It had been our plan since our trip to the Al Fahad a few weeks ago, to return and have lunch with Ibrahim and Mohammed, our new Sudani friends. We had hoped that we may have met them before, in Jeddah, as they had expected to get some time on land, to come and deal with their affairs. As it turned out, the call never came, and we wondered if our chance for a second visit would happen or not.
We had spoken with several friends about joining us, but through a sequence of different events, in the end, it turned out to just be myself and Ali.
This time, we also went prepared, with Ali's GoPro, and in the absence of a decent underwater camera, we took a pouch that will keep a mobile phone dry while in the water. We were set for the return voyage.
As we placed our heads beneath the water we were, as usual, astounded by the incredible amount of life just under the surface. Tiny fish teamed about us, and dotted all around were the strange, black sea cucumbers. We paddled out until we came to an area where the coral had risen up and formed a natural barrier from the open water. We removed our fins and waded through the narrow strip of seaweed to the point where the waves broke over the edge of the reef.
It is at this point that we always get the best treat. Putting on our fins again, with our masks over our faces, and occasionally being knocked beneath the waves, we would catch random glimpses of the life below the water line, on the edge of the reef. The colours were astounding. It sat there like an underwater garden, literally teaming with life. Once again, I wished we had brought our diving gear as there is so much to be seen here. Our mission however, was to go for lunch.
I did hope that perhaps a sea turtle might come and join us, or we might catch a glimpse of a shark or dolphin. This time, I was to be disappointed again, but at least it meant we could continue onwards quickly towards the boat.
We swam outwards, and watched the reef sink away beneath us as we reached the open water. The seabed below us became a blurry yellow, where we would occasionally make out indistinct shapes darting around. We stopped occasionally to stick our heads above the water to ensure we weren't thrown off track by the current.
As we got closer to the ship, another reef appeared. We began to see schools of silver fish darting around in front of us. They were later to entertain us as we sat and drank our tea and watched as they broke the surface of the water. We glanced up and saw the guys, giving them a wave before swimming towards the gaping side of the ship, where we had our own, personal barnacle clad, jetty. It was quite difficult to berth there as the water threw me back and forwards quite forcefully, and there was no way that I wanted to be going home with a chest covered in scratches from the barnacles, so I tried to work with the waves and allowed them to push me as I used my hands to keep my front off the surface, until I ran aground and spun over to sit.
I'm certain I felt a tiny pinch on my bottom as I did this, but there was no evidence of a squashed crab as I looked to inspect.
Ali got himself aboard also, and we then began to explore, though this time we had much more fun with the cameras as we photographed the funny angles we seemed to be standing at. The rust also helped to create some quite interesting shots in itself. So we gradually made our way up to meet our friends.
It turns out that the Al Fahad was built in 1966, in Holland, for a British Company, 'Townsend Brothers Ferries', which became 'European Ferries' operating as 'Townsend Thoresen' in 1968. I had secretly hoped it had been a Clydebuilt ship. There is a wreck near Yanbu, called the Iona which I can find little information about, and I haven't yet dived. I always wonder if it may be a Clydebuilt ship. Hopefully I will dive it soon and learn more.
It seems that the boat was initially known as the 'Free Enterprise III' but was renamed when bought by The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, when it became known as 'Mona's Isle VI'. It covered Dover - Calais routes as well as Dover - Zeebrugge. This was followed by Cairnryan - Larne, Portsmouth - Cherbourg, Heysham - Douglas.
In 1986, Mona's Isle VI was bought by Egyptian owners and renamed the 'Al Fahad'
It is quite difficult to move on the boat as it's tilt is quite extreme, however Ibrahim met us as we approached the end of the dark, unlit corridor. He kindly took our fins, and Ali's mask. It was only as I looked at the photographs afterwards that I spent the journey upstairs to their living area with the mask on my forehead. He moved so nimbly around, well exercised in walking on such a tilted surface. It isn't the tilt so much as the angle of the walls, and the often smooth, laminated floors. The dizzy feeling caused by the strange angle, combined with wet boots on linoleum means that it is very easy to fall. The guys can literally run around the ship however.
We laid down our things at the area where we had first seen our friends staring down at us as we snorkelled past a few weeks ago. It is still amusing to think of the fright that I got, and to remember my thoughts of it being a ghost ship. Now, we sat there comfortably, as Ali chatted away, asking questions and translating mine. Sometimes chatting with a translator can be frustrating, but this was just fascinating. The guys were friendly and interesting and were keen to learn more of us also.
