Biologist Constanze Conrad had her first contact with Reef Check in 1997 in Egypt, when RC coordinator Moshira Hassan and Constanze's future husband Ayman Taher organized the first Reef Check surveys in Safaga and Hurghada. Then in 2001, Constanze, together with Team Scientist Liz Cotterell, organized her first Reef Check as a Team Leader in Marsa Alam in Southern Egypt for 2 weeks and trained 11 volunteers. Since then, she has continued to organize Reef Check surveys each year in the Marsa Alam region, acting both as team leader and team scientist, with an increasing number of reefs, volunteers, and time. In 2004 Constanze also organized RC surveys in Sudan and Dahab (Sinai). She led teams over 7 weeks and trained 78 volunteers, surveying a total of 28 reefs.

The Dahab trip was a special opportunity for the 28 Reef Check volunteers who participated. Volunteer divers from Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Egypt joined the event. Dahab, located on the Sinai Peninsula, is not only known for spectacular dive sites such as “Blue Hole” and “The Canyon”, but also for Bedouins and camels. Besides jeeps and boats, camels were the main transportation for the very enthusiastic Reef Check divers. In total, 10 different dive sites around Dahab, from the northern Ras Abu Ghaloum National Park to the southern Protectorate of Gabr el Bint were surveyed. A big success!

One of the highlights of the trip was a three-day camel diving safari to the most remote dive sites and pristine coral reefs of the National Park Ras Abu Ghaloum. The park is managed by EEAA (Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency) and is famous for its untouched reefs, as well as its 12 endemic plants. The group was welcomed and hosted by Bedouin chief Sheikh Ahmed and his family and experienced real Egyptian Bedouin hospitality. Other excursions included two boat trips to the Protectorate Gabr el Bint, south of Dahab. This place can only be reached by boat or camel. The Reef Check team got special permission from the Egyptian coast guard to visit these isolated reefs.

All volunteers who participate with Constanze are recreational divers and pay normal fees for their diving (with a discount for RC dives at Blue Heaven Holidays). Many of them have been returning to participate in RC surveys for three years in a row now. For 2005, Constanze has already scheduled 6 weeks of surveys in Marsa Alam and another trip to Dahab, with more in preparation- among these is a Reef Check Safari to the St. Johns reefs in August.

Find out more about Constanze's activities and all upcoming dates at www.blueheavenholidays.com and the RC Europe homepage (www.riffe.de /reefcheck/new_en.shtml). You can also contact Constanze directly at reefcheck@blueheavenholidays.com. Thank you to Georg Heiss and Constanze Conrad for their contributions to this section.