James Bond's Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me is up for auction

The white 1976 Lotus Esprit from the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, starring Roger Moore and Barbara Bach, will be sold by the international auctioneers on 1 December at its annual motoring Auction Sale at Olympia, in West London.

James Bond Lotus Esprit, London, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The vehicle is one of two Lotus cars driven in the film by Roger Moore’s James Bond character. It turns into an amphibious car for the movie, driven both on land and underwater.

Click here to read an article first published contemporarily in Road and Track Magazine by Doug Nye, renowned motor historian and Bonhams consultant.


Also for sale, is the registration number ‘AU1’, used in another James Bond film Goldfinger. The first registration issued in Nottingham in 1903, this number was fitted to the Rolls-Royce Phantom III used by arch villain Goldfinger in the legendary film of the same name, since AU is the chemical symbol for gold in the Periodic Table. It is expected to fetch in excess of £80,000.

James Bond's Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me is up for auction

James Bond Lotus Esprit, London, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The Lotus driven by James Bond is a Lotus Esprit S1, a 2.0 Litre Type 907 In-line-4 engine, capable of 140lb-ft@4900rpm / 160bhp@6200rpm.

The Lotus Esprit S1 is able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in only 8.1 s and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. It uses a 5-Speed Manual transmission and weights 2101 lbs.

James Bond's Lotus up for auction

James Bond's Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me is to go under the hammer at a London auction next month.

James Bond Lotus Esprit, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler

The white 1976 Lotus Esprit is expected to fetch between £100,000 - £120,000 at Bonhams annual motoring sale. It is one of two Lotus cars - driven by Roger Moore in the 1977 film - which turned into an amphibious car when it ended up in the sea during a chase.
Bond fans will get the chance to bid on the car at the auction in Olympia, west London, on 1 December. The registration number AU1 from Bond classic Goldfinger will also be up for auction in the same sale.
The first registration issued in Nottingham in 1903, AU1 was fitted to the Rolls Royce Phantom III used by arch villain Goldfinger in the film, as AU is the chemical symbol for gold in the periodic table.

Bonhams hope the plate will fetch more than £80,000.

Cool by the pool at the Reef Oasis Palms Resort, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt

The Reef Oasis Palms Resort

Cool by the pool at the Reef Oasis Palms Resort, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The Reef Oasis Palms Resort is a brand new hotel opening in May 07, with some great facilities, the Palms Resort looks set to compete with some of Sharm El Sheikh's best quality hotels. You'll find stunning pools and sparkling white architecture, well designed and spacious rooms, and great food and drink A comfortable 5 Star Resort.

Located on " Hadabet Om El Sied ", 2 Km from Sharm Old Market and 14 Km from Sharm International Airport.

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Sharm el Sheikh (Arabic: شرم الشيخ‎, Sharm al-Shaykh), often known simply as "Sharm", is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in Janub Sina', Egypt, on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai.

Sharm el-Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt's Southern Sinai province which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh is known as The City of Peace referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there.

In the pool at the Reef Oasis Palms Resort, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt

The Reef Oasis Palms Resort

In the pool at the Reef Oasis Palms Resort, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The Reef Oasis Palms Resort is a brand new hotel opening in May 07, with some great facilities, the Palms Resort looks set to compete with some of Sharm El Sheikh's best quality hotels. You'll find stunning pools and sparkling white architecture, well designed and spacious rooms, and great food and drink A comfortable 5 Star Resort.

Located on " Hadabet Om El Sied ", 2 Km from Sharm Old Market and 14 Km from Sharm International Airport.

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Sharm el Sheikh (Arabic: شرم الشيخ‎, Sharm al-Shaykh), often known simply as "Sharm", is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in Janub Sina', Egypt, on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai.

Sharm el-Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt's Southern Sinai province which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh is known as The City of Peace referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there.

Shark Observatory, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed, Egypt

Shark Observatory, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Observatory
The site stretches from the foot of the observatory cliff in the north, across the mouth of a shallow box-shaped inlet, to the beginning of the Anemone City in the south. There are two possible shore entry points, one inside the inlet and the second in the small cove at the foot of the cliff. Both can be reached by road.

In the past, it was possible to see sharks here just by looking down from the cliff top but with the advent of dive tourism and its attendant boat traffic, the sharks have mostly moved on.

The site is a vertical wall, sloping outwards at its foot. The rugged profile is most dramatic in the northern section, where the reef face is especially contoured, with fissures, inlets and crevices to explore. Coral growth is good with lots of variety among both soft and stony species.

