Plan your dive, Dive your plan (Elphinstone)

I must admit to liking spontaneity, the ability just to get up and go. Having the ability to be spontaneous is a value that I cherish and at certain times I am glad of it because it is coupled with excitement and surprise. At other times we all need certainty, we rely upon it for the our sense of well being. In many ways diving is just like that and in fact it is often a compromise between the two.


A good dive is always well planned but what you end up seeing is that much more exciting when it is unexpected. If every dive was the same and you could rely on that being the case you would rapidly bore and probably stop diving altogether. Thank goodness that every dive is different even when it is at the same place.

One of my favorite reef dives is Elphinstone which was very convenient as the recent trip to Marsa Shagra meant this reef was a short speedboat trip offshore. I personally think that I could happily dive this reef every day for years and not get bored. It is not just a nice reef, it is dramatic, deep, shallow, furious, alive, serene and it offers up something different every time.

Three dives on Elphinstone in the course of a week was not enough by any stroke though just those dives alone threw out some lessons. Every diver knows that the rules are plan your dive then dive your plan. To dive well on Elphinstone you must plan well and execute the descent well to get the best out of the place.


On the first dive we were reminded this dive was only for Advanced Open Water divers who had logged at least 50 dives so not suitable for the novice. The truth is the beauty is amazing so you need to be comfortable to really enjoy the splendour.

The brief itself was simple; expect current, do a negative entry, get to 7 metres check and then get down beside the plateau and out of the current. Hope for Pelagics, indicate when air is at 120 bar then work along the reef to finish the dive. That's the plan then.......Agh but as any military trained individual will tell you no plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.


On our first dive if you had never been in a strong current this was a damn fine opener. The boat dropped us such that with a negative entry and a fast descent you can make the reef and seek quick protection. As we rolled in and a couple of people didn't manage to do a rapid descent the challenge arose straight away. Getting to the plateau at 40 metres in strong current is no fun. Breathing like a train from the effort of swimming or tugging yourself along to find shelter uses up air very very quickly.

Despite there being a couple of sharks on this first dive we had to rise from the depths pretty early and I had to settle for a stunning drift along most of the length of the reef. With 70 minutes on the computer wouldn't you know it, another shark appeared from the blue. Tiger, Tiger, Tiger...but all to brief an encounter with this amazing apex predator who remained outside of decent photo range.

Following the experience of the first dive I found myself the only member of our group that wanted to get back for more and whilst I missed a buddy doing this dive everyday is such a seriously attractive proposition whether alone or with a trusted mate.

Both the next dives were perfectly executed to the plan. Negative entry, rapid descent to the lee of the plateau then hanging off the ledge watching for the big boys. On the second dive the effort was rewarded with a very large Hammerhead. I just love these sharks as they look so incredibly graceful yet packed with immense power.

Then as if to challenge we saw two grey reef sharks, two white tips and a silver tip. Just as the deco time started to get close to the limit a Tiger appeared to join the party. There is no doubt about an awesome dive in shark soup. Worth every minute of deco time spent gently drifting on the top of the reef watching all the smaller animals doing their thing.


Now I must confess to loving wreck diving but when you get dives like this it just tops the lot. The dive guide who took us on the boat does this everyday just about and still has the enthusiasm of a first timer. Muhammad looks like he has it made but then on one morning during our stay he had to take a group to Nemo City and the disappointment in his voice was quite resignation only because he knew Elphinstone will beckon again. I know it will for me too.

ABOUT ELPHINSTONE
Elphinstone is a long, finger-like reef which runs from north to south in the open Red Sea. Steep walls drop to the depths on the reef’s east and west sides, reaching 70m (230ft) or more, while the north and south ends of the reef are marked by submerged plateau. The northern plateau is very shallow, offering snorkeling possibilities. The southern plateau is much deeper, with a drop-off at 30m leading down to the depths. A large underwater arch can be found here, between 50 and 70m. This lies beyond the range of most sports divers, but has a fascinating story attached to it. Legend has it that the sarcophagus of an unknown pharaoh lies beneath the arch, and you can, in fact, see the outlines of a suspiciously rectangular, coral encrusted mass in the depths at around 60m.
Coral coverage is dense and magnificent, with a full range of hard and soft corals on all sides. The east side in particular has some beautiful soft coral growth.
A massive number of reef species lends still more color to the already dazzling walls, with a ready supply of big solitary and schooling pelagics to observe. One great hammerhead seems to be a permanent resident.
The reef is around 6 nautical miles from Marsa Shagra.