It turns out that both of the guys come from the same town in Sudan. They have invited us there once they return. They had been supposed to visit Jeddah in the previous week, but their boss had been ill and was unable to collect them. At this point, they were unsure if they would be able to return to Sudan when planned. They were nearing the end of their tenure and were keen to return to their families.
As we sipped our tea, we watched the cockroaches milling around our feet. These of course had been on board the ship since the day that the ship launched, but they had had a very long time unhindered, to multiply, and although we hadn't noticed them on our first visit, we noticed they were a very real feature of live onboard this sad vessel.
We were curious to know what brought these guys to be living on a shipwreck off the coast of Jeddah. Apparently the guys both have degrees, one in Economics and the other in Electrical Engineering. They had struggled so long to find work back in Sudan, due to the political situation there, that when this job became available, they jumped at the opportunity. It is humbling to think about how difficult things must be for someone that they would be forced to take a job like this to survive. While I suppose their daily life isn't entirely stressful, they are surrounded by cockroaches and pigeons and live on a crumbling iron hulk, and are not allowed to go on land for the majority of the time. It certainly brings some perspective, and shows how differently life can turn out for someone, purely based upon their country of birth.
They are from North Sudan. They tell us that most North Sudanis are closer to Arabs in their appearance and are mostly Muslim. We asked about why Ibrahim was so dark, however it seems that while most are ligter in skin, there is still a large mix and that to differentiate between colours Ibrahim would be known as 'green'. It amused us to see how they differentiated between skin tones, but when asked whether there was any kind of segregation or abuse associated with being a particular colour, they said that there was not. Ibrahim even showed me a photograph of himself and his class who had completed a 'River Safety' course with the British Council, before coming over. I pointed to one of the guys who I assumed may have been involved in running the course, a long haired, very European looking man. It turned out that he, himself, was also Sudani. It never occurred to me that this part of Africa would also have a white population.
We took another tour of the ship while we waited on lunch being prepared. They had told us that after they had spoken to Ali that morning, they had checked their nets to find two large fish waiting there. One was Najil, a popular fish in Jeddah.
This time we worked our way down, passing a sign that demonstrated information on preparation and ablutions for Umra. We then descended a steep staircase (made even steeper by the angle of the boat, until we reached a lower deck, and worked our way along the side of the ship. We found our way into a dining room area with long tables laid out and attached to the floor and through to the other end of the ship before wandering back up to our friends.
When we saw our meal we were astounded. It was reminiscent of going to a grandparent's house as they had clearly pulled out the best tablecloth which looked like a fluorescent orange blanket. They had levelled out a section of the deck with some sheets of plywood, to be able to create a level surface to sit a table and chairs on.There was a delicious looking salad and some Saudi bread, and in the centre of the table was a huge plate of grilled fish and kabsa (Saudi style rice). Along side all this was a plate with some strawberry jam and halva (an arabic sweet made from tahini which is a tasty sesame butter).
The fish was cooked to perfection and was even seasoned. We ate there using our hands and the bread to pick up our food. I had to make sure to use my right hand only as in Muslim culture, this is the hand used for eating.
After eating we retired to the other side of the ship for tea. They used an interesting root to flavour the tea. It provided a unique flavour and was very tasty. After this, they took us on a tour.
First of all we popped right down to the bottom of the ship where we stood above the garage which was now filled with water. We stood there, right on the water level and watched as the waves crashed against the side of the boat, and peered through the holes in the floor at the slate blue water below.
There are no cars on the boat as apparently she developed engine trouble in 2004, and was anchored in Saudi waters where she now sits. It was reported that she was later found partially submerged, so how, exactly, she came to be resting on top of this reef is still unclear.
Another source states that she was wrecked in 1998. I guess that local accounts may give a clearer idea of how long she has been there. However, from the sea level, we worked our way along the westerly side of the ship, up to the bridge. When we got there we found that some of the important instruments, such as the compass, were missing, however we looked around and found the periscope, sadly, covered in grime from above, therefore showing nothing of any significance, and a control desk with an old Bakelite telephone, and a microphone. Beside this were several maps and a newspaper. This is where thinks get confusing, because the newspaper was a copy of the Egyptian Gazette, an English language newspaper dated Sunday 30th April 1995. It seems odd that a boat, abandoned in either 2004, or 1998, would have a newspaper left sitting on the counter, dated in 1995. I suppose there will have been many people who will have come and gone from the wreck in the intervening years, but if anything, you would have expected them to take the newspaper instead of leave one sitting out on the counter, apparently untouched.