The steep profile does not encourage dense populations of smaller reef species, so quality and quantity of fish are somewhat dependent on currents and the pelagic life they encourage. Jacks, barracuda and the occasional gray or blacktip shark liven things up when the current is running: snapper, surgeons and unicorns are present in schools of varying size, and larger reef fish such as big grouper and Napoleons are usually on hand.

Divers should be careful of the strong currents which are common in this area and those who enter from shore should be doubly cautious. Once beyond the point to the north, there is no shore exit point. Do not round the point if current could prevent you from returning to the exit point.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed, Egypt

Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colorful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

By boat & from shore: Long boat time (> 30min)

average depth: 20.0 m
max depth: 50.0 m
visibility:Good ( 10 - 30 m)
dive type: Sharks & Reef

Baby Giant Moray Eel, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed, Egypt

Baby Giant Moray Eel, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The giant moray is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, being found in the Red Sea and East Africa, the Pitcairn group, north to the Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands, south to New Caledonia and the Austral Islands.

As the name suggests, this is a large eel, reaching up to 300cm (9.8 ft) in length and 30kg (66.1 lbs) in weight. While juveniles are tan in colour with large black spots, adults have black specks that grade into leopard-like spots behind the head and a black area surrounding the gill opening.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colorful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Black Spotted Pufferfish, Shark Reef, Mohammed, Egypt

Black Spotted Pufferfish, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

This Black-spotted puffer is very common sight in Ras Mohammad. This one is on the move, but these gentle, solitary fish may often be seen resting in a sponge or among coral branches. As with the other types of nearly 90 species of pufferfish, they inflate themselves by gulping down water when disturbed. Unlike the thick-skinned porcupinefish (also of family Tetradontidae, "fused teeth"), the Black-spotted puffer has relatively thin skin and small, short spines. This one is about seven inches in length. This species may vary from a gray base color to yellow. Pufferfish are also known as "blowfish" or "globefish".

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohamed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colourful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Giant Gorgonian, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed, Egypt

Giant Gogonian, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colourful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Two ergs rise up from a vertical wall with a drop off down to 300 metres. The dive begins at shark reef and continues with the current until reaching the cargo of the Jolanda, where the sea floor rises to about 15-25 metres and is strewn with toilets. There are lots of schools of fish and other sea life including stone fish and scorpion fish. Large pelagics may gather beyond the reef, so keep watching the open sea.The water here is truly deep and as you look down the vertical wall the water takes on an inky dark feel, even though viz is often in excess of 30m. An ideal start depth here would be the 30-40m mark, where if the current allows it is worth spending some time looking out into the blue.

Whilst a little more rare these days it is still possible to see white-tip reef sharks and if you're lucky larger grey reef sharks identifiable by the thick black strip which runs all the way down the rear of their tail fins. Scalloped hammerhead have been spotted as well. Also look out for barracuda, jacks and tuna. The reef itself on the eastern side of Shark Reef is fed by nutrients from the sometimes strong currents and as a result there are some beautiful gorgonian fan corals and black whip coral. The deeper part of the reef has a proliferation of soft coral from the 30m - 70m range. Soft coral requires much less light than hard coral and seems to thrive in this inky abyss. Once you have spent some time on the east side of Shark Reef, or if the current is running, then turn and with your right shoulder reef side head southwest around the reef. You will see the reef wall sloping up beneath you as you head towards the gap between Shark Reef and Jolanda and you drift over a rising plateau.

Giant Gorgonian, Shark Reef, Mohammed, Egypt

Giant Gorgonian, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colourful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Two ergs rise up from a vertical wall with a drop off down to 300 metres. The dive begins at shark reef and continues with the current until reaching the cargo of the Jolanda, where the sea floor rises to about 15-25 metres and is strewn with toilets. There are lots of schools of fish and other sea life including stone fish and scorpion fish. Large pelagics may gather beyond the reef, so keep watching the open sea.The water here is truly deep and as you look down the vertical wall the water takes on an inky dark feel, even though viz is often in excess of 30m. An ideal start depth here would be the 30-40m mark, where if the current allows it is worth spending some time looking out into the blue.

