It was the first time I felt a true โdiverโs highโ, and no, I donโt mean narcosis. I mean the kind of calm euphoria that hits after two deeply peaceful, successful dives. I remember sitting in the back of the truck on the way back to the dive shop, filled with happiness and that grounded buzz you only get after time underwater.
That day, we had two dives planned: the Canyon and Dahabโs infamous Blue Hole. Visibility was excellent on both dives, typical for Dahab. The current was mild, and water temperature hovered around 24ยฐC/75ยฐF, which made for smooth, comfortable diving.
While the Blue Hole was an excellent dive and, indeed, a giant blue hole filled with freedivers, it felt like a box-checking experience. The Dahab Canyon dive site, on the other hand, was something I connected with emotionally.
First Descent into the Canyon
We geared up at the shoreline and waded into a shallow lagoon. After putting on our masks and fins, we took a short swim out into a coral garden. Around 17 meters down, tiny silvery air bubbles marked the entrance to the Canyon. One by one, we slowly dropped into the crevice, like we were in a real-life Mission: Impossible sequence.
The Canyon stretches deep into the seafloor, a long vertical crack in the Red Sea that reaches to a depth of 54 meters. We couldnโt go that deep. Instead, we entered the main chamber at 30 meters and hovered there, drifting through filtered light, peeking through coral-framed windows, and watching a group of snappers quietly huddle in a corner.
Then I looked up and everything stopped.
Through perfect visibility, I could see the surface. The water was shifting gently overhead, light refracting like waves on glass. I stayed there, breathing slowly, just watching. That moment of stillness, surrounded by rock, reef, and deep blue, felt surreal. I was 30 meters down and fully at peace.
We eventually ascended in a slow line, exiting the Canyon and circling back along the coral wall to the lagoon for our safety stop. We hadnโt swum the full Canyon, its depths exceeded recreational limits, but after that dive, thatโs all I wanted to do.
Why I Pursued the Deep Diver Specialty
Back at the dive shop, Sly Dive, I signed up for PADIโs Deep Diver course. Partly thanks to some enthusiastic encouragement from the staff, and partly because I knew I was ready to go deeper, both physically and mentally.
I completed the eLearning in one day, eager to start. Our first two training dives were at nearby sites, where we practiced gear redundancy, proper descent rates, and awareness of narcosis symptoms. I had reached 40 meters before on dives, but this was the first time I felt prepared.
Swimming Through the Canyon
The final training dive took us back to the Canyon. But this time, we were going through it.
We waded in at the same shoreline. Our instructor led a much slower descent, almost painfully slow, down past the coral garden. It took nearly 20 minutes just to reach the Canyonโs mouth, but it was a powerful lesson in patience, buoyancy, and air conservation. I still had about 170โ180 bar left before we even entered the Canyon.
As before, the tiny air bubbles welcomed us in. We descended into the main chamber, then continued into the deeper crack that threads along the sandy bottom. We reached 40 meters. It was dark, the light minimal, and we moved in a single file through the narrow crevice. Calm, aware, and fully immersed.
I looked up through the slit in the rock and saw the water again, still moving above us. Fish were swimming by as I noticed several soft corals happily living on the canyon walls. And again, I felt that wave of quiet joy. This wasnโt adrenaline, it was flow.
Why Dahabโs Canyon is My Favorite Dive Site
I went diving through the Canyon one more time before leaving Dahab. The feeling didnโt fade. That quiet, humbling connection to the water stayed with me.
The Canyon isnโt just my favorite dive site in Dahab, itโs one of my favorites anywhere. Itโs not the deepest or most technical, but itโs where I first understood what it means to be fully present underwater. To move with the water, not through it. To find peace at depth.
If you ever get the chance to dive in Dahab, make sure you visit the Canyon dive site, and if you can, swim through it. It might just change how you dive, too.
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