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Comparing Diving in the Red Sea with Diving in the Canary Islands

Diving in the Canary Islands

The first surprise is that both the Canaries and Red Sea Resorts are both as far South!. Two popular diving destinations, Sharm-el-Sheik in Egypt and Arinaga in Gran Canaria both sit at Latitude 27.85º. Yet because of the geography surrounding both, the Canaries have a slightly cooler sub-tropical climate, while the Red-Sea has a warmer Tropical climate. In summer the difference in water temperature is significant with temperatures in up to 30ºC in the water in the Red Sea, while the Canaries reach a peak of about 24ºC; however in winter the difference is much less, with the Red Sea cooling to low 20's while the Canaries, warmed by the Gulf stream in the Atlantic, only drop to around 18ºC.

Secondly, many people think that as the Canaries are 'in the Atlantic' that they suffer from the same sort of stormy weather, icebergs and cold water that could be used as a backdrop for a remake of 'Titanic'. The reality is that weather conditions are very stable in the Canaries, with high pressure from the 'Azores High' for much of the year and steady trade winds in summer. Just like the Red Sea, the Canaries can have odd stormy days, but if you look at our history of Diving Conditions in Arinaga you will see that we dive nearly every day of the year and there is almost always something special to see.

The Canaries have always been renown for their sunshine, and even in winter there will be the chance to top up the tan on the non-diving days. If however you are prone to heat exhaustion, or burn easily, then the summer temperatures in the Canaries may be a lot more comfortable for you. Surface temperatures in Egypt can reach over 45ºC in summer, while in the Canaries a temperature of around 35ºC is more common, with the trade winds cooling the air in the Canaries in summer. Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria is rated as having one of the world's best 'City' climates - not too hot in summer yet comfortably warm in winter.

This difference is enough to encourage prolific coral growth in the Red Sea, while in the Canaries there is almost no coral. The corals in turn attract a myriad of colourful and diverse marine species, so yes, the Red Sea has more life, more colour and more variety. Yet the diving conditions can be very similar, with good water clarity for most of the year in both areas. And if the Canary Islands lack the variety of Egypt, there are many species common to both areas, including damselfish, parrotfish, wrasse, lizardfish, goatfish, pufferfish, barracudas and moray eels to be found in abundance here in the Canaries.

This difference in sea-bed constitution means that most Red Sea coral sites lack some of the dramatic rock formations that can be a major attraction to diving in the Canaries. The volcanic rock has been eroded in many of our dive sites to create caves, swim-throughs and spectacular underwater arches, carved by the waves when sea levels were lower during the last ice-age. And if you like the dark it is probably easier to organise a night dive in the Canaries, as our experience was that these were prohibited in some areas of the Red Sea because of 'Security Restrictions'.

If you are bringing your camera to take underwater photos then there are plenty of colourful subjects, such as cleaner shrimps, tiger morays, glasseyes, parrotfish, damselfish and wrasse. Browse through some of the photos in our gallery of photos from the El Cabrón Marine Reserve and you may be surprised by the variety and colours you find here.

The Canaries are also a good place to see bigger species, such as angel sharks and rays. There are five more common species of rays (common, round, electric, eagle and butterfly ray) and occasional visits from rough-tailed, and bull rays and skate.

Another misconception is that diving in the Canaries is a bit like the Mediterranean. Fortunately this is not the case, as the Canaries have not suffered from the over-fishing of the Mediterranean, and are much warmer all year round than the Med. Diving in one of the high-energy dive sites of the Canaries such as the El Cabrón Marine Reserve in Arinaga is a very different experience to some of the relatively lifeless areas in the Mediterranean.

Finally, if you are into wreck diving rather than reef, then Las Palmas in Gran Canaria has one of the best collections of diveable wrecks in the Atlantic. "The wrecks here are bigger and better than most Red Sea wrecks" is what one photo-journalist said when he did his first dive on the Arona outside Las Palmas.

So where are the best places to dive in the Canaries?

