The reefs of deep North: Abu Bish Bish

Other than Shamabaia and Abington, for those who had already been in Sudan and want to come back, really keen on seeing something new, it’s particularly interesting to spot sharks and unspoiled and untouched barriers.

  

  

 The one week cruise on the itinerary “deep North” departs from Mohamed Qol. 

We go diving at Angarosh and Abington during the outward voyage or coming back cruising, depending on weather.

There followed diving at the shallows of Shagara, at Sha’ab Qumeira, Gota Shin’ab, up to the extreme North of the itinerary, at Pfeiffel.

These diving sites are quite far from the traditional itineraries and because of that very sparsely attended, only by boats going South or sailing towards Egypt. That’s why among the qualities of the itinerary there is the exclusivity, the fact to be alone sailing and diving.The cruise is about 140 miles overall, boarding and disembarkation at Mohamed Qol. This is the only way to reach the Northern barriers as, leaving from P.Sudan, it would take at least 2 weeks to get there.

Well-recommended months for this itinerary are March, April and May: most of the reefs nearly reach the surface (“Gotha”) or just a few meters below sea level (“Habili”), without guaranteeing protection to the boat or the dingy which is giving assistance to the divers and not allowing dives with fresh wind and rough sea.

In Springtime, instead, the weather is more stable and in general less windy.

On its calendar, Sherazade proposes this cruise on the 18th of March 2013 and the 20th of May 2013,  dates susceptible to changes in case of a specific request or interest, but still during this season.

Among the most fascinating barriers of this cruise, there is Abu Bish Bish, a reef that’s always been a great satisfaction for us.

Abu Bish Bish consists in 3 oval-shaped “Habili” separated by sandy stars on the sea bed at 10-8 meters. the biggest one up North and two smaller ones.

Sides are almost vertical and degrading quite quickly and steeply. If the sea is not breaking too much, with a North wind, you start diving from the extreme North, on the first “Habili”, following the east side going with the tide.

At the beginning of the diving, the North edge is extremely interesting: rocks are shaping a sort of terraces with not very deep caves. You can meet pelagic fish even quite big, especially tuna, white-tip sharks and schools of hammerheads that, depending on the current, are or up North or in the far side of the third gota down South East.

The latter has a big anemones city.

Along all the faces, you can admire wonderful gorgonie and soft corals. 



Quite interesting the second sandy cradle full of sea fans as well.