad range of people who show an interest—from a courtesan's apprentice to the captain of a ship with what seems to be a very good reputation!)

Either way, of course, I'll never be able to mention it to her, not unless she happens to mention it first, which seems to be about as likely as me ever beating all those women at darts with them sober. I certainly don't want to pressure her into anything she wouldn't like, but I also think it can't hurt to try flirting on for size and see if it's something she likes, and more than flirting if that seems to go well for her. She was sheltered for her whole young life, and while I think I'd like her mothers very much if I met them, I also think that she missed out on a lot and now has no idea how to jump in. Marsa, charming and smart and unlikely to pressure her, expect commitment, or get scared off, is as good an option as any for jumping in—if Maliah decides that way.

(No, I'm not going to start matchmaking. I learned my lesson with Mezeru. I can observe all I like, but I'm not going to try to influence things. Or at least that's my resolution tonight.)

There are more important things than romance afoot, though: dock wardens to speak to, and docks to try to subtly patrol (I can see you roll your eyes from all the way over here, yes, I know exactly how our subtle observations went with that damned warehouse in Mashoy), and anyone Marsa or Aladev or Elur sends our way to deal with. That will have to be very low on the list of things to think about!

I've promised some Lesser Restoration if the other two are very hungover in the morning, but let's hope that's not necessary.

I'll let you know how things go as we try to start putting a few pieces together. I'm not in a particular hurry with this job, since there's still no word on my star map or in reply to my postings about the Procyon and Thricusi's Horn. Maybe I should ask around among our crew contacts here, while we're on a station. Likely not going to be much useful information, but it's worth it as long as I don't get in the way of the investigation.

Love,

Elyn

[hudsonespie]

Abu Dhabi Ports Set to Build First Cruise Terminal in Jordan

Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports) has signed an agreement to build and run a new cruise terminal at the Port of Aqaba, Jordan. 

Aqaba, located at the head of the Red Sea gulf of the same name, is Jordan's sole seaport. The new AD Ports cruise terminal will be the first of its kind in the country. 

“The cruise terminal will serve as a gateway in the Port of Aqaba that will receive cruise ship passengers visiting the Red Sea, in addition to serving as a major attraction for the residents of Aqaba,” said AD Ports in a statement. 

The new terminal will be part of the long-running Marsa Zayed master-planned redevelopment project in Aqaba. The massive project relocated Aqaba's industrial port facilities to a new complex on the city's southern periphery in order to make room for an urban, multi-use waterfront development. 

Cruise ships have called at Aqaba's old Main Port cargo pier for some time, but the new terminal will provide better amenities for passengers. It will also be AD Ports Group's first cruise terminal built outside of the UAE. 

As part of the agreement, AD Ports will also be setting up a digital Ports Community System (PCS) to coordinate communication amongst all of Aqaba's port operators, along with government stakeholders like the Jordan Maritime Commission, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and the Aqaba Development Corporation. 

The corporation hopes that the new terminal will help attract cruise passengers from the Mediterranean basin and Europe, who typically visit the port in order to tour the country's Golden Triangle area. "Stretching from the desert landscape of Wadi Rum to the sandy beaches of Aqaba and the ancient city of Petra, the Golden Triangle is considered by many to be among the top tourism destinations within Jordan," said Hussein Alsafadi, the CEO of the Aqaba Development Corporation. 

Top image: Aqaba's waterfront (Are G Nilsen / CC BY SA 3.0)

  from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/abu-dhabi-ports-set-to-build-first-cruise-terminal-in-jordan via http://www.rssmix.com/

[alittlenomadchristina]

Sharm El Sheikh: Snorkeling Guide

If you want to experience the stunning underwater world of Sharm El Sheikh snorkeling, this guide is for you.

Not all of the beaches provide a great snorkeling experience, and some sites can only be reached by boat. 

I’m a German expat and scuba diver and I’ve been living in Sinai since 2016.

I’m sure I can provide you with some great tips and advice that will make your snorkeling holiday in Sharm El-Sheikh a fantastic one.

Besides listing all of the best Sharm El Sheikh snorkeling spots, I will also help you with some snorkeling equipment advice as well as some rules on how to act responsibly underwater and snorkel safely.

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Getting started: Bring the right snorkeling equipment

There is no need for you to actually go scuba diving to discover the beauty of the Red Sea. Grab a mask, snorkel, and fins and you’re good to go. 

I’d recommend bringing your own snorkeling equipment as it’s not only more hygienic, it will also save you money in the long run and make sure you won’t be struggling with foggy masks, slipping out of your fins etc. 

Having the right mask and fin size for your individual needs makes everything so much easier.

