Wreck Diving in Alexandria, Egypt
From German warplanes to Cleopatra's priceless treasures, Alexandria, Egypt's dive site attracts worldwide recreational divers. Sunken cities, palaces and shipwrecks have been found at this archeological dive site. Per ScubaDive.org, "experts estimate ... 7,000 monuments [from] Pharaonic and Roman dynasties are preserved under Alexandria's waves."
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Location and History
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Multiple shipwrecks have been discovered by wreck divers in Alexandria. Alexandria is on the North Coast of Egypt along the Nile Delta. Ranked the second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C. and was the center for learning in the ancient world. Cleopatra built her dynasty in Alexandria, and many artifacts sought in wreck dives are related to her reign. Alexandria wreck dives have also recovered artifacts from wars that took place within Alexandria, from Napoleonic-era battles to World War II.
Archeological Importance
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Recovered artifacts help archeologists piece together ancient culture and history. Underwater, Alexandria is a gold mine for diving enthusiasts, historians and archeologists. Cleopatra's ancient city and palace lies under the waters of Alexandria. Pharos lighthouse, monuments, carvings and building ruins dating back to ancient civilization have also been recovered by divers. Heracleon, an ancient underwater city in which diving has been strictly regulated, holds relics including rare coins, utensils, bronze sculptures and more from a past civilization. Quaitbay Fort within Alexandria is a dive site that contains three shipwrecks, two of which carried goods through the port of the city during Cleopatra's rule.
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Conditions, Licensing and Restrictions
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Wreck divers must possess both experience and an awareness of restrictions before exploring Alexandria. Recreational diving is relatively new in this area, as diving in Alexandria has mainly been under military and archeological control. Special permits and permission through the government agencies of Egypt may be necessary to begin wreck diving here. Approach the archeological faculty at Alexandria University for more information on wreck diving. Due to medium to low visibility and a limited selection of reputable dive operators, only experienced divers should wreck dive in Alexandria. No facilities exist in Alexandria that offer technical dive gases; therefore, they must be shipped in from the Red Sea. Diving is limited to depths of 20 meters or less without the gases.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit cleo 5 image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com shipwreck image by hannahfelicity from Fotolia.com artifact image by Sid Viswakumar from Fotolia.com scuba diver before diving image by janika from Fotolia.com
