Freediving in the Red Sea

Fringing reef

What looks like a gigantic marine aquarium here, is the fringing reef on the coast of the Red Sea.

Countless fish, in different sizes, colors and shapes, live here in the smallest of spaces.

Rays

A blue-spotted stingray sails swiftly across the sand.

Red Sea - Blue-spotted stingray

We take care.
Stingrays have poisonous tail spines.

However, Blaupunkt is a decidedly peaceful fellow.

He just wants his peace and quiet.

He has a safe hiding place under a large stone.

This is the usual behavior of all animals on the reef.
Everyone has weapons for defense.
Very effective weapons.
However, they are only used if the animals believe that they are in danger.

Therefore, the most important rule on the reef is:
Just look - don't touch anything.

This spotted eagle ray has a wingspan of 2.50 meters.
His head is as thick as a bull's.

He swims for minutes with us on the reef.
He seems to like it.
The ray glides majestically ahead.
Its sting is impressive and it never lets us get closer than 5 meters.

lettuce coral

However, the real rulers of the reef are the corals.
This lettuce coral still shines towards us from a depth of 6 meters.

This is remarkable because the sea absorbs all colors, except blue, with increasing depth.

Rita thinks I should dive down to the lettuce coral. She wants to take a group photo of us.

This will give you a better idea of the size of the coral. Red Sea - lettuce coral

Firefish

We should also watch out for the Radial firefish at the bottom of the picture.
Each sting of a firefish carries a painful, highly effective venom.

The firefish (lionfish) is available in red and black versions.
It lives between the corals and corners its prey (small fish) with its poisonous spines.
Then, with a powerful suction, it sucks them into its mouth.

Red Sea - Lionfish

If you look closely, you can see a Fringed scorpionfish.

Rotes Meer - Fringed scorpionfish

This master of camouflage almost melts into the reef.
It also belongs to the scorpionfish family and has poisonous spines.

So be very careful.

Giant moray eel

Then it stands in front of me.
2.30 meters long, the head 30 cm in diameter.
An adult giant moray eel.

Red Sea - Giant moray eel

In broad daylight, at a depth of about 6 to 8 meters, to come face to face with a full-size giant moray eel.
That is great luck.

The hair on my back curls up and I only have a little blood left in my adrenaline.

We watch each other for almost a whole minute.
Then it swims away.

Fascinating.

Shark

Sharks are quite cautious.
They are often some distance away, at our line of sight.
They watch us from there.

When I try to film them, they usually swim away.
Apparently they are not used to something swimming towards them.

This 2-meter whitetip reef shark was an exception.
The shark was curious and circled me for several minutes.
Probably to see if I was eating his fish.

This was a good opportunity to film the shark extensively.

Swarm

The reef is at its most beautiful just before sunset.
Plankton rises from the depths and huge schools of fish gather at the surface for their evening meal.

We lie calmly in the water and are completely relaxed.
Heated water flows from the reef plate.
It's as warm as a bathtub.

Red Sea - Swarm

Then it happens.
Without us doing anything, we become part of a large school of several thousand fish.
Each of these fish is about 30 cm in size.

They flow around us from all sides.
Just don't move now.

How can I describe this feeling to you.

Hawksbill turtle

A little later, an adult hawksbill turtle looks after us.
She obviously wants to know what is lying motionless in the water up here.

It's amazing how curious the sea creatures become and how incredibly close they come, if you don't move for a very long time.

Dolphins

The dolphins also look past the reef.

Red Sea - Dolphins

Rita dives right after the group.

Red Sea - Dolphins

Dolphins don't like the sound of compressed air at all.
However, as we dive without a tank, our dolphins are quite trusting.

The stately sea creatures let us get within a few millimeters of them.
It is impossible to touch them.
What a pity.

I know.
Just look - don't touch anything.

Uwe dives towards them at a depth of 10 meters.
Dolphins like free divers.
Free divers are quiet.
As a thank you, we play together.

Red Sea - Dolphins

Humpback whale in the Red Sea - Brayka Bay

Size supposedly doesn't matter.
That's true until a humpback whale swims next to you.

We met at a depth of 10 meters.
On November 11, 2022 at 10∶48 am.

Humpback whales grow to a length of 16 meters.
This one was half as long. A teenager.

Well. Still as big as a bus.

The video of the humpback whale caused a stir at the resort.
A humpback whale has apparently never been seen in Brayka Bay.