I’ve listed my favorite products down below if you don’t have your own snorkeling equipment yet and you’re not sure what to look for.

Except for the winter season (let’s say December to March), you don’t need a wetsuit as the water is warm enough in Sharm El-Sheikh. If you freeze easily, you might want to rent a wetsuit at a dive centre during winter.

You can check the air and water temperatures in my scuba diving guide to Sharm.

[mv_create key="5" type="list" title="Recommended products for the best snorkeling experience" thumbnail="https://alittlenomad.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/61FgME2BBpPL._SX679_.jpg" layout="circles"]

The correct behavior underwater

Many people who are new to the underwater world are not aware of the impact they have on marine life, so I’d like to take a minute to explain. 

There are a few things you should know about how to behave underwater in order not to harm the marine life and corals. 

I didn’t know most of this before I became a scuba diver and moved to Egypt.

There’s no shame in not knowing, but once you do know, please make sure you really follow this advice. 

We all want to enjoy the Red Sea underwater world as long as possible so we all need to contribute to its health.

Don’t walk on the reef table. The corals are alive and are harmed by walking on them. It may also be dangerous for you as you might step on sea urchins or similar dangerous things.

Don’t touch ANYTHING underwater. Whether it’s corals or fish or anything else. Watch, but don’t touch.

Only go in the water with reef-safe sunscreen. Regular sunscreen harms corals. You can see a recommended product in my equipment recommendations.  Yes, it is more expensive than regular sunscreen, but it’s not only better for your skin thanks to less (or no) chemicals, you also have a clear conscience and know that you’re not contributing to destroying the environment.

If you see bigger sea creatures like turtles or dolphins, which happens a lot around the waters of Sharm El Sheikh, don’t chase them. Admire them from a distance and be respectful, you’re a guest in their “house”, not the other way around.

Never ever feed the fish. Over time, they become dependent on humans and forget how to feed themselves which has detrimental effects on the biological balance of the system.

The Best Sharm El Sheikh Snorkeling Spots

Now that we’ve established some ground rules and know how to be respectful visitors of the underwater world, let’s get to the fun part. 

Where are the best snorkeling spots in and around Sharm El-Sheikh?

Snorkeling the Straits of Tiran

The straits of Tiran consist of 4 reefs and make for some of the most amazing snorkeling in the entire Red Sea.

They absolutely burst with life and have stunning coral gardens. You don’t even know where to look first.

Beware of the currents though, they can get quite strong. Always follow the instructions of your guides.

Gordon Reef: 

Gordon Reef is the most southerly of the 4 reefs.

From the surface, you can see it easily because this is where the wreck of Lovilla sunk and you see parts of the remains. 

Gordon Reef teems with hard and soft corals and rich fauna. Fire corals are common as well here though, so pay attention not to accidentally touch them.

Jackson Reef:

Similar to Gordon Reef, Jackson Reef is landmarked by a wreck - the cargo ship Lara which sunk here in 1985. 

Jackson is one of the best dive sites in the entire world, and you will notice this instantly even if you’re just snorkeling. 

It’s a fantastic site to spot pelagic predators (like white tip reef sharks and hammerheads) and majestic sea turtles. Like in all snorkeling sites of Tiran, be aware of strong currents and fire corals here as well.

Laguna Reef:

Laguna is the calmest and most sheltered place in the Straits of Tiran which is perfect if you’re a beginner snorkeler as the currents in the Red Sea can get quite rough sometimes. 

It’s a great place for your boat to stop for lunch and admire the azure waters. 

Expect to see colorful hard and soft corals as well as plenty of reef fish under the surface.

Sharm El-Sheikh: Snorkeling at Ras Nasrani

Unlike most other snorkeling spots, this site can be reached by land.

The long, beautiful beach about 10km north of Na’ama Bay is a perfect spot to spend the day and dip in the water every now and then. 

You will see colonies of massive pore coral heads and Tridacna shells cluster in huge numbers here.

With plenty of reef fish around, you might also get lucky and spot some larger predators. 

Take care of the currents which tend to flow in the direction of the headland where they often gather momentum.

Snorkeling at Far Garden

Located at the northernmost tip of a large bay where the Hyatt hotel is situated, this snorkeling spot is another great one to explore without having to go on an all-day boat trip.

Four large pinnacles just break the surface a few metres from the reef. The abundance of hard corals really earns this spot the name “garden”.

You will see no less than 30 species of hard and soft corals which attract huge schools of multicolored reef fish.

You might very well be completely surrounded by anthias, fusiliers, or sergeant majors at times.

Snorkeling at Near Garden

Between the Sofitel and the Hyatt hotel just north of Na’ama Bay lies Near Garden, one of the busiest sites for snorkelers.

