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Philippines Bohol Seaflaming cuttlefish
more info about Medina's pier including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines Bohol SeaArlequin shrimp
more info about Medina including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Italy Tyrrhenian SeaOn the Molara Bank, near Ventotene Island, usually lives a great number of mediterranean barracuda like in this pic
more info about Molara Bank, Ventotene Island including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines Bohol SeaHypocampe
more info about Medina's pier including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines Bohol SeaAcanthaster
more info about Medina's pier including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Indonesia Halmahera Sea...
more info about Miaskon including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Philippines Bohol SeaGobi
more info about Magsaysay Isl. including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States Caribbean SeaFairly shallow dive. 25 - 45 foot.
more info about Mingo Passage, in the USVI including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United Arab Emirates Gulf Of OmanMacro
more info about meemo1 including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Sweden North SeaNice to try out new eq
more info about Majviken including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificLarge Coral Garden, 60 to 80ft
more info about Magic Mushroom, Oahu, Hawaii including maps, reviews, and ratings...
South Africa Indian OceanDiving From Mabibi is only avalible from Thonga Beach Lodge as it is in a restricted part of the Coastal Reserve . Diving these parts are best during the summer months and Turtle tracking is in season from Nov - Feb . We have Loggerhead Turtles and Leatherbacks nesting during this time .
more info about Mabibi Beach @ Thonga Beach Lodge including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificHawaiian Longfin Anthias
more info about Makena Landing, Maui, Hawaii including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaThe Million Hope Wreck
Location:
28 03' 42" N, 34 26' 40"E. Southern Gulf of Aqaba on east coast of Sinai Peninsular
Access:
Day boat from Sharm El Sheikh
Minimum Depth to Wreck
0m (Superstructure above water level)
Maximum Depth to Seabed:
22m (at stern)
Average Visibility:
20-25m
The Ship
Built in Japan, as a Bulk Carrier with additional facilities for transporting vehicles, the Million Hope was launched as the "Ryusei Maru" in 1972. She was a very large ship - displacing 26,181 grt and measuring 174.6m x 24.8m with a draught of 10m. Her bridge castle is located at the stern behind 5 cargo holds - in between which are four massive cranes towering high above the decks. The ship was powered by two 6 Cylinder diesel engines capable of producing 11,600 bhp and a top speed of 17 knots.
The ship had several names during her lifetime before being purchased by the Aksonas Shipping Co Ltd of Limassol, Cyprus for 136 million in 1996. It was at this time she was finally renamed "Million Hope" and promptly insured for 41 Million. Only six weeks later, she became a constructive total loss.
The Loss of the Million Hope
Loaded with a 26,000 ton cargo of Potash and Phosphates, the Million Hope sailed from Jordan's only port of Aqaba on 19 June 1996 - destination Taiwan. Visibility, however, quickly deteriorated and early on 20 June the vessel struck the inshore Reef near Nabq - on the western shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, approx. 3 miles north of Sharm El Sheikh.
Lloyds List dated 24 June 1996 carried the following item under "Casualty Report:"
"MILLION HOPE "(Cyprus) Jun 21: Egyptian Maritime Officials said yesterday they were concerned about possible leakage of about 23,000 tons of phosphate and potassium plus 700 tons of fuel from the bulk carrier Million Hope which sank off Egypts Sinai Peninsular, Cairo radio reported. All 25 members of the crew ere rescued by Egyptian naval vessels and other vessels in an operation that lasted more than 20 hours. The vessel, on voyage from Jordan to Taiwan, was ripped open by coral reefs near Egypts Sharm El-Sheikh resort. The vessels mainly Filipino crew huddled in the stern and refused to abandon ship until it became clear the vessel would sink, Cairo radio said. Some of the crew accused the vessels master of failing to follow the areas prescribed navigation routes and of maintaining speed despite poor visibility."
The cargo actually comprised 15,000 tons of Potash and 11,000 tons of phosphate rock and the big concern was that this would slowly dissolve in seawater - producing an algae-like film that would blot out essential sunlight from all adjacent reefs. Major Salvage companies were, therefore, invited to tender for the salvage of this cargo which was separately valued at 1.3 million. This operation was successfully carried out.
With much of her superstructure still out of the water, the Million Hope can be seen from several miles away. She is basically upright but with a pronounced list to port - i.e. away from the Reef. Her entire starboard side rests against the reef on which she foundered and her keel lies along the seabed at the base of that reef at between 19 - 24m. Her decks are underwater but not the focsle. Apart from fairly superficial damage, the vessel is completely intact - with no evidence of salvage.
more info about Million Hope Nabq Sharm El Sheikh including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Bahamas Atlantic (North American coastal)Stingray glides along a grass flat. All images are shot free diving, no tanks!
more info about Man O War Cay including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red SeaThe Tentacled flathead (Papilloculiceps longiceps) or Crocodilefish is a member of the order Scorpaeniformes, an order which also includes the scorpionfishes and stonefishes. It is found in the Western Indian Ocean; the Red Sea.
more info about Marsa Shagra, Shagra Bay including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificNot a dive site, but one access point to the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.
more info about Moss Landing, California including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Spain Mediterranean SeaShot of Fried Egg Jellyfish with sun behind, giving sunset affect
more info about Medes Islands including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Solomon islands Solomon SeaAll the islands in the two week dive had numerous and many wonderful dive sites. Only exceeded by Raja Ampat
more info about Maralauin including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Austrianice cold River....
more info about Mitterweissenbach Austria including maps, reviews, and ratings...