Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – There is no doubt that the waters of the Red Sea in Egypt hold some of the most beautiful secrets of marine life in the world, making it a magnet for divers.
Hamata is the perfect place on the Red Sea Riviera in Egypt for an unforgettable diving holiday.
As for the Claude people, located in the waters of Hamata, it is one of the most famous dive sites for professional underwater photographers because of its amazing underwater cave systems and valleys, in addition to the amazing sea life that lives in it, according to Egyptian diver and photographer Ahmed Gomaa. CNN in Arabic.
Claude Reef is a playground for divers, with its maze-shaped reef gorges, crevices and stalactites, offering the most amazing natural exhibits of sound and light, according to the Chamber of Dive & Marine Activities website.
The Egyptian photographer wanted to highlight the beauty of coral reefs by capturing Claude’s people through a stunning aerial view.
“It’s great to get aerial photos of the reefs,” Gomaa says. “It gives a different perspective and gives a look at the shape of the cracks that the reef has from above.”
The view of Claude’s people from the top shows the shape of coral peaks, plateaus and the colors of the main and small coral reefs, giving an idea of the depth of the area around them, according to the Egyptian diver.
Gomaa indicates that the Red Sea is characterized by its own colors from dark blue, which refers to deep water, to turquoise, which refers to shallow water and small lakes, and around it many small peaks.
Shaab Claud is located in Hamata, the coastal city of southern Egypt, about 110 kilometers south of Marsa Alam, according to Gomaa.
Italian diver and photographer Renata Romeo, Juma’s wife, talks to CNN in Arabic about the experience of diving in the Claude people, which houses one of the most unique cave systems in the Red Sea.
“The reef diving experience by Shaab Claude was very exciting for me,” says Romeo.
“I was fascinated by the games of light and darkness that some of the caves provide through the sunlight coming in from above, the small paths and the windows overlooking the open sea,” she continues.
Romeo describes the dive site as a magical place that can be explored from all angles.
Romeo explains that the inhabitants of Claude are isolated coral reefs that can only be reached by boat, in the open sea, and therefore the state of the sea can also affect the surrounding environment, for example, if the sea is harsh, storms can form that cause double vision;
Regarding the challenges Romeo faced in documenting the underwater coral reefs, she says, “Sometimes it was difficult to take pictures because the fragments separated from the caves’ ceilings, which hit the air bubbles from them, appeared in front of my lens.”
Romeo explains that it is difficult for the underwater photographer to get in some places because of the huge equipment he has.
For those who want to explore the people of Claude, Romeo advises to make sure you are experienced enough to walk through the cave and know how to control your movements, so as not to ruin the reef.
“Be prepared to go into enclosed spaces and cross some dark spaces,” she adds.
It is also highly recommended to follow a snorkeling tour guide who knows the place and can guide you through it.
And Romeo believes that “diving once in the people of Claude is certainly not enough to say that you have really seen one of the best dive sites in the southern part of the Red Sea in Egypt.”