There are often lots of glass-bottom boats which you should be careful to avoid.

Just a few minutes by boat and you arrive at this snorkeling spot which expects you with a myriad of hard and soft corals on the sandy bottom.

By the tip of the reef, you’ll find a series of 4 pinnacles running in a downwards sloping line that looks like an underwater ridge.

At Near Garden, you will encounter napoleonfish, trigger fish, butterfly fish and the occasional eagle ray. Look out for blue-spotted stingrays on the sandy plateu as well!

Snorkeling at Ras Umm Sid

Ras Umm Sid is the most famous local dive site in Sharm and a paradise for snorkelers like you as well. 

It’s renowned for the extraordinary fan coral forest which only starts at around 15 meters, unfortunately, so you will have to admire those from pictures.

Or maybe it’s time to finally do your scuba diving course? :)

Either way, Ras Umm Sid will be more than enjoyable with just a mask and fins as well. 

Expect to be blown away by the extremely vibrant reef. You’ll probably see big schools of butterfly fish close to the reef, and parrot fish, lionfish, moray eels, schools of anthias and some big Napoleon fish.

[mv_video key="to4oyr4h0drovptruivu" title="Giant Moray Eel - Red Sea Egypt" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/to4oyr4h0drovptruivu.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="undefined" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio=""]

Every once in a while you might even spot a shark. Most likely you get to see barracudas, snappers, and jacks, too.

Snorkeling at Ras Mohammed National Park

The national park of Ras Mohammed is extra-well taken care of environmentally and therefore offers some of the best Sharm El Sheikh snorkeling spots. 

There are 3 sites within this stunning area that are great for you to explore while snorkeling:

Marsa Ghozlani:

This one is definitely a favorite site of snorkelers as it’s easy to moor up and well protected from rough sea conditions.

It’s also accessible by land from within the national park, a glorious beach lets you enter the magnificent underwater world here.

Marsa Ghozlani features a reef brimming with hard corals. Surgeonfish roam around the reef plateau leading to a gentle slope which descends to around 4-5 metres.

Ras Ghozlani:

The dive and snorkeling site of Ras Ghozlani is a predominantly sandy area with stunning coral heads, stingrays, torpedo rays and butterflyfish.

It’s rather rarely visited and therefore particularly interesting for both the excellently preserved madrepores and the rich reef fauna. 

You may explore the external and internal sides of the cape. On the eastern side, you’ll see many large table corals and blue-spotted stingrays resting on the floor.

Jackfish Alley:

Jackfish Alley is famous for its underwater landscape brimming with life.

The name Jackfish Alley is owed to the sandy “road” at a depth of about 20 meters at the foot of the reef wall, where plenty of jackfish live. 

You can snorkel just a few meters from the reef and explore the vibrant underwater scenery that includes a beautiful coral garden as well as plenty of spy reef fish and lionfish living in caves that come out to hunt in the afternoon.

You’ll also most likely see blue-spotted stingrays and, if you’re lucky, the occasional manta ray.

I hope my Sharm El Sheikh snorkeling guide was helpful for you.

If you are thinking about doing your scuba diving certification, you should also check out my scuba diving guide to Sharm El-Sheikh to find out which are the best dive sites in the area, what’s the best time to go scuba diving, dive centre recommendations, etc.

You should also do a day-trip to Dahab, a small Bedouin village that isn't as touristy as Sharm. It has a very unique flair and you can easily go snorkeling from the shore there.

Dahab has some amazing dive and snorkel sites, including the famous Blue Hole.

Pin your Sharm El-Sheikh Snorkeling Guide for later:

See Full, Original Article Here: Sharm El Sheikh: Snorkeling Guide

[egyptianways]

Beach at Marsa Matrouh. The town started as a small fishing village in Ancient Egyptian times; during the reign of Alexander the Great, it was called Amunia. There are ruins of a temple of Ramesses II (1200 BC). It became known as Paraitonion in the Ptolemaic era. When the Romans came to Egypt, the town became an important harbor for trade and shipping goods and crops to Rome. It was named Paraetonium then. During World War 2, the British Army's Baggush Box was located to the east. Starting with the completion of an extension from the previous railhead at Fuka in 1936, Marsa Matrouh was the terminus for a single-track railway, which passed through El Alamein. Marsa Matrouh and Port Said have the coolest summer days of Egyptian cities; additionally Rafah, Alexandria, Abu Qir, Rosetta, Baltim, Kafr el-Dawwar and Marsa Matrouh are the wettest in Egypt.

