Sudan

Divers prepared to put creature comforts to one side and head for Sudan can find some of the best diving in the Red Sea

So, what’s new?
More divers than ever before are travelling to Egypt to enjoy the nearest coral-reef diving to Europe. Yet Sudanese waters to the south are seldom visited, despite tales of pristine wrecks, reefs and an abundance of sharks. A combination of political instability, fanatical bureaucracy and soaring costs is sufficient to keep the crowds away. But where there are deterrents that keep most divers away, you will always find a dedicated few who are prepared to pass through the purgatory of travel in Sudan to get to the paradise of its Red Sea reefs.

And how’s the diving?
World-class. Most of the great dive sites are to the north of Port Sudan. Among them is Shab Rumi, where Cousteau’s famous Conshelf II expedition took place in 1963. The remains of the dome garage for the deep-water research submarine make for a compelling dive into history. As does diving in the same place where the documentary Le Monde Sans Soleil was filmed all those years ago. However, the main reason for diving Sudanese waters is the sheer amount of pelagic life. On the southeast points of Shab Rumi and further north on the healthy reefs of Mello, Angarosh and Abington, a strong current (between one and three knots) always runs. Here in 25–40m grey reef, silvertip, hammerhead and whitetip reef sharks are nearly always guaranteed, with the occasional oceanic whitetip and manta ray a possibility. We also regularly encountered barracuda, tuna, big-eye trevally, halfbeak and numerous species of jack. The reefs are in good condition, with great swathes of healthy hard coral and multicoloured soft corals. There are two famous wrecks here: the cargo ship Blue Belt at Shab Suadi and the military ship, Umbria, which lies just outside Port Sudan.

Visibility is between 15 and 45m and the water temperature ranges from 24ºC in the winter to a very warm 30ºC in June at the end of the season.
Due to its remoteness, and lack of facilities, diving is limited to just two hours a day. The nearest chamber is at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, several hundred miles away.

Any logistical hassles?
Quite a few. According to the Foreign Office, there is still a civil war in Sudan. This is mainly confined to the Nuba Mountains in the south, although factional fighting in Western Upper Nile also continues. Banditry and tribal clashes are a daily occurrence in Darfur. It is also advisable to take extreme caution when visiting the capital, Khartoum. We chose a safe route of travel via Cairo, then flying directly into Port Sudan. It is essential to purchase an entry visa from the Sudanese embassy in London before you travel: it costs about £60. Getting out costs a whopping US $200 (cash) payable within 24 hours of arrival. As you pass through Egypt twice there is also the cost of two Egyptian visas, at $15 each.

What was the liveaboard like?
DIVE travelled on the Ishtar, a gaff-rigged motor sailing schooner. It offered comfortable accommodation for ten divers and an excellent all-round dive platform.
The cabins were clean and spacious with en-suite facilities, but the water supply was not reliable. DIVE’s reporter managed just three showers in 12 days, thanks to a faulty desalination unit. The boat charged $2 for bottled water, $3 for soft drinks and $3.50 for beer, all of which were out of date according to their labels, and the choice of food was limited. Worryingly, the dive guide doubled up as the skipper, and there wasn’t a first mate! DIVE’s reporter on the trip had recently completed his RYA coastal skipper’s course and kept a wary eye on the charts.

If you want to see sharks and other pelagic species in large numbers, the diving is fantastic. The reason that sharks are so abundant is because people are not. Good shark encounters are pretty much guaranteed here but be prepared for all the expense and tribulations listed above. Take Imodium, high-factor sunscreen and a few favourite snacks to keep you sane. Yes, it is worth it, but you do need to be extremely patient.

The season runs from September to June and trips with Diving World cost around £1,800 per person for two weeks. Add to this a further £250 (approximately) for visas, £100 for onboard drinks and about £50 for various camera taxes.