One of the best things about diving in Dahab is not only the plethora of fish and corals but also, the year-round sunshine. Despite being a blessing, those of us with fairer skin complexions need to find a way to prevent frying to a crisp every time we surface from a dive or enjoy a surface interval relaxing in the sun.

In the words of Baz Lurhmann, “Wear Sunscreen!” This is great advice but being passionate scuba divers, we have come to learn that while sunscreen is great for us, it is not so beneficial for our fishy friend

Why Is Regular Sunscreen So Bad for the Aquatic Environment?

As you probably already know if you have ever read the instructions on the back of the bottle, sunscreen tends to wash off and needs to be reapplied after in water activities – like scuba diving. Did you ever stop to think where the actual lotion went? Don’t be ashamed, many of us have never thought about this in-depth.

It washes off you and into our oceans and seas. Did you know that over 14,000 tons of harmful sunscreen chemicals end up in our waterways every year from water enthusiasts and sewage?

The creamy lotion that prevents us from turning into pink people actually contains some pretty nasty chemicals, including: 

• Benzophenone-1.
• Benzophenone-8.
• Oxybenzone.
• OD-PABA.

Whilst these have been proven not to have any ill effects on us mortals, they can have a devastating effect on marine life. For example, these chemicals can hinder photosynthesis and growth in algae – an important component in oxygenating our oceans. They can cause coral bleaching and deform and damage corals by impairing their DNA.

In dolphins, these substances can build up in their bodily tissues and be passed on to their young. This is in addition to decreasing fertility and causing male fish to develop female characteristics!

Pretty scary stuff.

How Can You Make a Difference?

So what is an eco-aware diver to do? Here at H2O Divers, we have discovered a great locally based company that can help you cover all the bases – protect the environment and your white bits. 

Healing Herbs Boutique was founded in Cairo by the forethoughtful Eman (a pharmacist gone natural) and prides itself on developing 100 percent natural skin, body and hair products. We have been trialling the SPF40 reef-safe sunscreen over the last few weeks and we can conclusively say: WE LOVE IT. 

There is no greasy feeling as the lotion blends in well. There is also the added perk that it smells fantastic. Furthermore, it is all encased in eco-friendly packaging – so when you have finished the bottle, you don’t have to worry about adding to the global plastic pollution issue. Which is a story for another blog post coming soon.

Final Thoughts

When planning your next holiday to Dahab (or anywhere else in the world, if you absolutely have to), make sure to check your sunscreen for reef-safe ingredients and avoid products containing the harmful chemicals listed above.

If you aren’t able to find coral friendly sunscreen back home, just let our team know. We have it available in our dive centre shop. Simply drop us a message when you book and we’ll save you a bottle.