[superfiction97]

Tagging Games

I was tagged by the amazing @thewintersdoll thank you love <3 sorry for the lateness

Rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag 20 blogs you would like to know better!

a - age: 19.

b - birthplace: Egypt

c - current time: 1:31 am

d - drink you last had: hot chocolate

e - easiest person to talk to: my sisters and my best friend (dooda)

f - favorite song: you can’t ask me that, i love lots of songs, but right now i am listening to poets of the fall. Great band ;).

g - grossest memory: changing my niece i guess, she was sick so

h - horror yes or horror no: horror NOOO , i hate horror, close to a phobia

i - in love? In real life no , fiction tony stark my smol bean

j - jealous of people? No , i am a firm believer that everyone has a special something that makes them unique, so no need to be jealous

k - killed someone? Nope

l - love at first sight or should I walk by again:-  no, i feel that love from first sight comes from looks only, and i know real love is that of the soul

m - middle name: don’t have it

n - number of siblings: 3 sisters

o - one wish: happiness and peace to everyone

p - person you called last: My best friend .

q - question you’re always asked: “How is college going?”

r - reason to smile: lots of things , my life , family , goals

s - song you sang last: love will come to you by poets of the fall

u - underwear color: Black.

v - vacation: marsa matruh. :D

x - x-rays: nope never had any

y - your favourite food: egyptian food , nothing like my mom's food

z- zodiac sign: .capricon

x

(Rules! - If you’re tagged answer these questions and tag as many other people as you like!)

Favorite Colour - black.

Lipstick or Chap-stick? .chap-stick

Last song I listened to -  love will come to you by poets of the fall

Last Movie? The descendants

Top 3 Fictional Characters -

1) Tony Stark

2) peggy carter

3) raven (teen titans)

Top 3 Ships -

1) tony/happiness (i just wants him to be happy)

2) raven/robin

3) sasusaku

@doodayoussef @superhusbands4ever @starkly-tony @not-close-to-straight

@sugardaddytonystark @tony-stark-deserves-better

[feywildatheart]

Dear Maliah,

A dragon is impressive and terrifying, but a balhannoth is just terrifying. Well, I’m not familiar with them, but you make them sound very awful.

I am very impressed and also very glad you survived! Traipsing into lairs seems like a dangerous occupation, however impressive the results. Though, I have been told that about captaining, so do not think I am passing judgment.

Really, that does sound very terrible and I am quite relieved that you made it out – all of you made it out – alive and as close to well as anyone can be, after such a thing. It sounds like you were clever and strong and smart enough to survive, at least, so I am glad of that. And lucky enough, and sometimes luck is the most important thing, when surprise and terror strike unexpectedly. So I am glad that your plenty of luck was with you this time.

And honestly, lovely one, we will have to have a much longer and convincing talk about how impressive you are. I know you are feeling rather unhappy about how this went (and perhaps a bit stung in the pride? I would be, but I am a proud woman and cannot deny that!), but really, that is quite a lot of very stunning surviving and victory. I have not even heard of a balhannoth, and I cannot imagine the number of people who have defeated it in ambush is very high, if what you say is so.

A good investment in your career is a very wise move indeed. Especially with those sorts of resources at your disposal, yes?

Pack and Tack is fine, though, as you say, rather limited in what they offer. You are right to be looking into more specialized shops. Without knowing where you are planning to go, I am limited in my recommendations, but will do my best. The bigger stations (Sumula, Kracti IV, even Bay or Z’Triga) would be good places to look for such a supplier, and likewise the bigger port cities on planets. I recall your Elyn worked on ships? She will know the types of places that see trade and travel.

Ask about for shops and enchanters (or more specialized traders) that deal with adventurers or ships or expeditions. Do try to get two or three recommendations to the same place, if you can, just to verify they’ve good names. And don’t underestimate the importance of good, more mundane equipment. You seem to have little problem befriending crews and captains, and any worth their weight will have a good sense of decent suppliers in their usual route. Your guild may also have suggestions, if you speak to them?

Anyhow, yes, my job is going quite well so far. We are not quite done yet, but have made it most of the way and are looking to be done soon. Hopefully your next job will be quieter, eh? And if not, at least it will hopefully be a good story.

Swearing, honestly, as though I am bothered. I have certainly sworn enough in my time, and Shadowfell aberrations deserve it.

I hope you have made it all out well and safely, and are enjoying some well deserved rest. Do take care, and try to meet less exciting things (you certainly have already impressed me, after all!)

