The Saudi Titanic in the Gulf of Aqabah
The Gulf of Aqabah offers stunning views along the 170 kilometers it stretches from Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed in the south to the city of Aqabah in the north. On both sides, turquoise waters host vibrant marine life, colorful corals and ornate white sandy beaches that lay at the foot of imposing mountains. In some areas the mountains fall directly into the sea like at Tayeb Ism. From the Saudi side the peaks of the Sinai Mountains in Egypt are just 25 kilometers away and their impressive sharp silhouette is clearly visible, as in Maqna.
But 50 kilometers south of the city of Haql, a unexpected manmade feature lays on the coral reef near the beach - a shipwreck whose front still protrudes from the water. Its name 'Georgios G' can nearly be distinguished on the side of the wreck from the shore, but it is also known among locals as the Saudi Titanic or simply as 'Safinat Haql' which stands for the 'boat of Haql' in Arabic.
Name of the Georgios G written on the side of the wreck (photo: Florent Egal)
There are many stories and fairy tales about the 'Georgios G' but here is what we know as fact: this vessel was built in England after the end of the Second World War, it was launched in 1958 as a cargo liner and at the time of its doomed trip it was carrying a cargo of flour and was owned by the Saudi businessman Amer Mohamad al Sanousi who had purchased the vessel shortly before the accident.
It remains unclear what caused its unfortunate fate. If the Gulf of Aqabah is often windy, not only does the wind usually blow north-south but also the Gulf is a narrow sea where waves don't get too big, so it is unlikely that a boat of this size was pushed towards the west until the shore by waves.
Secondly it is quite well known for millennia that the whole coast of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah are populated by corals that have created thousands of kilometers of dangerous reefs that in some areas lay more than 20 kilometers from the land, so it would be surprising that the crew ignored this fact and believed it is safe to land there.
Also, the ship sunk 50 kilometers from any city so if it was a voluntary attempt to land it must have been because of an emergency.
Georgios G shipwreck (photo: Florent Egal)
Whatever happened that day of 1978, the 'Georgios G' ended up on the corals just 30 meters off a bay named Ras Al-Mashee that lays at the bottom of the Jebel Thaghb, a mountain that peaks at over 1900 meters. Shortly after the crash on the reef, the engine caught fire while the sailors were trying to restart it, giving the boat no chance to get out of trouble.
Saudi people at the Ras Al-Mashee bay (photo: Florent Egal)
For more than four decades the silhouette of the Georgios G has imposed itself as an unavoidable feature that is fully part of the landscape of the Saudi Arabian coast. Locals who want to go to the beach come to this spot to enjoy the special view of the shipwreck which also offers unforgettable snorkeling experiences. Some people climb on the wreck and jump into the water from it but we don't advise this because of the sharp rusty edges that can cause serious injury.
How to visit the Ras Al-Mashee
The location of the shipwreck is available on Google Maps under the name 'Georgios G Shipwreck'.
There is a road that runs all along the shore of the Gulf of Aqabah but the Ras Al-Mashee is accessible only from the north through the city of Haql as the road is blocked on the south at near Tayeb Ism.
There is a 400 meter drive on sand to reach the sea which may be feasible with a sedan car as the ground is quite firm but it is advisable to rather use a four-wheel-drive in case some parts are soft.
Swimming is only allowed from the beach in the dedicated areas that are indicated by signposts. It is permissible to swim and snorkel by the shipwreck, bearing in mind that the Saudi dress code applies even there, so it is better to go with a swimming suit.
