Saudi Arabia's Red Sea divers explore freedoms off the coast
OFF THE COAST OF JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The sky is clear, the sun is shining, and the sea is a glimmering turquoise. Nouf Alosaimi is on a discovery dive around a small, sandy island in the Red Sea that's home to busy crabs and a few seagulls.
Jellyfish float near the edge of the boat in waters so translucent the fish are visible deep below. The 29-year-old Saudi woman is wearing a diving suit and a necklace with a silver charm in the shape of shark's tooth, a nod to her nickname, "Sharky." In the water, she wears a swim cap and dive suit. At sea, the sole woman diver among a group of men, she's momentarily free from the edicts that govern life on shore.