All my best,

Marsa

[letterstosestrilles]

Dear Tyko,

It's been quiet. Miraculous, right? I've been doing a lot of thinking, in between firmly telling myself that I need a break from the harder kinds of thinking, at least outside of therapy. I've got the incense I need to cast Speak With Spirits, and I'm sure I know it now, but I haven't had the courage to cast it yet. I have so many questions, but I need to be smart, and I need to ask ones they can answer. It's an interrogation, not a conversation, and I don't know if they'll know me. It will be harder, in some ways, if they do. You know that I want to ask them each about resurrection, but there are other answers I owe myself that I'll trust more, most of them about the fate of the Procyon.

I talked to the gnomish reporter from the party the other night too. We sat down for an interview, and I got what I could manage about my story out, and it seems like she wrote a fairly flattering article. Of course, as a result of all this press I've been recognized a few times, which is probably going to be weird forever.

Even on Veled Kerverion! We were there for a few days. We left earlier than we needed to to meet Marsa (who kindly rerouted her ship at Maliah's request to get us to Kaliz Beta), since I hadn't actually cast Teleport before and it went … poorly. I Teleported us right into a wall, and we were all hurting very badly when it spat us back out. I healed us right away, but I was still embarrassed and in pain and I am going to be a lot more careful from now on. This time, for instance, I could have remembered that Maliah still has maps of the damn station and studied them beforehand, that might have helped.

Anyway, after that humiliating reintroduction to the station, we had a quiet few days. Maliah went to see that wizard she and Pika met our first time here, the one with small people living in his walls? I still don't know much about that adventure. Cloudleaper shut herself away for a while, more on that in a moment. I went to the same bar I did last time, and tragically there wasn't an entertainment ship in port this time, but there were still a few musicians around, and they'd heard of me, which was really disconcerting, but they got over that fast enough when I showed off the gloves, and introduced me to some other musicians, and there was a great jam and enough drinking and flirting to give me a wonderful evening even if I did end up coming back to the inn alone.

When I mentioned our fame to Maliah and Cloudleaper, Maliah seemed to take it the most in stride, which makes sense but still feels strange to say. Cloudleaper seems more concerned, of course, with her family history, and mentioned alternate identities. I said we could talk to Tace in Yamin on Rugira Prime to see about some papers, but also that if she's recognized, the best place for her to be is in the public eye, and that her family couldn't very well kidnap her if we raise a fuss about it. And that we don't intend to let anyone take her and if anyone tries to attack us, they're welcome to try.

We took on a roc. I don't know a lot of assassins who could stand up to that level of terror.

She's also been looking for Shaan, her brother, and what she's found is mostly that he's not anywhere she would have expected him to be hiding out, which could mean a few things. Cloudleaper, always one to catastrophize, worries that he's dead, or kidnapped. I still think that he's smart. Smart enough to know that he went too far, with what he was doing that led Cloudleaper to “die.” And smart enough to leave behind their family as thoroughly as possible. I'm guessing he's in disguise, or deep in hiding, and I think if he is, we'll find out sooner rather than later. We're in the news now, after all. If he keeps up with it, as he should if he's on the run, he'll see Cloudleaper. And I can't imagine it's going to be long before someone notes the resemblance, careful as she is with makeup and sunglasses. Any alerts he has on her name, or their family name, might start going off soon.

If he hasn't found us in six months, then I'll start believing Cloudleaper is right to worry that he's dead. And if he does show up, I get to start deciding how to dissuade Cloudleaper from dragging him back to a family that at best seems immoral and uncaring.

That's the most difficult of what's been going on, though. Mostly, Cloudleaper and I have been enjoying Maliah's blushes over Captain Lerwun. Cloudleaper pushes the teasing a little too far for Maliah, but Maliah's getting better at telling her so, and I'm getting better at intervening, because they're both still too tender for much of that after Kirim. I'm mostly trying to convince Maliah to ask Marsa if she'd like to officially be in a relationship, since Maliah clearly wants to (and if Marsa is willing to reroute a whole spaceship on a trade route with deadlines to meet for her, Marsa clearly feels the same) and would be broken-hearted if it turned out that fidelity wasn't something Marsa wanted. Maliah is horrified at the thought of asking for commitment so soon, and I'm of course not going to force her into anything she doesn't want, so that conversation ended at a stalemate.

Their reunion was sweet as anything (and I know, I know, I'm being nosy, but you aren't letting me live vicariously through your relationship with Lindanas and I'm too exhausted from all my answers to pursue anything right now, so what am I supposed to do?), even if Cloudleaper was a little too obviously overinvested. Marsa showed us onto Virforth's Tempest and to some guest quarters (Maliah was quietly mortified at the thought of spending nights with her, though hopefully it will happen anyway), went off to take care of the ship, and then met up with us for breakfast and coffee.

