I was deployed to Djibouti in 2004 and, while there, I had the opportunity to get SCUBA certified. It was an amazing opportunity and a true bucket list completion. The irony is that, like most African third-world countries, Djibouti is very poor, desert-like, and just flat ugly.
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| Djibouti City |
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| The day I had seen it all. Then again, there was the camel walking down the middle of Main Street... |
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| A Nice Treat on My Run. Too bad my eyes were closed... |
But step foot offshore and the water is as blue as you can imagine. In fact, that area of the world boasts some of the world's nicest coral reefs (in the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia). I went on three different trips while I was there and was captivated by the breathtaking underwater beauty! I saw beautiful coral and sea anemones, a moray eel, a shark, and, most importantly, I found Nemo! Unfortunately, my pictures (taken with a disposable waterproof camera) don't do the beauty justice and most didn't even turn out good enough to show.
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| I'm not sure if this is Dory or not, but that's what I thought when I took the picture. |
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| Nemo! And his Dad! |
We also saw dolphins off in the distance and got to swim right beside a group of manta rays! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of those!
In my quest to see as many National Park sites as possible, I look forward to getting down to some of the tropical sites, such as
Biscayne National Park in Florida,
Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida,
Virgin Islands National Park, or
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument for another opportunity to take in more of nature's underwater magnificence!
Dry Tortugas has great snorkeling. When you get off the ferry, make sure to ask about which beach is best - it can vary by day. If south beach is the answer, go PAST the fort - the first section of beach is cove-y-er (yes, that's a word now) and surprisingly has murkier water. PS you can even camp there (primitive but with composting toilets).
ReplyDeleteMake sure to sign up for the Fort Tour, too. Lots of interesting history, including the cell where Dr. Mudd was incarcerated. Listen to the guide's story about its construction history and try not to laugh too hard - the fort is basically a giant monument to government inefficiency. ;)
I am not sure I am brave enough to scuba dive although I think it would be fascinating. I do think I would enjoy snorkeling though :-)
ReplyDeleteActually, SCUBA diving is just as easy as snorkeling -- just with a few other "rules", like regulating your air and how to avoid the bends. And there's more to see!
DeleteOh, you had real underwater adventures to share! We just went to the aquarium.
ReplyDeleteI bet it was beautiful! :)