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Check out these Aggressor Anniversary Discount Deals from Scuba Travel
UK-based tour operator Scuba Travel are offering some great savings on liveaboard holidays around the world with Aggressor Fleet, but hurry – they are only valid if booked by 2nd March.
Choose from an incredible wish list of destinations to dive in 2017: the Galapagos, Palau, Raja Ampat, Komodo, Belize or Turks & Caicos. Fully ATOL bonded and inclusive of flights, your perfect itinerary is just a phone call away.
Here are the details:
Komodo Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save up to £950 / From £3250
Fabulous savings on this package which includes return flights, 1 night in Bali en route and 7 nights full board on this modern and luxurious liveaboard. Between 3 and 4 fully guided dives per day.
The Komodo Indo Aggressor sleeps only 16 divers which means there is plenty of space for everyone boasting a lavish living space and dive deck. Food on board is international with some local dishes for sampling. Komodo Indo Aggressor is fully equipped for photographers and an onboard computer means you can check your day’s efforts.
Sail off into the sunset as your Komodo liveaboard wends its way between the hundreds of islands that dot the horizon. Dive after dive reveals the immense bio diversity, from vast pelagics to microscopic macro and vibrant reefs that are so characteristic of this corner of Indonesia. Dive into the bluest sea and discover over 260 coral species, 70 different sponges and no less that 1000 species of fish.
Find out more here.
Galapagos Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save up to £1200 / From £5195
Your trip starts in Guayaquil where you will be met and taken to your hotel for the night. The next morning you fly to Baltra to join Galapagos Aggressor for 7 nights. Package is for 7 nights full board and up to 19 fully guided dives over the week.
Galapagos Aggressor 3 brings a new level of comfort for her divers. There are only 16 divers on board and all of the cabins have AC and an ensuite. the dive deck is large and spacious, with plenty of room for all your dive and camera kit. In between dives head into the comfy lounge and dining area. Meals are social with a full seated dining service. Relax into a jacuzzi at the end of a day or take in the iconic views of the islands from the sun deck.
There are three distinctive types of underwater environment in the Galapagos Islands. The Southern and Central Islands are washed by the Humboldt current from the South, so pretty cold water (23-24) but reasonably clear and blue. Stunning dives such as Cousins and Cape Marshall, with eagle rays, mobulas and huge mantas, as well as endless large schools of brightly coloured surgeon fish and snappers, and of course the ever present playfull sea lions. The western side of Isabella is washed by the cold upwelling of the Cromwell current. Here the water is quite chilly (18-22 C) and green, but also some fainting sites such as Roca Redunda and Punta Vicente Roca. Sea lions playing in the fumaroles (thermal vents), red lipped batfish, yellow sea horses are all seen at Cabo Douglas. You never know what is passing though. Orca, mola mola and whalesharks can all be seen.
Find out more here.
Raja Ampat Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save up to £1250 / From £3195
Trip includes one night in Jakarta where you will be taken to your hotel for day use until your domestic flight to Sorong to board the boat. 7 nights full board includes soft drinks and local alcohol and between 3 and 4 guided dives per day.
Raja Ampat Aggressor is all about comfort. She sleeps only 16 divers across 8 cabins. All have individual AC with en suite and plenty of storage. Every one of the non diving spaces has been carefully laid out so you can relax and enjoy the stunning Indonesian views. The sun deck boasts comfy loungers as well as shade and a refreshments stations. Raja Ampat Aggressor is especially well equipped for underwater photographers. The central saloon has a modern entertainment area and charging station, as well as a light airy communal dining area. Raja Ampat Aggressor has clearly been built by divers for divers.The rear dive deck is the largest of any Indonesian liveaboards.
This is a vast expanse of sea, peppered with literally hundreds of tiny islands and coves, which means the only way to truly explore Raja Amapt is on a liveaboard diving holiday. The bio diversity is off the charts with walls, reefs, pinnacles, caves, mangroves and black sands, each creating a unique eco-system – and this Indonesian liveaboard itinerary visits them all in one magical diving holiday.
Find out more here.
Turks and Caicos Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save £700 / Various dates for £2995
Fantastic price for this amazing package which includes 7 nights full board including tea,coffee, soft drinks and local alcohol. Up to 5 fully guided dives per day and return flights via the States from Heathrow.