Cloudleaper didn't last long without having to flee to avoid embarrassing Maliah, and when she returned, she went through a stunning amount of toast keeping her mouth full. I did my valiant best to talk about the good things about our recent journeys—the Commemoration of Grace, mostly. I should have talked about Maliah's new facility with locks, probably, but Marsa was clearly interested in Maliah's (and all of our) doings and willing to put up with our embarrassing amounts of encouragement of the relationship.

I excused myself after not too long and Cloudleaper left with me, and I mostly spent time with PA fussing over how to get it around the ship in low gravity (we're trying a sling. Maliah mentioned magnets inside the car, but I don't know how that will work with the metal in it and in the car mechanisms. We'll see what solutions I can find). Eventually, when I figured Marsa was probably doing her job, I tried Maliah down in the viewing room, where she was playing with Squirt, and we've been having a nice conversation for a while, with nothing to press on us.

We've got a week or this journey ahead—ship entertainments, and Maliah hopefully doing a little bit of resting and healing after how awful things have been for her recently, and Kaliz Beta at the end of it. Not sure what I'll get up to besides sitting on the beach and reading romance novels, but I'll figure something out. I'm not going to interrupt Maliah's vacation with Speak With Spirits, so we'll see what else there is to do. Hopefully I can keep Cloudleaper mostly with me, since I think Maliah's mothers might need a little preparation before they're going to be happy to meet her.

I sincerely hope that my next letter is more of the same. Though I also hope that Maliah will have plucked up her courage to ask Marsa about whether they're properly dating or not by then. That's something I don't mind updating you on, though.

Love,

Elyn

[alittlenomadchristina]

El Gouna Diving – Guide for Scuba Fans

The resort town of El Gouna, 20 kilometers north of Hurghada, was only opened in 1989 (my birth year!), but has managed to become one of the most fascinating places in Egypt - and the scuba diving around El Gouna is breathtaking. 

It’s kind of like a mix between Venice and St. Tropez, there are more yachts than cars here and more water canals than streets.

If you’ve been nervous about coming to Egypt, El Gouna is a great start. It’s meticulously clean, quiet and hassle-free.

Besides 3 marinas, plenty of hotels, golf courses, boutiques, and delicious international cuisine, you can also enjoy an amazing time underwater. 

Since El Gouna is purpose-built and consists of several artificial lagoons, there is no reef along the beaches of the town itself. By boat, you can reach some fantastic dive sites in the Northern Red Sea though.

El Gouna shares many sites to the south with its neighbor Hurghada including the beautiful horseshoe-shaped reef of Sha’ab El Erg with its spectacular coral gardens and Careless Reef.

From banks to first-class medical facilities, night clubs and restaurants to countless fun activities on land - everyone will find everything they need for a great vacation, whether you’re a diver or not. 

That makes it especially easy when you as a diver go on vacation with non-divers, unlike in some other parts of the world. There’s plenty of stunning nature and diverse activities for everyone.

All the dive sites in El Gouna are only accessible by boat, as opposed to Dahab e.g., where you’ll go mostly on shore dives. You can find my scuba diving guides to Sharm El-Sheikh and Dahab here.  

The good thing about diving in El Gouna is that no matter how much experience you have, there is a variety of dive sites suitable for all levels, from beginners to expert divers.

Note, however, that all sites are weather dependent, especially Abu Nuhas. 

Ideally, you have a few days time to make sure you’re able to dive all the best dive sites here even when the weather conditions change some plans.

The dive centers usually pick you up from your hotel around 8 am, depending on how close the dive sites you’re going to explore are to the shore.

The boat trip generally includes lunch after the second dive, and some operators offer snacks like fruit or cake in between dives.

If there are non-divers with you, they can join and just snorkel (at least on most trips, please ask before) and enjoy their time on the sea.

Did you know that so far, more than 400 species of coral have been recorded? And that 20% of the fish population in the Red Sea can not be found anywhere else in the world?

In this guide, I will first give you an overview of the best dive sites in El Gouna. After, you’ll get some more helpful tips regarding the best time to go diving in El Gouna and my recommendation for a safe dive centre.

I have to say, I was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the diving here. I’d just come back from many days of diving in Sharm El-Sheikh as well as a one-week liveaboard from Hurghada to Marsa Alam, covering all the best dive sites of the Red Sea. 

Therefore, I wasn’t expecting too much, but I’m so happy I went and got to see dolphins and had lots of other stunning underwater encounters. El Gouna is a great place to go scuba diving!

Below, I’ve listed the 5 best dive sites around El Gouna, in no particular order. It always depends on what type of diving you prefer.

I’ve asked plenty of experienced and local divers and these names are the ones that always pop up. 