Whilst a little more rare these days it is still possible to see white-tip reef sharks and if you're lucky larger grey reef sharks identifiable by the thick black strip which runs all the way down the rear of their tail fins. Scalloped hammerhead have been spotted as well. Also look out for barracuda, jacks and tuna. The reef itself on the eastern side of Shark Reef is fed by nutrients from the sometimes strong currents and as a result there are some beautiful gorgonian fan corals and black whip coral. The deeper part of the reef has a proliferation of soft coral from the 30m - 70m range. Soft coral requires much less light than hard coral and seems to thrive in this inky abyss. Once you have spent some time on the east side of Shark Reef, or if the current is running, then turn and with your right shoulder reef side head southwest around the reef. You will see the reef wall sloping up beneath you as you head towards the gap between Shark Reef and Jolanda and you drift over a rising plateau.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Shark Observatory, Shark Reef, Mohammed, Egypt

Shark Observatory, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Observatory
The site stretches from the foot of the observatory cliff in the north, across the mouth of a shallow box-shaped inlet, to the beginning of the Anemone City in the south. There are two possible shore entry points, one inside the inlet and the second in the small cove at the foot of the cliff. Both can be reached by road.

In the past, it was possible to see sharks here just by looking down from the cliff top but with the advent of dive tourism and its attendant boat traffic, the sharks have mostly moved on.

The site is a vertical wall, sloping outwards at its foot. The rugged profile is most dramatic in the northern section, where the reef face is especially contoured, with fissures, inlets and crevices to explore. Coral growth is good with lots of variety among both soft and stony species.

The steep profile does not encourage dense populations of smaller reef species, so quality and quantity of fish are somewhat dependent on currents and the pelagic life they encourage. Jacks, barracuda and the occasional gray or blacktip shark liven things up when the current is running: snapper, surgeons and unicorns are present in schools of varying size, and larger reef fish such as big grouper and Napoleons are usually on hand.

Divers should be careful of the strong currents which are common in this area and those who enter from shore should be doubly cautious. Once beyond the point to the north, there is no shore exit point. Do not round the point if current could prevent you from returning to the exit point.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed, Egypt

Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohamed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colorful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

By boat & from shore: Long boat time (> 30min)

average depth: 20.0 m
max depth: 50.0 m
visibility:Good ( 10 - 30 m)
dive type: Sharks &Reef

Red Sea, Ras Mohammad, Egypt

Red Sea, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The Red Sea is a salt water inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb sound and the Gulf of Aden. In the north are the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (leading to the Suez Canal). The Red Sea is a Global 200 ecoregion. The Red Sea was also historically known as the Arabian Gulf, although recently Pan-Arabist nationalists sought to change the Persian Gulf's name to the Arabian Gulf.

Occupying a part of the Great Rift Valley, the Red Sea has a surface area of about 438,000 km² (169,100 square miles ). It is roughly 2250 km (1398 mi) long and, at its widest point at 355 km (220.6 miles) wide. It has a maximum depth of 2211 m (7254 ft) in the central median trench and an average depth of 490 m (1,608 feet ), but there are also extensive shallow shelves, noted for their marine life and corals. The sea is the habitat of over 1,000 invertebrate species and 200 soft and hard corals and is the world's northernmost tropical sea.

Ras Mohammad (Arabic: رأس محمد‎) is a national park located in Egypt at the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Suez on the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east.

Humphead wrasse, Shark Observatory, Ras Mohammad, Egypt

Humphead wrasse, Shark Observatory, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Humphead wrasse

The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is a wrasse that is mainly found in coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also known as the Maori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse, Napoleonfish; or "So Mei" (Cantonese) and "Mameng" (Filipino).

The humphead wrasse is the largest living member of the family Labridae, with males reaching 6 feet (2 m) in length, while females rarely exceed about 3 feet (1 m). It has thick, fleshy lips and a hump that forms on its head above the eyes, becoming more prominent as the fish ages. Males range from a bright electric blue to green, a purplish blue, or a relatively dull blue/green. Juveniles and females are red-orange above, and red-orange to white below. Some males grow very large, with one unconfirmed report of a Humphead Wrasse that was 7.75 feet (2.29 m) long and weighed 420 lbs (190.5 kg).

Shark Observatory
The site stretches from the foot of the observatory cliff in the north, across the mouth of a shallow box-shaped inlet, to the beginning of the Anemone City in the south. There are two possible shore entry points, one inside the inlet and the second in the small cove at the foot of the cliff. Both can be reached by road.

In the past, it was possible to see sharks here just by looking down from the cliff top but with the advent of dive tourism and its attendant boat traffic, the sharks have mostly moved on.

The site is a vertical wall, sloping outwards at its foot. The rugged profile is most dramatic in the northern section, where the reef face is especially contoured, with fissures, inlets and crevices to explore. Coral growth is good with lots of variety among both soft and stony species.

The steep profile does not encourage dense populations of smaller reef species, so quality and quantity of fish are somewhat dependent on currents and the pelagic life they encourage. Jacks, barracuda and the occasional gray or blacktip shark liven things up when the current is running: snapper, surgeons and unicorns are present in schools of varying size, and larger reef fish such as big grouper and Napoleons are usually on hand.

