Scenes from the Red Sea

Some friends in Asmara have teased me for focusing on snorkeling in my previous post about our trip to the Dahlak Islands rather than telling the story that automatically comes to mind when any of us says "The Islands." And I'm sorry to report, I have no intention of telling that story today. There are certain things about my life that I would prefer not to share with the world.

Instead, I thought I'd share some underwater photos from our stay on the island of Dissei, which I just got developed (they were taken on a disposable underwater camera).



According to my guidebook, Dissei is better for diving than snorkeling. Nevertheless, I felt like I had plenty to see as a snorkeler. Whether I was able to catch a fraction of that beauty in photos is open to debate. Personally, I don't think these pictures do the reef justice, but they are a good reminder.



In any case, as I understand it, the many years of warfare in Eritrea were actually a blessing in disguise for the Eritrean coastline. Where other habitats in the Red Sea have been severely decimated, the Eritrean coast and islands remain largely untouched. Hopefully, it can stay that way, but you never know. According to this book I read before heading to Eritrea, people living in the highlands historically have not eaten fish and had no idea how to cook and eat it. But after independence, the government promoted fish eating in the interior of the country because there was such an abundance in the sea. When I arrived in Eritrea, fish was on the menu of virtually every restaurant in Asmara. So, I'm not sure what that will mean in the long run for the Red Sea's fish population.

It's been years since the last time I did nothing for 2 months straight. But that is exactly what I'm up to right now. Since I returned to the US in mid-May, I have been doing virtually nothing. Sure, I've taken road trips to various destinations in northern California, attended my sister's graduation in Davis, and gone to the optometrist more times than I'd care to count. But really, I've done little more than catch up on bad television and give presentations about my 7 months in Eritrea.

In fact, I haven't even done much to get out and re-see this end of the earth; the end behind the redwood curtain. As it turns out, what it took to get me out on a hike around was having my friend Callie come home for a week.



In any case, since I've spent the last several months talking about how remote and unique Eritrea is, I thought it was only fair to share a few photos of my own remote corner of the universe. Humboldt County is, in its own way, the end of the earth. And I think that's what brings people here. Unlike much of California, this part of the state is not yet overrun with people and suburban sprawl. Just 200 miles north of San Francisco, Southern Humboldt County is a world away.



For those who haven't heard yet, my next destination is the Sudan. But more on that later...