The 5 Best Dive Sites in El Gouna

Abu Nuhas

About 2 hours cruising time from El Gouna lies the reef of Abu Nuhas. The Arabic name means "the father of bad luck", and stems from the no less than 7 ships that have hit this reef over the years.

It’s located to the north of Shaidwan Island, close to the Suez canal and usually partially submerged which makes it dangerous for shipping.

The two wrecks Carnatic and Ghiannis D. are the most interesting ones for divers:

The Carnatic is a 90-meter (295 foot) steamer that sunk in 1869. It’s known as the "wine ship" because it carried port wine that you can still see today, sealed with corks. The wreck is broken in two pieces and lies between 16 and 24 meters (50 and 80 feet). Since currents can be strong and stirring up the sand causing low visibility, it’s best to dive the Carnatic in the morning.

The Ghiannis D. is a large, modern freighter with its deepest point at 28 meters (90 feet). It’s very interesting to explore the inside of the stern with its command bridge, residential quarters and engine room. Groupers made the central part of this wreck their home and others, like eagle rays, snappers and sharks frequently pass by.

Siyul Kebira Island (Big Siyul)

Marked by a solar-powered lighthouse, this island can be reached from El Gouna in 1.5 hours and from Hurghada in 2 hours.

It’s one of the most beautiful and least crowded dives in this area and especially suitable for beginners.

You’ll find a lagoon off the southern side that is no deeper than 25 meters (80 feet) and has a reflective coral floor.

Thanks to a lot of light, the corals are very healthy and attract a huge variety of fish: angelfish, red anthias, butterflyfish and lots of others find shelter under the magnificent acropora formations.

Turtles, giant pufferfish, lionfish, giant morays and huge schools of glass fish can often be seen here. Frequently, you’ll also spot sharks dwelling on the bottom.

Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House)

The more than 5 kilometer long reef of Shaab El Erg is horseshoe shaped and lies directly east of El Gouna.

It’s become famous because large numbers of bottlenose dolphins use this location as a shelter and most of the time you will meet them. 

Besides Marsa Alam, here is actually your best chance in the Red Sea to see them in the wild. I did see them the day I went, it was amazing!

At Shaab El Erg you can also often spot turtles, crocodile fish, rays, scorpion fish, napoleons and large schools of goat fish. The corals are very colorful, too.

I was pleasantly surprised to find not only dolphins, but also so many cute tiny sea creatures like nudibranchs, and, my new favorites: christmas trees. Those are worms that come in lots of different colors and just look incredibly beautiful.

Dolphin House is just one of about 7 common dives here, but understandably the most popular one. Poseidon Garden is another option, here you’ll find lots of clams of all sorts in the huge table and brain corals.

A big number of pufferfish likes it here, too, as well as schools of butterfly fish and bannerfish.

When it’s manta season, your best chance to see them is at Manta Point. You may also get lucky and spot a reef shark. Moray Eels and turtles are common inhabitants here.

Umm Gamar Island

Umm Gamar is one of the most popular dive sites in the Hurghada archipelago. It translates to “The Mother of the Moon” because this small island is crescent-shaped when you view it from above. 

The sea bed can be up to 100 meters down. Dives are made on a slope that gently drops from 15 meters (50 feet) to 75 meters (250 feet). 

At this dive site you have a good chance to spot free-swimming moray eels during daytime. You may also encounter large tunas, great barracudas and sometimes an eagle ray. 

Umm Gamar is also the kingdom of poisonous fish like scorpionfish, lionfish, turkeyfish and stonefish. 

Always pay attention to your surroundings, try not to brush up against anything and maybe even wear gloves.

Just 5 minutes from here lies Shabrur Umm Gamar which is a great dive site for beginners.

Careless Reef

Careless Reef is the most famous coral reef in the area and the furthest dive site south of El Gouna.

It lies unprotected in the open sea which means that, especially during bad weather conditions, it can be a challenging dive and not necessarily suitable for beginners.

Careless Reef is made up of 2 large pinnacles standing on a plateau that drops off on all sides. While the seabed is no deeper than 15 - 16 meters (50 - 55 feet) between the two coral towers where your boat moors, it suddenly drops 60 meters (230 feet) to the east.

This wall is full of caverns which are the home of lionfish and glassfish. You will see all sorts of marine life at Careless Reef.

Plenty of small coral fish like angelfish and grunts swim between multicolored soft corals, red fire corals, and umbrella acropora.

If you’re lucky, you may even spot a gray shark or whitetip reef shark close to the deep cliff.

What you will definitely see are moray eels swimming fully extended around the reef, the huge creatures are one of the main attractions of the Careless Reef dive site.