Divers should be careful of the strong currents which are common in this area and those who enter from shore should be doubly cautious. Once beyond the point to the north, there is no shore exit point. Do not round the point if current could prevent you from returning to the exit point.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Ras Mohammad Reserve, Egypt

Ras Mohammad Reserve, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Ras Mohammad (Arabic: رأس محمد‎) is a national park located in Egypt at the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Suez on the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east.

After the Six-Day War, in which Israel gained control of the Sinai Peninsula, Israel established the Ras Mohammad area as a protected area. When the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt, Ras Mohammad lost protection from fishing and other human activities. Some of the fishing methods, such as use of dynamite, also were impacting the coral reef in addition to the fish populations. In the late 1970s, pressure mounted on Egyptian authorities to place Ras Mohammad under protection.

In 1983, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) established the area as a marine reserve for the protection of marine and terrestrial wildlife. The park was also established to protect against sprawl from Sharm el-Sheikh and other coastal development.The name literally means "Muhammad's Head", where "head" in this instance means "headland". There is a saying in the area that the name arose because in side view the contour of the cliff looks like the profile of a bearded man's face, with horizontal hard strata providing the nose and bearded chin.

Unicorn fish, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt

Unicorn fish, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeon fishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether. Unicorn fishes usually have a pair of spines on each side of the tail shaft that are used for defence.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colorful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Shark Reef, Ras Muhammad, Egypt

Shark ReefRas Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are two reefs rising just off the Ras Mohammed coast. They are twin peaks of a single coral sea mount, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

Shark Reef is the more colorful and spectacular of the two reefs; with its wall and great marine life. Yolanda Reef is the larger of the two. Its name comes from a vessel which sank here in 1980.

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Yolanda Wreck, Ras Mohammad, Egypt

Yolanda Wreck, Ras Mohammad, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Sharm boasts excellent diving facilities with vibrant coral and fish life. Sharks are sometimes spotted. Many varied reef systems to explore from dayboats.

Excellent Dive Sites include Shark and Yolanda reefs: These two reefs are connected by a sandy plateau where you'll find the shipwrecked 'Yolanda'. You can drift along the natural currents provided by the Red Sea, explore the Yolanda wreck, or gaze at the colourful coral along the reef. At shark reef you can expect to find large fish and of course sharks. You'll also encounter rays, turtles, large eels, and large schools of fish swimming by. It's a magnificent site, and one that divers never forget.

The Jolanda (note correct spelling - it is very often wrongly spelt Yolanda) was owned by the Sea Brother Marine Shipping company. She was a Cypriot merchant ship, 72 metres in length.

The Jolanda was on a voyage from Piraeus to Aqaba with a general cargo including toilets, wash basins, bath tubs, a BMW 320 motor car (apparently belonging to the captain), aluminium, plastic sheeting and several containers of general goods.

During a bad storm on April 1st 1981 the ship got caught on one of the southern reef mounts at the tip of the Ras Mohamed peninsula. After 4 days aground she rolled over onto her port side, her bow awash, and with her stern hanging over the abyss. The wreck remained in that position for several years, slowly toppling over until it was totally upside down. Then one day in 1985 the hawse wire holding it snapped and a great wreck was lost as it slid down the reef leaving behind only evidence of its cargo; baths, toilets and a car.

Much more famous in its demise than during its sea-faring days, a reef, beach and bay were named after this ship where it sank.

Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.

Going down the Bells - Dahab, Egypt

Going down the Bells - Dahab, Egypt, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

An excellent dive for fans of the deep blue. The Bells is a natural small hole at 30m in a sheer wall that drops off to 800m+. You descend straight down along side the wall and dive round the hole (upside down and looking out is best) and pop out into the blue. Blue is all you can see looking out to sea with the wall to your back. Look out for sharks and manta rays. Gradually ascending up to 15m is where all the reef life is, the usual fishes and corals. To exit from the shore you need to swim over the blue hole (again, looking for bigger life) against some fierce currents.

A fairly energetic dive, so watch your air if doing this as a shore dive, surface finning is tiring in the strong currents in this area.

Dahab (دهب) is a small town situated on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Formerly a Bedouin fishing village, located approximately 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab is still considered to be one of the Sinai's most treasured diving destinations. Following the Six Day War, the town was occupied by Israel and known in Hebrew as Di-Zahav, a place mentioned in the Exodus from Egypt. The Sinai Peninsula was restored to Egyptian rule in 1982. The arrival of international hotel chains and the establishment of other ancillary facilities has now made this a popular destination with tourists. The nearest international airport is located at Sharm el-Sheikh.