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More on Eritrea
Country
Eritrea is the newest country of Africa, which gained independence in 1993, after 30 years of war for liberation. The war caused great damage but since independence the country is quickly and successfully rebuilding its economy. During the war all infrastructure (including fisheries facilities) were destroyed and most of the coastal population migrated to neighboring countries.With a coastline of 1,200 km , (and over 52,000 km² of continental shelf ), the nation’s fisheries sector was very active throughout the 50’s and is now considered as one of the main potential economic components for the reconstruction of the nation’s economy. Within 5 years (since the independence), the Eritrean government has reorganized its entire administration including the Ministry of Fisheries (MoF) which is leading an active role for the rehabilitation of the fisheries sector with international co-operation.
Arabic and Tigrinya are the official languages. Various dialects such as Afar, Bilien, Kunama, Nara, Saho and Tigre are also spoken. English and Italian are the most commonly spoke foreign languages.
Sightseeing
Eritrea's capital Asmara was only a small cluster of villages at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1897 the Italian colonial government moved the administration from Massawa. Today, Italian architecture prevails in the city. The magnificent Cathedral (1922), built in the Lombardian style, is not far from a bustling market. Fruit and vegetables, bric-a-brac, spices, used furniture, ceramics, handicrafts and clothes are sold on the stalls. There are a number of churches and mosques which can be visited. Marble from the Carrara quarry was used to build the largest mosque, Khalufa el Rashidin. Gold and silver jewellery is on offer at the nearby market. Palms and colourful bougainvillea line the main avenues. The National Avenue is the major thoroughfare of the city; an ideal place to meet people and enjoy the numerous cafés and bars. The Avenue is also the address for the Government Administrative Centre, the Asmara Theatre (built 1918), the Catholic Cathedral and the Town Hall. The former residence of the colonial rulers, the Ghibi or palace, is used today as the National Museum. The University and the Mai Jahjah Fountain are also interesting. The road from Asmara to Massawa, 105km (65 miles), is both spectacular and beautiful. It descends from 2438m (8000ft) to sea level, with hairpin bends on the escarpment, and magnificent views over the coastal desert strip. It passes the famous Orthodox Monastery of Debre Bizen. Massawa was an important centre in ancient times and remains, to this day, the largest natural deep-water port on the Red Sea. If Asmara is an 'Italian' city, Massawa is 'Turko-Egyptian', reflecting the periods of Ottoman and Egyptian rule from the 16th century to the late 1800s. Dams connect the islands of Batsi and Twalet with the main part of the city. The port and the old town of Batsi were damaged during the civil war but are still impressive. The Iman Hanbeli Mosque escaped damage. Batsi Island is a good area for restaurants, cafés and bars; visitors can take a small boat to Sheikh Said Island (also known as Isola Verde), a favourite picnic spot. Twalet has fine examples of Italian architecture. Here, also, is a badly damaged Ghibi or palace. It was originally built in the 15th century, but has been much altered and restored since then. It was badly damaged in the recent war and is again in need of restoration. The Port Club has a restaurant, a museum, a small library and sporting facilities. North of Massawa is the white sandy beach of Gergussum. It is a good place to sunbathe or swim. From here it is not far to Emberemi, famous for the mausoleums of Sheikh el Amin and Muhammad Ibn Ali. It is an important pilgrimage site.
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Diver's Tales aims to bring you the extraordinary in dive spots around the world. Experience the special, the mystical off-the-beaten-path places not yet known to everyone. Enjoy!
Our Diver's Tales this month...Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea
Dahlak Islands Lul Resort Hotel - Dahlak Kebir
Eritrea stretches along the Red Sea. To the south it borders Ethiopia, to the southeast Djibouti and to the east Sudan. More than 200 of Eritrea ’s islands belong to the Dahlak archipelago with a great opportunity for scuba diving. Charter yachts are available for hire in Massawa. Only four islands are inhabited, with a total population of just 2,500, who still maintain their traditional lifestyle of fishing and herding goats and camels. Some islands have shores lined with mangrove trees or salt bush. Shoals and submerged coral reefs, a spectacular marine life (dolphins, sharks, dugongs, turtle species, hermit crabs, fish, mollusks or shellfish), shipwrecks and pumice stones formed from submarine volcanos make this part of the Red Sea an unforgettable diving experience.
An important difference with other diving spots in the Red Sea is an unexpected result of the years of war. During the fights, fishery came to a halt and resulted in a spectacular increase of large numbers of fish. A second advantage of this forced isolation is a relative lack of shyness of the fish.
Opposite to the Lul Hotel (Dahlak Kebir) lies the old marine base Nokra, setup by the former USSR and Ethiopia during the war of independence.After the last days of the war the base was abandoned. One of the last actions before the retreat was the destruction of all military and non military hardware and to scuttle patrol boats, ships and the floating dock, that might be of any use to the Eritreans. This vindictive behavior has resulted in an interesting heritage for divers. The two cranes of the former floating dock rise above sea level in the northern channel between Nokra and Dahlak Kebir, while the rest of the wreck is populated by rif fish, a variety of corals and blue and black speckled manta rays. The Russians even left a complete operational officers sauna for 20 persons, which is quite remarkable in one of the hottest regions on earth, which temperatures of over 50°C!
 
Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea
You'd have to have a bit of an adventurous nature to go to this area. The Dahlak Archipelago has been designated as a national park during the Ethiopian rule. Presently you can’t go there alone (and without permission).
During the war of independence a group of Eritrean freedom fighters - under the name Naval Force - carried out diving operations against the Ethiopian armed forces. These freedom fighters today make up the core of Eritrean diving tourism, organized by Eritrean Shipping Lines in Massawa.
Contact the following for accommodation and diving:
Lul Resort Hotel
c/o Eritrean Shipping Lines
phone 120359 (Asmara)
552475 (Massawa)
fax 120331 (Asmara)
Yacht Nobile
c/o Dahlak Hotel
phone 552818
Hans Mebrat gave us the hint on the Dahlak Archipelago and has been there several times, email him for more information.
Air temperatures in winter range from 60°-75°; the water can drop down into the upper 60s, with the coolest temperatures occurring in February. Summer land temperatures slide right up past 100°, with the water temperature rising into the low 80s (take a wetsuit anyway). The hottest month is August. If you are going to do any land exploration, the trade-off for warm water is hot weather. The manta season is from March to June.
Asmara is the only international airport ; from Frankfurt/M and Jeddha with Lufthansa (LH). Flights from Europe and the USA can be booked through Ericommerce International Ltd. Tel: (0171) 372 7242. Fax: (0171) 624 6716. Approximate flight time: From Asmara to London is 7 hours. Asmara Airport (ASM) is about 6km (4 miles) from the city. Buses and taxis are available to the city centre.
From Asmara you can fly or drive to Massawa. The infrastructure of Eritrea was rebuilt entirely. Some roads are again in reconstruction, but finished soon. Roads are pleasant and connect all business centres and holiday resorts. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended on all other roads and tracks. An extension of the existing road system is planned. Traffic drives on the right. Bus services connect all larger towns and cities. Taxis can be found in most of the cities and at the airport. Rental cars can be booked through the Eritrean Tour Service and an International Driving Permit is recommended.
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