Except were otherwise stated, all photographs displayed on this website
were taken by Leslie McCutcheon, a member of Grosvenor Tropicals staff.
If you would like to use any of the photographs on
your website or for other non-commercial use then please do so, but we
would ask that you include credits and a link to our site. If you would
like a full resolution (3000 x 2000) file of any of the images then
please email Leslie at our website.
Red Sea Picture Gallery
In September of 2007 we were lucky enough to spend a week at the Red
Sea resort of Naama Bay, just a few miles North of Sharm el Sheikh on
the Sinai peninsula at the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba.
The Red Sea itself is the only enclosed coral sea in the world, and is
distinctive and unique. Running as a narrow strip between Africa and
Arabia for 1500 miles, the Red Sea joins at its southern tip the Indian
Ocean through the Strait of Bab-El-Mandab, while at its northern head it
branches into the twin gulfs of Suez and Aqaba.
The Red Sea is characterized by its high salinity - a consequence both
of the hot climate and the absence of any river adding fresh water to
the sea. The surface sea temperature ranges, according to the time of
the year, from approximately 20 to 26 degrees Celsius in the northern
part, and from 25 to 31 deg. C in the central and southern parts. Clear
skies, strong sunlight and the absence of inflowing sediments contribute
to excellent underwater visibility, leading to the Red Sea waters being
among the clearest waters in the world.
The normal tides are small and occur on a semi-diurnal (twice a day)
basis, with the whole sea oscillating around a nodal point approximately
at the latitude of Port Sudan. The Peak tides, at the northern and
southern ends, are of about half a meter, while in the centre there is
no virtual daily tide. There are, however, throughout the Red Sea,
seasonal variations in water level over a longer period, the mean water
level in Summer being nearly a meter lower than it in Winter.
Photo Galleries
