Today started off excellently with a seven am alarm with a nine minute snooze and we were still in reception by the 7.45 pickup schedule. However, no one had arrived by 8.15.

Now dive time usually means 15 to 20 minutes late. Half an hour is unusual. So we had reception ring the dive centre. After several calls to different numbers there, it was established that no one was answering the phones, and that another hotel had a guest that was still waiting.

Eventually, at 8.45 the bus turned up full of apologies; a VIP entourage had brought a couple of the streets to an enforced standstill for 45 minutes.

Not being reliant on tides, it didn’t matter too much, and we headed out from a new harbour that is much nearer Tiran than Sharm Old Harbour. Our boat was Ito, and our guide was Islaam. The other guide on the boat was Sharif, a friend of Jill’s from Dahab, and he took the baby divers.

Once again we were with the Swiss boys, Christian and Roman who we met yesterday, but didn’t really get a chance to talk to. And Vladimir, who loves fast currents and got his wish today. Plus we had a family from Dubai, who are mad keen divers.

So again we had a good experienced group, which made our first dive very enjoyable when it so easily could have been a disaster. It was to Jackson reef, the furthest reef that borders the Gulf of Aqaba. The briefing was that we would go against the current to the left, and ride it back to the boat. But when we got in, it was running too fast to go against, so we agreed to ride it as a drift to the right.

After having cleared the new plan with the boat, we went down, and watched the reef pass us by. The current started as quite pleasant and relaxing. We saw a turtle and some of us were able to lock on to a piece of rock to take pictures, while others… didn’t.

Then the current decided to speed up. Quite a lot. We were sitting in the water rather like hanging off a zip-wire as the reef went by faster and faster. Until we came to a very sudden stop. Throughout the ride there were napoleons and eagle rays, a big fat barracuda, a clearfin lionfish sleeping in a hole and a school of elephant nose fish followed us for a way.

The second dive was back to Woodhouse, although we went in the opposite direction to Monday. To my absolute joy we spotted a white pepper moray eel hiding behind some fire coral, there were huge groupers and clams, and a blue-spotted stingray flying across the sea bed.

Having sampled the hotel’s breakfast/lunch boxes, we opted for the boat food. Much better, and better value for money.

The third dive came after letting lunch settle and a spot of sunbathing when a cloud passed by. A cloud! An aberration! Shock, horror! Chris was ecstatic as on the descent he spotted a torpedo ray, which was very, very cute.

We saw everything on this dive; crocodile fish, stonefish, scorpionfish, a giant moray, napoleon and barracuda. There was a suspected octopus sighting, baby fusiliers and I failed to get a picture of a big eye.

Back at the hotel we stopped at the pool bar for a cup of tea and chatted with a couple from the midlands, before heading back for showers.

We decided to partake of the International Buffet this evening, which was divine. Am making note to put the Immodiam in the bathroom as I’m sure this can’t continue…