Fujairah eldorado of the macro:

The Emirate of Fujairah is located in the United Arab Emirates about two hours drive from Dubai.

The Emirates are not a very well-known destination for divers and yet there are more than fifteen centers there, some of which are really worth a visit for their quality of service. Dubai is a tourist destination which already attracts a lot of tourists. There are also many Europeans who came to settle there. It must be said that with good weather nine months of the year, the region is very suitable for diving.

  Photo credit: Philippe Lecomte

Coming to dive in the Emirates is above all the assurance of exercising your passion in a very safe country. Security is one of the best in the world and Dubai airport is also very well served. It remains a not-so-distant destination because there are only six hours by plane from France. The Emirates company has very good prices, but also offers 30 kg of luggage in economy. This allows you to take your equipment, without putting your hand in your pocket.

 Photo credit: Stewart Clark 

Dubai also offers a whole host of interesting attractions and resorts. But the economic capital is not the only interesting entity in the Emirates. Ras al-Khaimah, located just a 40-minute drive from Fujairah, is a smaller, friendlier town. But for diving, it's not the best spot in the country. There are indeed some strong currents and few sites to visit. There are still some beautiful wrecks there.

 Photo credit: Philippe Lecomte

Fujairah is close to two major cities. A good point as Fujairah, apart from strolling in his hotel, offers hardly any activities. Unless you are very adventurous and go and try your hand at exploring the beautiful wadis and the desert, distractions are rare. But these opportunities remain important points when traveling as a family. Especially when some members are not divers. Be careful, however, the budget must follow!

 Photo credit: Stewart Clark 

Fujairah being located on the west coast of the Emirates, it is therefore in the Indian Ocean that you will splash. It is true that the visibility is not always the best because the water has a greenish color. This may displease some. However, this is due to water very rich in plankton. Which means that with a little luck, you could come across a whale shark, one or more devil rays and why not a mola mola (moon fish). The coast of Fujairah is also very rich in wrecks. The Nazi U-Boat, sunk offshore, is an attraction. But its access remains difficult because of the depth. You will console yourself with other wrecks, much more practicable, at about 20-35m.

  Photo credit: Stewart Clark 

In addition to the wrecks, the biotope is largely composed of fine sand and coral reefs which are found on the edge of the island (like Dibah Rock) or along the coast.

  Photo credit: Philippe Lecomte

Shipwreck and coastal reefs are perfect habitat for a rich diversity of macro species. There is indeed a whole bunch of various shrimps but also a very rich biodiversity of nudibranchs. We also interviewed Stewart Clark, a local nudibranch enthusiast and seasoned amateur photographer. Stewart has been resident in the Emirates for several years. He is part of a group of amateur biologists and big lover of the little sea slug. They maintain a Facebook page called @uaebranchers where they regularly detail their latest finds. To date, they have identified more than 311 species, some of which were completely unknown in the region. Their passion unleashed the number of nudibranches identified. In their repertoire, they keep increasing. Stewart also maintains a website www.moistmacros.com where he publishes his photos.

 Photo credit: Philipe Lecomte

It must be said that in the region, expatriates who are well equipped with underwater cameras are numerous. And once again, diving remains the hobby of many expatriate residents ...

This is the case of Philippe Lecomte, a Frenchman living in Abu Dhabi since 2003, also passionate about underwater photos. Philippe also maintains a site where you can find his work, www.plongee-passion-photo.com. The latter is a very talented person and loves to explore, along with other local photographers. They began to explore the seagrass and sand plateaus in shallow depths of up to 8m. Because, yes Fujairah is also a very good muck-diving spot. To their surprise, not only did they find many species of nudibranchs as well, but also and much more surprisingly, robust ghost fish and mimetic octopuses! Two species, which, until then, have rather been observed in Indonesia and never in Arabia.

  Photo credit: Stewart Clark 

There is still plenty to discover in the area.

 Photo credit: Stewart Clark 

If you are looking for a dive center in the area, we recommend one run by a French couple and a French course director. Darryl, Marine and Laurent will welcome you with the various freestyle team. The center is very well placed and well equipped. They can actually accommodate photographers with all types of recreational or technical equipment:

http://freestyledivers.me/

Articles by Bam Bam

Photos by Stewart clark: www.moistmacro.com

Photos by Philippe Lecomte: www.photo-passion-plongee.com