We continued on the the rear end of the boat to find a ladder leading us up one of the towers. It contained a mast that had long since lost it's own ladder so we couldn't climb any further, but it gave us a good view down over an open space of deck at the rear end of the ship, and as we turned around we also saw, on the mast at the other end, near the crow's next I assume, what looked like some kind of bird of prey. It is hard to make out what it is from the resolution, but looks like it may be some kind of kestrel.
We headed back down from here and back to the dining area where we passed round and they led us to the area where they sleep. It was strange to see two beds perched up at such an odd angle, but of course this was merely to make it possible to sleep in them without dropping off into the sea. There was a large are where, once again, they had levelled out a floor to provide an area to sit and while away the long, dark evenings, listening to the radio.
It had been our intention to return to the water and snorkel round the boat, but as we made this suggestion the guys reminded us that sunset was near once again, and that if we wanted to make it to land safely, we really needed to head straight back. It was a disappointing thought, as I would love to see around the reef. Occasionally the area round the wreck is visited by dolphins, and there is also a small shark that visits now and again. To be able to see these would be a dream come true, however we had a great time visiting with our friends and will simply have to return again to visit.
So there are still a number of mysteries associated with this ship. It is an interesting tale, to find that the ship has sailed on routes between the UK and parts of Europe, but what exactly its role was in Saudi, and Egypt still remains a mystery. Ibrahim and Mohammed tell us that it was used to ferry people from Sudan to Jeddah on their way to Makkah. There are certainly posters on display to suggest it was used for pilgrimage Searches online however, suggest that it was sailed between Suez and Jeddah, down the Suez Canal. This could also have been involved in pilgrimage I suppose. The greatest mystery for me however, is why an Egyptian owned boat is allowed to be abandoned in Saudi waters to disintegrate, and still, why they are allowed to have people living aboard these vessels in such inhospitable conditions.
I'm not complaining however. It has made a great story for me to tell, and had brought me some new, and unexpected friends.
So as we swam back to shore, we made a point of stopping and catching a glimpse of this mysterious ship, as it looked quite majestic, silhouetted against the sunset, hiding the years of battering by the waves, the only clue to its situation being the strange angle at which it sat.
Watch Ali's video of our adventure here:
http://youtu.be/Oxa2gu-3r_8
Some of my sources for the historical details:
That morning, Ali texted to say we would be going, and Mohammed called back. They were excited about our coming, and amazingly, even asked how we liked our fish cooked.
I don't know how to describe how we felt as we drove the hour and a half's journey down. It isn't often one attends a lunch invitation aboard a shipwreck, so there was a real sense of excitement to see the guys and find out more about them, as well as uncertainty as to what to expect of our meal.
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| Approaching the Al Fahad |
The guys told us that the Al Fahad had been a passenger ferry to Jeddah, bringing pilgrims from Sudan for Hajj and Umra. On board are many life jackets however, providing much nesting material for the pigeons who have made it their home. It is difficult to know therefore, on first impressions, whether the ship was purposefully grounded, or whether it was a genuine accident. Whatever it was, it seems that the lifejackets and lifeboats were left intact. We wondered if perhaps the proximity to the shore meant that these things were not required.
We climbed down over the ancient coral edge of the land that must, at one point have been under water, but now formed a low cliff, about the height of a man, and in some placed cantilevered out over the water. We found an area where there was a broken off piece that we could use as a step down. You don't really want to be sliding off this, as, unlike rock near the shore, it is very sharp, and a wrong move will result in a nasty scratch or graze.
As we walked over the coral shore we were conscious of the damage we may cause, so snorkelled as much as we could, and when we walked, we followed each others' footsteps. It is pretty impossible to reach the sea proper on many parts of the Red Sea shoreline. Many of the private beaches actually dig out a swimming area and fill it with sand for bathers. You certainly can't walk out over the shallows without a pair of hard soled diving boots.
As we walked over the coral shore we were conscious of the damage we may cause, so snorkelled as much as we could, and when we walked, we followed each others' footsteps. It is pretty impossible to reach the sea proper on many parts of the Red Sea shoreline. Many of the private beaches actually dig out a swimming area and fill it with sand for bathers. You certainly can't walk out over the shallows without a pair of hard soled diving boots.
