Cruising North with Sherazade, new itinerary and "discovering"

March, April, May 2013

 new Itinerary to North Sudan

“ The Sea Between..” and Kor Shin'ab

Our guests often regret not being able to see anything else but the sea in Sudan. During the traditional cruises, the most interesting diving spots are too far from the lagoons and islands, therefore a deviation would mean to lose one or more dives. On the other hand, it’s possible to satisfy this desire during a one week return cruise departing from Mohamed Qol: Sherazade managed to find the way to improve the itineraries by finding new solutions.

The beautiful and safe asphalt road connecting P.Sudan to Mohamed Qol makes it possible.

the road P.Sudan- Mohammed Qol

Embarking in Mohamed Qol, on the itinerary “deep North”, after diving in the reefs of Abu Shagara and Qumeira, it’s possible to reach land by enriching the cruise of a new experience. The great bay of Kor Shin’ab then becomes logistically interesting as it can be used as a base or can turn into a charming distraction, among the dives in Abu Bish Bish, Pfhaiffer, Gota Lali and Gota Ilaria… and anything else you would like to explore during a cruise devoted to “discovering” as well.

We find Marsa “Khar o Kor Shinab” nine miles North of  Sha’ab Qumeira, 39 miles from Elba reef and on the borderline with Egypt by sea, 40 Km North of Dungonab by off-road vehicles.

By boat you reach the access to the Marsa and then sail into it by using dead reckoning, 21° 21’ North, 37° 04’ West, obviously in a favourable light. If it’s nearly sunset time, it’s better to bring the boat in sailing from North to South.

It’s a very charming place, whether you get there by sea or land, driving an off-road vehicle. A canal, an intense dark and light blue ribbon creeps into over 2 miles on the desert, harsh, golden and sunny land westbound. 

On Sherazade, you have the feeling to be sailing on the desert. Being on land it’s a different enchantment: it seems as if the desert is embracing the sea and the sea is doing the same, while the drawings of the shallow waters are playing light and turquoise silhouettes.

What’s astonishing, is that the horizons are boundless, on one side and on the other side: spaces, silences, loneliness and the play of light during the times of the day cuts out all the shades of gold and red colours. The intense blue of the horizon easterly talks about more loneliness and attracts as a magnet, by catching the eye: over there, outside, in blue water, the unknown overdraws…  and invites you to discover some isolated barriers, unspoiled and untouched.

At Abington, the top North destination of traditional cruises departing from P.Sudan, up to the border of Egypt, where hundreds of boats sail to the Egyptian deep South: St. John and Abu Fendera, there is this “Sea Between..”. About seventy miles where almost no one gets to, where you can dive and explore. Along the coast, you can find small and big Marsa one after the other: they’re not all accessible, but extremely fascinating, in the sea there are a lot of reefs, mostly unknown on the itineraries. The ideal season for these cruises is Spring time, until the end of May, as even here there are shallows and pinnacles reaching the surface, therefore the dives are possible with good sea conditions, not too rough. 

At Khor Shin’ab you could spend a few hours from late afternoon, you can swim along the barrier at the entrance of the Marsa, full of fish and colour, you can take a walk on the hills in order to enjoy the spectacular sunset, collect the clams for a spaghetti meal on the sandy inlets along the North side of the canal, explore the shallow water trying to discover something new. It’s happened to spot, along the foreshore, some fiddlers (the rhinibatidae), well known as fish preferring the lagoons. A beautiful evening and a wonderful starry night will end your day with great satisfaction, enchanting your expectations about the next day on the sea. What’s attracting, makes you dream, and leaves space to imagination by making you to hope that you can still find something to discover, and just this is Sudan and its “African Sea”….