The Turks & Caicos Aggressor sleeps 18 guests in a range of well appointed cabins. The saloon is large with all the entertainment kit you could need. A computer station is onboard for emails (local charge) and checking your photos. At the end of the day put your feet up with a sundowner at the wet bar. The food is served up in the dining area and freshly made each day on board. The sun deck has shady and sunny spots so everyone can relax in peace between dives. The dive deck is well laid out, giving everyone the space they need.
The Turks & Caicos are made up of 40 islands lying to the west of the Caribbean but as only 8 are inhabited, there are some magnificent dive sites waiting to be explored far from the madding crowd. With such a glorious range of dive sites to visit, surely the only way to travel is on board the luxurious Turks & Caicos Aggressor. Sail between the endless cays and islands in complete comfort, breaking up your day only to dive.
Find out more here.
Palau Rock Islands Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save £900 / Various dates for £4095
Package includes 7 nights full board including soft drinks and local alcohol. Up to 4 fully guided dives per day and 3 night dives during the trip. Return flights normally via Manila.
The best way to see as much as possible of this idyllic destination is from the decks of a liveaboard. So jump aboard the Palau Discovery for a dive holiday with distinction. Submerse yourself in an underwater cave or snorkel with stingfree jellyfish in their thousands… these are only some of the exquisite dives you can do over the course of the week’s discovery. Pristine reefs, Second World War wrecks and an abundance of marine life await.
Palau Rock Islands Aggressor sleeps 18 people. Finished to the exacting standards of the Dancer Fleet, luxurious comfort best describes the facilities on board. The entertainment centre is the hub of the large saloon and dining area. Soak up the tropical rays on the upper deck from a hammock or find a shaded lounger for some relaxation. The unique indoor/outdoor wet bar becomes the focal point once the day’s diving is done. From sun up to sun down, Palau Rock Islands Aggressor will become your home from home.
Find out more here.
Cayman Aggressor / Special Anniversary Discount / Save £700 / Various dates for £2895
Why dive only one of the Cayman Islands when you can do all 3 in one single stunning liveaboard cruise with the Cayman Aggressor? Includes return flights 7 nights full board including soft drinks and local alcohol, and up to 5 fully guided dives per day.
Starting in Grand Cayman before sailing on to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, a week of wreck and reef dives are on the diving agenda. The reefs come in all forms, from pinnacles to canyons and steep walls that will take your breath away.
The luxurious Cayman Aggressor sleeps 18 guests in total. The saloon is generous with a modern entertainment system and email facility. The food is a mixture of international cuisine with some local tasters and a freshly made snacks area available throughout the day. The sun deck is a popular hang out between dives where you can enjoy the sun or shade. The dive platform itself is huge with freshwater showers, kit lockers and a camera area.
Find out more here.
Also…
Red Sea / Whirlwind Liveaboard / 11th March / Only £1075
5 star Red Sea diving at an affordable price aboard one of Scuba Travel’s favourite boats Whirlwind includes 7 nights full board, with up to 22 fully guided dives in the Northern Red Sea over the week. Return flights with Easyjet from Gatwick.
Whirlwind has everything the modern diver could want on board. The dive deck is one of the most impressive aspects – no more kitting up in a crowd on this boat! There is a camera table, 2 rinse tanks and plenty of space for all your dive kit.
The Wrecks and Reefs itinerary gets to some of the most iconic dive sites Egypt has to offer, as well a few of the lesser known beauties. Wrecks and Reefs is the ideal itinerary whatever your experience level. A popular route for those new to the Red Sea, the varied depths across dive sites suit all abilities – from novice to tekkie.
Find out more about this trip here.
To find out more about Scuba Travel and the dive holidays they offer, call 0800 0728221, email dive@scubatravel.com or visit www.scubatravel.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
The second day’s diving was a day full of wreck diving at Abu Nuhas, which included the Chrisoula K, Carnatic, and Ghiannis D. The first dive of the day was onto the Chrisoula K, also known as the wreck of tiles. The 98m vessel remains largely intact where she was loaded with tiles which can be seen throughout the hold. The stern sits at 26m and the bow just below the surface. One of the highlights of the wreck is heading inside and seeing the workroom where the machinery used for cutting the tiles are perfectly intact. The bow provided some relaxing scenery as the bright sunlight highlighted the colours of the soft coral reef and the many reef fish.