• El Hierro is one of the top locations, but it is also one of the most difficult to get to especially from Northern Europe. You have to fly to Tenerife then get a ferry to the Island.
• The El Cabrón Marine Reserve in Arinaga, Gran Canaria is one hot-spot that is easy to get to, where you can regularly and safely see angel sharks in winter, as Gran Canaria has plenty of flights and lots of accommodation options.
• Los Gigantes in Tenerife is famous for the stingrays, which some of the dive centres feed by hand
• Las Palmas on Gran Canaria has the biggest wrecks, including the Kalais, Arona and Frigorifica, and the 'Catedral' is a dive into huge underwater caverns that should not be missed.
• Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote has several wrecks close to the harbour.

PADI Training courses in the Canary Islands

When it comes to diver training, there is little to choose in terms of facilities and structure between the Canary Islands and the Red Sea. Both have long established, professional training Schools, which are regulated by their governments to achieve high standards of safe training. There are schools which cover PADI, BSAC, CMAS, ACUC and several other training brands throughout the Canaries. Particularly for those looking to fit in a course quickly, the ability to vary flight days can mean that you do not need to spend a full week away to get a qualification that is done in two or three days. Diving hot-spots such as the El Cabrón Marine Reserve make an excellent place to take courses such as the PADI Open Water Course because you get to see lots of interesting marine life such as cuttlefish, arrowhead crabs, octopus, trumpetfish, parrotfish, damselfish, wrasse and much more on all the training dives. We run courses all year round in the El Cabrón Marine Reserve so there are no restrictions on when you can do your course.

Comparing Egyptian and Spanish Infrastructure

If the Red Sea has a better developed marine ecosystem, then the Canaries have a much better developed infrastructure for tourists. The Canaries are a modern, western country with a stable economy and government, and they have created an open and accessible tourist economy with a wide range of family and adventure options. There is a wide range of accommodation in the canaries from simple apartments to five star luxury. In contrast, some travellers may feel constrained by the security, religious and cultural differences in Egypt. For families in particular, with a mix of diving and non-diving members, the Spanish Canary Islands offers options such as theme parks, carnivals, concerts, unrestricted travel, car hire and diversity which are more difficult to find in Egypt.

One of the other strange similarities between the Canaries and Egypt is the ancient process of mummification, and the ancient pyramids on Tenerife. If you have not heard of the 'Guanche' people who inhabited the Canaries before they were conquered by the Spanish, then you need to visit the amazing archeological exhibition at the 'Cuevas Pintadas' in Galdar in the North of Gran Canaria, or the reconstructed village at Mundo Aboriginal near Playa del Ingles.

For some travellers, food and drink are a key factor, and our personal experience is that food standards are much higher in Spain. Those who are predisposed to stomach upsets may be put off Egypt by stories of 'the Pharoahs revenge'. If you enjoy an alcoholic drink then remember that alcohol is only available to tourists in their hotels in Egypt, and the range and choice is less than found in Spain.

Summary

As we said before, both the Red Sea and the Canaries offer different alternatives which may suit individuals at different times. The Canaries have much more variety of diving than the Mediterranean, as well as warmer seas. If you are worried by the political uncertainties or heavy security in Egypt, or looking for a short 'winter sun' break with a couple of days diving, or perhaps a family holiday where diving is just part of the mix, then the Canary Islands have many advantages, while If you are a single diver or buddy pair looking for a dedicated diving holiday then the Red Sea should still be one of the destinations you look at.

When you take into account the ease and frequency of flights to the Canaries; low-cost flights from Ryanair and others; Euro pricing and currency and good technology support and infrastructure; then the Canaries can make a great place for a 'long diving weekend' or mixed activity trip.

If you want any more information then please do not hesitate to contact us using any of our normal systems.

Other pages which may be useful

• The El Cabrón Marine Reserve
• Sharks in Gran Canaria
• More about Gran Canaria
• Where to stay
• PADI diving with Davy Jones Diving
• Virtual tour of the dive centre
• General FAQ for diving with us