How to keep your head above water in the Red Sea

Every scuba diver and snorkeller knows that Egypt’s spectacular coral reefs are one of the underwater wonders of the world, but the waters of the Red Sea have more to offer for those wanting to keep their heads above water. Although fishing is not widely promoted in Egypt, anglers have long considered it to be one of the best spots for deep sea fishing in the world.

Every year Hurghada plays host to an International Fishing Competition where anglers from around the world gather in this Red Sea resort to see who can hook the most fish. Eleven teams competed in this year's Big Game Trolling Championship (13 to 17 Feb 07) from Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East, with Switzerland taking the top honours.

Trolling is probably the most rewarding method of fishing in the Red Sea. It involves trailing lines behind a boat which steers at the speed of choice and is the best way to reel in most of the game fish and many of the groupers. Game fish include the sailfish (farasa in Arabic) that are rare to find and when hooked are extremely hard to catch, the dolphin fish, or dorado (hossan), one of the fastest and most beautiful game fish in the sea, the kingfish or tanguigue (dorak), noted for freight train strikes and sizzling runs; tuna, a valiant fighter that likes to go deep; the barracuda, a fish with a set of razor-sharp teeth which fights savagely at first but then gives up; and the jack crevalle (kerm bayyad).

Groupers include the nagil, a red fish with blue spots and fierce teeth; fanous, a brown grouper which tends to run in schools; shaoor, a flat, less colourful fish and taweena, an almost legendary grouper that can grow to huge sizes. Angling fans are allowed to fish in any site as long as it lies within Egyptian territorial waters and outside Egyptian natural protectorates. However, before you start fishing you have to get permission from the Coast Guard Authorities.

According to professional fishermen, the islands of the Red Sea near the Gulf of Suez provide one of the richest fishing fields in the world. They extend in a great triangle from the mouth of the Gulf of Suez at Hurghada, on the eastern Egyptian shore, to Ras Mohamed on the tip of Sinai, and then back again to the Egyptian shore north of Gimsha.

Whereas fishermen in most parts of the world have to consider air temperature, water temperature, wind strength, and how clear the sea is, fishermen in the Red Sea have few, if any, of these problems. Even an almost constant wind does little to discourage the enthusiast. The best times for fishing in the Red Sea are between April/May and September/October.

If you’re not hooked on fishing, there are plenty of other ways to have fun at sea. Constant year-round winds that regularly reach 30 knots mixed with glorious sunshine make the Red Sea popular with windsurfers and yachtsmen.

Hurghada was the windsurfer’s best kept secret before the development of the international airport. Nowadays it is a well established resort with mainstream appeal, with the airport only 10 minutes away and a wide range of professional schools in town. Many international competitions are held in Hurghada every year, one of the most popular being the fun-filled Splash Cup which will take place between the 6th and 13th September this year for professionals and amateurs alike.

Or if windsurfing doesn’t float your boat, how about trying to sail the traditional Egyptian felucca? Or sailing one of the many other vessels so readily available from the many marinas: dinghies, hobie cats, catamarans, etc

Currently the hippest watersport of the moment is kite surfing. This involves using a power kite to pull the rider through the water on a small surfboard, wakeboard or kiteboard. A kitesurfer stands on a board with foot-straps or bindings, and uses the power of a large controllable kite to propel oneself and the board across the water. Two watersports centres in Hurghada have the necessary equipment and instructors for anyone interested in pursuing this relatively new sport.

Apart from wind necessitated sports Hurghada offers a large choice of less extreme and more relaxed watersports and sea related activities, from banana rides, pedal boats, canoeing, parasailing, wakeboarding, glass-bottom boats and submarines.

Hurghada is the most popular seaside resort in Egypt. Situated about 500 kilometres southeast of Cairo and stretching for nearly 40 kilometres along the Red Sea shore, it is served by an international airport that provides direct flights to many major European countries including the UK, as well as domestic flights to Cairo.

Formerly a small fishing village, it is only in the last ten years that has grown into a town of 35,000 inhabitants. The local Egyptian atmosphere is still strong, allowing visitors to experience first-hand life in a real Egyptian town. It has become an international centre for aquatic sports; if it takes place in or on the water you can do it here.

If you’d like a base on dry land then consider the Desert Pearl Beach Apartments; studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments are available from £19,500 / €28,976 through Egypt Revealed.

18km down the road from Hurghada International Airport is Sahl Hasheesh which has one of the largest marinas in the region (designed by Norman Foster), a yacht club and one of the most beautiful bays on the Red Sea. As well as these watery attractions, it also has two other very unique offerings for tourists.

“Little Venice” is just as the name implies, a miniature version of this most popular Italian city. Complete with canals and gondolas, as well as floating boutiques and bridges.

Formerly known as the city of Isis, Sahl Hasheesh was the main port in ancient Egypt, which flourished for 2,000 years until it sank. The Sunken City of Isis can still be seen from the 250m bridge connecting to a pier.

The Egyptian Resorts Company (ERC), which organises resort community tourism development, owns the exclusive development rights of the Sahl Hasheesh bay and intends to make it a resort of world class standards. Furthermore, the Prince of Jordan too has shown an interest in the resort and is building Egypt's first seven star hotel there.

For those with more modest budgets, a new development set on the highest plot in Sahl Hasheesh, the Sunset Pearl, has 90 studio apartments with private gardens and communal roof terrace available from just £44,620 / €66,000. In due course, a number of one, two and three bedroom apartments will also become available. For more information, visit egypt-revealed.com.

These Red Sea resorts offer investors a first rate price/performance ratio, a warm climate throughout the year and the ongoing effective development of the tourist potential provide for a constant, dynamic progression of the real estate prices in Egypt. Growth rates of more than 50% are not unusual.

Both Sahl Hasheesh and Hurghada offer an exclusive real estate investment of world class proportions with significant potential and year round rental opportunities from watersport enthusiasts the world over.