Marine Biologist by Day, Adventurous Mother for Life

There are so many inconveniences that can push you away from the busy life of the big city. But for our environmentalist mum, Sarah Abdelhamid, it wasn’t a desire to escape that motivated her decision to move to Somabay. Beautiful weather across all seasons, stunning vistas from a kaleidoscopic topography of desert dunes, ocean blues, expansive lush green hills and a bold mountain range and a warm community and world class multicultural education were among the many temptations to lure this busy mother of two to this captivating peninsula. We’re excited to hear all about her life in Somabay with her happy girls and get to know more about the work she does to make this town a better place.

We all know being a mom is both fulfilling and challenging. How is it like for you as a mother living by the sea?

Well, my children are no strangers to the Red Sea but the transition from Hurghada to Somabay has been wonderful. All around there are endless opportunities for a slower paced and more holistic living. Since coming here, life actually became easier as a mother. Kompass really dedicates the time to support my girls’ progress and connects with the community to help them apply what they’re learning. It keeps them motivated. Then there are so many things they could do after school to explore their interests in a social dynamic. We go to Bayfit a lot; the kids love kickboxing and gymnastics. There’s always something to do that’s safe and fun. I like how the streets are clean so the girls can go around barefoot and ground themselves more in a natural setting: it helps them explore more and promotes independence. We also love to go to the beach or snorkel above the coral reef at the jetty. The older one wants to become a mermaid!

As a marine biologist, tell us more about Sarah on work mode. What is special about this place that keeps you motivated professionally?

The coral reef is just striking. It’s one of the most spectacular features of Somabay. Its long coastline fringing reef is home to a rich variety of species. For example, we have a big turtle population with their remarkably intricate nesting spots! There are dolphins that come often quite close to us, they come to play or just swim by as a pod while we dive or snorkel underwater. I love how intact the reef is. It’s always a good sign to see a variety of coral, fish and invertebrate species that are necessary for a healthy balanced reef ecosystem, and I take it as a positive reassurance that our sustainability and preservation efforts are paying off. Because there’s a lot of teaching involved of course. For educational purposes, we interactively think of fun and meaningful ways to tell stories about coral and how they grow and evolve. We come up with many activities and plan events tailored for the community, to educate further about garbage and solid waste that needs to be managed responsibly. And of course we remind divers, residents and children never to step on the coral with our signages at the beach. For kids it’s important to explore: whatever you explore, like and find fascinating you’ll also want to protect.

How crucial is the fine line between exploration and protection? Can the two truly exist together?

They can through education. Curiosity is something good. We were all curious as kids and fascinated by nature. We want to understand how it works. I believe exploration is crucial to understand the complexity of our living world. Collecting data and simply observing and monitoring changes helps us to establish guidelines for conservation. So everything starts with exploration. I am a Divemaster myself and guide certified divers. I monitor the health of our reef ecosystem and recently published my first research- a monitoring and evaluation study of the Sudanese Red Sea spanning over 40 years. This has been a crucial step for me. Like I said, there’s a lot of community involvement because educating and raising awareness is key. We held a panel discussion back in June featuring HEPCA, Khaled El Gammal the Egyptian record holder for free diving, and resident record holding adventurer Omar Samra. We talked together about the importance of the Red Sea. The main goal of science is to explore, and I believe sea exploration and ocean preservation should be taken hand in hand. So, it’s important to gather data in my work. When you start observing the surroundings, you identify opportunities to strike this balance. Diving, even extreme sports became a valuable tool for me. Especially scuba diving. We want to start an ecotourism aspect in Somabay where presentations can be held then we go into the water and see what we’ve just learned about!

Speaking of observation, I’ve seen the Tridacna garden during a Marina promenade walk! Tell us more about this exciting sustainability initiative.

Tridacnas are remarkable creatures. Essentially, they filter which means they clean the water which is amazing and super important. They are also, just like corals, in a symbiotic relationship with so called zooxanthallae, which means these algae provide the clams with nutrients through photosynthesis. Those clams attach themselves to the coral reef. So, when fishermen take them out it breaks the reef structure. They’re often sold for food and accessories without consideration for the negative ecological impact of these practices. In fact, they are already listed in the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Tridacna Maxima is considered or classified at a Least Concern risk level, but some populations are declining due to local pressures, while Tridacna Costata, a rare species found in the Red Sea, is listed as Critically Endangered. There are many creatures indigenous to Somabay, and as the town continues to grow so does the need for our commitment to protect these populations and support the human community’s appreciation of them through education and conscious exploration.

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