Best Season For Diving in El Gouna 

The climate in El Gouna is cool in winter (20°C / 68°F) and hot in summer (40°C / 104°F). Water temperatures reach up to 30°C in summer and go down to 20°C in winter.

Below you’ll find a table with air and water temperatures for every month:

WATER AND AIR TEMPERATURES

MONTH AIR TEMPERATURE IN °C SEA TEMPERATURE IN °C January 21-22 20-22 February 21-22 20-22 March 21-24 21-23 April 25-27 23-24 May 27-31 25 June 32-36 25 July 36-38 25-27 August 38-40 26-27 September 29-33 27 October 29-30 24-26 November 25 23-25 December 22 21-23

Generally, I’d say that May to October is the best time to go diving in El Gouna. There’s usually more marine life in summer, including big animals. 

A 5mm wetsuit with a hood is best from the middle of November to the end of March. For the rest of the year, a 3mm wetsuit is sufficient.

Recommendations for Dive Centres

I usually travel solo and I’ve made a few bad experiences, so I know how important it is to find a trustworthy dive center where you do not have to deal with security concerns and, as a woman, harassment. 

Unfortunately, though it’s not dangerous, sexual harassment is quite common in Egypt and can be really frustrating.

El Gouna is probably the place in Egypt where harassment occurs the least, it’s a bit like a European town and very relaxed.

Nevertheless, finding a good dive center isn’t always easy.

To do my research for this Diving Guide to El Gouna, the team of Emperor Divers sponsored my dives for this trip.

I've heard good things about Emperor Divers before and now that I've been diving with them myself, I can honestly confirm that everything is super organized, professional and safe. 

If you're coming to El Gouna and want to explore the underwater world, you'll be in good hands with them!⠀

[mv_create key="3" type="list" title="Recommended Products for Scuba Diving in the Red Sea" thumbnail="https://alittlenomad.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1564663220689-1412546143.jpg" layout="circles"]

El Gouna Scuba Diving Guide - Pin for later:

Originally Published Here: El Gouna Diving – Guide for Scuba Fans

[feywildatheart]

Nenîth,

I'm going to start by saying that I'm fine, and not even the sort of fine where what I really mean is that I'm alive but only just. I'm actually fine, completely and entirely, and I haven't gotten into any fights with anything or anyone except the occasional friendly bout to help me practice my hand-to-hand fighting.

And I'm saying that because what I want to say is that I have no idea how to tell you about the next part, but I know how that would worry you. I wouldn't even say anything, and maybe I shouldn't, except that I did just reaffirm my promise to tell you both everything, and maybe you'd be upset if you found out I hadn't. I might die of embarrassment though, so... If I do, it's on your heads.

The point is... I went on a date? I went on several of them, actually, and apparently could've gone on more if I were even a little bit less clueless. But there's this captain we spoke to during our investigation into the smuggling ring, her name is Marsa and we played darts with some friends of hers, and we've been playing darts in the evening for the last few weeks until she bought me a drink and said she was leaving for a new job in a few days and that she hoped she'd see me again before then and... Look. I am clueless, obviously, but I'm not that clueless, I figured out what she meant. A long time after Elyn did, apparently, but never mind that.

So we played more darts, but this time called it a date, and we talked, and she's very nice and very flattering, and we spent an evening up at the station's viewport, and-- Well, Elyn watched Squirt for me last night, and if you want to know anything more than that you're going to have to get me drunk, or get Elyn to get me drunk, because I already kind of want to die just writing this much to you.

Anyway, she's gone now and I am going to try very hard to pretend that I didn't write any of that at all.

It's been very quiet around here, otherwise. I've been trying to continue practicing what Tace taught me, and I've been working on getting better at shooting small targets, too, while Elyn has been very distracted working on PA and on her gloves, which she's nearly done with. I did make an offering to Cernunnos, though it was a little tricky finding things to make a proper offering to him here in the middle of a space station. But I found a plant that's pretty, and whose flowers remind me of the Feywild, and I paid the keepers of the temple to see that it gets shipped to one of his own temples, and I bought a second for myself and a little incense burner, both to keep in my rooms, wherever I happen to be staying, so I can try to be better about praying to him more often. You know I've never been the most devout, but... If it keeps you both safe, I will be.

Elyn's still got a little work left to do to finish her gloves, I think, so we'll be here for a few days more at least. I'm not sure where we'll end up after that. I don't think she or Cloudleaper know, either, but once we figure out a destination, I'll be sure to tell you right away.

I love you both. Sorry to write you such an alarming letter. It was alarming to live through, too, trust me. But at least it didn't involve anyone trying to kill us?

Be safe.

Love,

Maliah