Diving in Dschibuti: My first wreck

Veröffentlicht: 15. Juli 2022, 16:06 Uhr

Aktualisiert: 09. Juni 2025, 22:52 Uhr

Von: wom87

diving in jibuti is not on many wishlists, but as we experience on our trip to the country, it can even be better than Mauritius or Tahiti

jibuti, it is said that the duba of the horn. His port location and peaceful nature in an otherwise restless region have made it a first -class location for foreign interest. The country houses Africa's largest base in the US Army and France's greatest commitment to the Foreign Legion. China, Japan, Italy, Germany and Spain also stationed soldiers there.

The military presence has brought Dschibuti a good reputation for security, but also created a rather unpleasant ambience. It is less "hedonistic playground" and more "nice fun". There are no bikinis and heels on the streets such as in Miami or happy drunk like in Dubai. Even taking pictures of a public building could lead to a complaint - as Peter happened on the second day.

Nevertheless, Jibuti feels exciting because it is largely undetected. The world-class televisions include LAC Assal, the LAC Abbé and Walhaie as well as excellent diving opportunities. With calm, warm water and a variety of underwater joys, the Gulf of Tadjoura in Dschibuti is particularly suitable for underwater activities.

alt = “The Gulf of Tadjoura is ideal for diving in jibuti”> Atlas & Boots The Gulf of Tadjoura offers excellent diving in Jibuti

I was excited (and nervous) because of my very first wreck dive: Orchard Reefer, a huge 135 m long cargo ship at a depth of 10 m to 28 m. The ship sank in 1975 after an explosion in the machine room. Today it is located on its port side near the island of Moucha, 9 km from Dschibuti-City.

We had hoped to be able to dive on a wreck in Trou Aux Biches a few months earlier in Trou Aux Biches, but the conditions were not quite right. Peter has been particularly enthusiastic since he dipped the juno wreck, a small ship in Samoa. The prospect of exploring a real wreck let both of them hum with joy.

Our arrangements were pretty short -term, so we were happy when Dolphin Excursions succeeded in arranging a dive in good time. We met our divemaster, an Australian named Sarah, and her trainee Kelly in the early morning at the Port de Pêche (fish market and harbor), 2 km from the city center. Chris joined us, a building contractor who is stationed at the base of the US Army. We neither asked, nor did he voluntarily report what kind of contracts he does.

alt = “Dolphin excursions organized a last minute dive in jibuti”> Atlas & boots dolphin excursions arranged our last minute dive

Sarah informed us about the dive and calmed me down with her friendly, professional manner. In view of the warm water temperature, we would dive in jibuti without wetsuits. This helped immensely because half the battle of the diving is to get into these damned things.

I grabbed weights worth 4 kg and strapped me around my hip while I was considering whether I should take one more or not. Blessed with a fairly "floating" butt, I often need more weights than you would suspect due to my size. I decided to stay with the four and put on my BCD and my bottle.

I decided to roll backwards into the water instead of assembling my equipment in the sea. I am not a water guide, so it is never my first choice to maneuver a heavy canister on my back in the water. We took a few seconds to carry out our controls before we started relegation.

alt = “When diving in jibuti we make it comfortable in the water”> feel comfortable in the water

After a short break, I found that I couldn't get off. This damned butt. Fortunately, Sarah had brought additional weights and put one in my pocket. Later, when my tank was empty, she would have to give me one more.

I joined the group and we started seriously with our dive. We approached the Orchard Reefer, a ship that is so large that you can hardly see that you swim along a deck and not on a natural wall littered with seapox.

alt = “slide through a tear in the Orchard Reefer in Dschibuti”> through a tear in the Orchard Reefer

When we slid there, we came to a crack in the deck that drilled directly through the fuselage. Drawn of age and decay, the crack was a few meters wide. Sarah slipped through and I followed, completely stunned.

Treaded ropes fanned out like tentacles, while huge metal sheets groaned under rust and corals and tensioned. Groups of bat fishing watched us curiously, while glass fish and snapper danced past. It really felt like it from another world.

After plenty of time to explore we crossed the fuselage and appeared through the gap on the other side. Then we circled back to the rear and prepared for the climb.

Soon we appeared, enthusiastic and victorious. Our experience in diving in Dschibuti was just as special as that in Mauritius. The view was not quite the same, but the experience itself was one of our best under water.

Before our second dive we took a lunch break, this time on the Masakali reef, where we saw further bat fish, a friendly red fire fish and even a large ray that swept across the sea floor.

alt = “A ray stripes over the sea floor in Dschibuti”> Atlas & Boots A beam sweeps over the sea floor

The sea life was impressive, but I remember that I dipped in jibuti after the wreck. After I swim through tunnels in Blue Bay, Mauritius and now have a wreck in my luggage, I finally feel safer under water.

The problem when diving is, of course, that it is time to go home as soon as you have made yourself comfortable and you will probably not dive for another six months. Perhaps it is better because we don't get complacent. Not that I could imagine ever being under water. I've been diving for three years now and I am always impressed and enthusiastic. I doubt that this feeling will ever disappear.

diving in jibuti: the essentials

what: diving in jibuti, including the wreck of Orchard Reefer and the Masakali reef.

Where: We stayed in the Hotel Residence de L’Or was a mid -range hotel in the center of the city. The rooms are large and functional with excellent WiFi and view of the Menelik-Platz. (Ask for a non -smoking room if you don't smoke.)

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Atlas & Boots

The reception is occupied with English -language staff who is friendly and helpful, not least Mustafa, who radiates the Dschibutic charm (if he says Hakuna, Matata is said).

The residence is near restaurants, shops and amenities, including Pizzaiolo down the street, which makes a great pizza with blue cheese - but be warned that the prices for food and accommodation in Dschibuti are high, so adapt your expectations accordingly.

Overall, the Residence de l’Or was a comfortable starting point to start our journey.

When: The best time for a visit to Dschibuti is November to January when Walhaie pays off your annual visit and the weather is cooler. The low season from October and February to April is also a good time to dive. May-September is extremely hot.

like: We were diving with Dolphin Excursions in Dschibuti. Our divemaster, Sarah, was excellent. In fact, she was one of the most professional divemaster we dipped. We felt comprehensively braided and absolutely convinced to be in good hands. Book your dives via Mathew: divedjibouti.com, info@divedjibouti.com.

jibuti is a small country, which means that it is pretty easy to move. Taxis from the airport require fixed driving prices to hotels in the city (approx. 2,000 DJF / $ 11). Check the board outside the airport to ensure that you are not calculated too high. Some hotels offer free shuttles, so inquire beforehand.

Book international flights via skyscanner.net at the best prices.

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lonely planet Ethiopia & Dschibuti is a useful travel guide for jibuti, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take the less busy road.