It is at this point that we always get the best treat. Putting on our fins again, with our masks over our faces, and occasionally being knocked beneath the waves, we would catch random glimpses of the life below the water line, on the edge of the reef. The colours were astounding. It sat there like an underwater garden, literally teaming with life. Once again, I wished we had brought our diving gear as there is so much to be seen here. Our mission however, was to go for lunch.
I did hope that perhaps a sea turtle might come and join us, or we might catch a glimpse of a shark or dolphin. This time, I was to be disappointed again, but at least it meant we could continue onwards quickly towards the boat.
We swam outwards, and watched the reef sink away beneath us as we reached the open water. The seabed below us became a blurry yellow, where we would occasionally make out indistinct shapes darting around. We stopped occasionally to stick our heads above the water to ensure we weren't thrown off track by the current.
I'm certain I felt a tiny pinch on my bottom as I did this, but there was no evidence of a squashed crab as I looked to inspect.
It turns out that the Al Fahad was built in 1966, in Holland, for a British Company, 'Townsend Brothers Ferries', which became 'European Ferries' operating as 'Townsend Thoresen' in 1968. I had secretly hoped it had been a Clydebuilt ship. There is a wreck near Yanbu, called the Iona which I can find little information about, and I haven't yet dived. I always wonder if it may be a Clydebuilt ship. Hopefully I will dive it soon and learn more.
It seems that the boat was initially known as the 'Free Enterprise III' but was renamed when bought by The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, when it became known as 'Mona's Isle VI'. It covered Dover - Calais routes as well as Dover - Zeebrugge. This was followed by Cairnryan - Larne, Portsmouth - Cherbourg, Heysham - Douglas.
In 1986, Mona's Isle VI was bought by Egyptian owners and renamed the 'Al Fahad'
We laid down our things at the area where we had first seen our friends staring down at us as we snorkelled past a few weeks ago. It is still amusing to think of the fright that I got, and to remember my thoughts of it being a ghost ship. Now, we sat there comfortably, as Ali chatted away, asking questions and translating mine. Sometimes chatting with a translator can be frustrating, but this was just fascinating. The guys were friendly and interesting and were keen to learn more of us also.
It turns out that both of the guys come from the same town in Sudan. They have invited us there once they return. They had been supposed to visit Jeddah in the previous week, but their boss had been ill and was unable to collect them. At this point, they were unsure if they would be able to return to Sudan when planned. They were nearing the end of their tenure and were keen to return to their families.
As we sipped our tea, we watched the cockroaches milling around our feet. These of course had been on board the ship since the day that the ship launched, but they had had a very long time unhindered, to multiply, and although we hadn't noticed them on our first visit, we noticed they were a very real feature of live onboard this sad vessel.
We took another tour of the ship while we waited on lunch being prepared. They had told us that after they had spoken to Ali that morning, they had checked their nets to find two large fish waiting there. One was Najil, a popular fish in Jeddah.
After eating we retired to the other side of the ship for tea. They used an interesting root to flavour the tea. It provided a unique flavour and was very tasty. After this, they took us on a tour.
There are no cars on the boat as apparently she developed engine trouble in 2004, and was anchored in Saudi waters where she now sits. It was reported that she was later found partially submerged, so how, exactly, she came to be resting on top of this reef is still unclear.
It had been our intention to return to the water and snorkel round the boat, but as we made this suggestion the guys reminded us that sunset was near once again, and that if we wanted to make it to land safely, we really needed to head straight back. It was a disappointing thought, as I would love to see around the reef. Occasionally the area round the wreck is visited by dolphins, and there is also a small shark that visits now and again. To be able to see these would be a dream come true, however we had a great time visiting with our friends and will simply have to return again to visit.
I'm not complaining however. It has made a great story for me to tell, and had brought me some new, and unexpected friends.
Watch Ali's video of our adventure here:
http://youtu.be/Oxa2gu-3r_8
Some of my sources for the historical details:
Worked on the FE3 (Al fahad) as my first job when I left school in 1979, as a 'Galley boy' cooking crew meals. I left in November that year, most of the crew transferred to new Townsend Thoresen ship 'Pride of Free Enterprise', and more than a few were then tragically killed when she capsized out of Zeebrugge. Sailed Dover Calais and Dover Zeebrugge. Many happy memories. Was working temporary in Jeddah in 2004, but couldn't arrange my own little pilgrimage to her in time before leaving KSA. John Wilkinson. wilkinsonjc@hotmail.com
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