.avif){kind=spacer}
At the beginning of the year, while the ODISEA was in dry-dock, its first destination was uncertain.
Where should we go? Where to begin? What place should we choose to start this unique journey?
Making such a decision with so many variables is never easy, but in the end, we wanted to start somewhere almost unexplored and rich in marine biodiversity. That’s when the Red Sea captured our collective imagination.
Shortly after, Tom reached out to Francisco "Cisco" Paz, who has been diving in Sudan for nearly 15 years. Sudan, with its coral reef system and incredible marine biodiversity, represented a unique opportunity for our mission.
Sudan has around 650 kilometers of coral reefs along its Red Sea coast. These reefs are part of the larger Red Sea coral reef system, known for its rich biodiversity.*1
The Red Sea is home to one of the longest continuous coral reefs in the world, spanning nearly 4,000 km, and these reefs create a highly diverse habitat that supports a wide range of marine life. The reefs provide shelter, food, and breeding grounds for many species, including a high number of endemic species (those found only in the Red Sea), which contributes to the region's biodiversity.*2
Due to the current shortage of comprehensive studies, estimating the number of species in the Red Sea is still unattainable, making it a particularly fascinating region for scientific investigation into its biodiversity.
With all that information at hand, we were faced with the following challenges: the timing of the expedition and the ongoing conflict in the African country. The trip was scheduled for August, right in the middle of summer in one of the hottest places on the planet.
But more significantly, Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war since April 2023, leading to the suspension of all tourist activities. As a result, we would be the first to assess the state of its seas in the last year and a half, which remain largely free from industrial impact and, in theory, represent a hidden gem of the Red Sea.
How can a place like the Red Sea, located between so many countries and with heavy maritime traffic, remain so scientifically unexplored despite its rich biodiversity?
A couple of factors contribute to this:
- Geopolitical Issues: The region is surrounded by countries that have experienced conflict and instability, such as Sudan, Yemen, and Egypt. These issues have made sustained scientific research difficult.
- Remote Locations and Lack of Infrastructure: Many areas along the Red Sea coast are remote, lacking the necessary infrastructure to support ongoing scientific expeditions.
Considering these factors, the ODISEA found the perfect match for its first expedition: Sudan, a place that has been unexplored in recent years with an underwater world ready to be rediscovered and studied.
This destination presents a unique opportunity to film and offer a fresh perspective, especially given the current state of the country and the uncertainty about its future.
MS
1* Klaus, R. (2015). Coral Reefs and Communities of the Central and Southern Red Sea (Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Yemen). In: Rasul, N., Stewart, I. (eds) The Red Sea. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45201-1_25
2* https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00090/full
%20(1).avif)