Following breakfast, we then headed to the next wreck, which was the Carnatic. The Carnatic is an 89.9m sail steamer vessel that was built in Britain back in 1862. She ran aground on the reef back in 1869 and remains at 27m. At the time, she was carrying a range of items, including 40,000 sterling in gold. An impressive wreck where much of the superstructure remains, and the two large masts lay on the seafloor. The wooden ribs of the hull provide structures for lots of soft corals, and into the stern section, the light beams through, bouncing off the large shoals of glass fish that can be found using the structure as shelter from the larger predators that are found outside of the wreck.
The final wreck at Abu Nuhas was the Ghiannis D, originally called ‘Shoyo Maru,’ which was 99.5m long and built in Japan back in 1969 before becoming a Greek-registered cargo ship in 1980. The ship then ran aground on the reef on April 19th, 1983, and now sits at the bottom at a depth of 27m. Heading down the line, the stern of the ship remains in good condition compared to the rest of the hull. The highlight of the wreck, though, is heading into the stern section and down the flights of stairs to enter the engine room, which remains in good condition and is definitely worth exploring. After exploring the interior section of the ship, we then headed over to see the rest of the superstructure, where it’s particularly interesting to see the large table corals that have grown at the bow relatively quickly considering the date the ship sank. After surfacing and enjoying some afternoon snacks, we made sure everything was strapped down and secured as we would be heading north and crossing the Gulf of Suez, where the winds were still creating plenty of chop.
The next morning, it was a short hop to Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve for the next couple of days of diving. The 6am wake-up call came along with the briefing for the first site we would be diving, which was Shark & Yolanda. The low current conditions allowed us to start the dive at Anemone City, where we would drift along the steep, coral-filled wall. These dives involved drifts, as mooring in Ras Mohammed wasn’t allowed to protect the reefs. As a dive site, Shark & Yolanda is well-known and historically had a lot of sharks, but unfortunately not so many in recent years, especially not so early in the season. However, there was always a chance when looking out into the blue.
The gentle drift took us along the steep walls of the site, with plenty of anemone fish to be seen and a huge variety of corals. It wasn’t long into the dive before we were accompanied by a hawksbill turtle, who drifted with us between the two atolls before parting ways. Between the two reefs, the shallow patch with parts of coral heads surrounded by sand provided the chance to see a few blue-spotted stingrays that were mainly resting underneath the corals and are always a pleasure to see. With this being the morning dive, the early sunlight lit up the walls, providing tranquil moments. Looking out into the blue, there was very little to be seen, but a small shoal of batfish shimmering underneath the sunlight was a moment to capture as we watched them swim by as they watched us.
Towards the end of the dive, we stopped at the wreck of the Jolanda where the seafloor was scattered with toilets from the containers it was carrying. This provided a unique site to make a safety stop, which was also accompanied by a large barracuda slowly swimming by, along with a hawksbill turtle calmly swimming over the reef as the sun rays danced in the distance.
For the next dive, we headed north to the Strait of Tiran to explore the reefs situated between Tiran Island and Sharm El Sheik, which were named after the British divers who had found them. We started on Jackson before heading to Gordons Reef, where we also did the night dive. All the atolls at these sites provided stunning, bustling coral reefs close to the surface and steep walls to swim along, which always provided the opportunity to keep an eye out for some of the larger species that can be seen in the blue. Midwater around Jackson Reef was filled with red-toothed triggerfish and shoals of banner fish, which at times were so dense that you couldn’t see into the blue. Moments went by peacefully as we enjoyed the slow drift above the reef, watching these shoals swim around under the mid-afternoon sun.
The night dive at Gordon’s Reef was mainly among the stacks of corals surrounded by sand, which was great to explore under the darkness. After some time circling the corals, we came across what we were really hoping to find, and that was an octopus hunting on the reef. We spent the majority of the dive just watching it crawl among the reef, blending into its changing surroundings through changes in colour and skin texture. It’s always so fascinating and captivating to watch these incredibly intelligent animals, in awe of their ability to carry out these physical changes to perfectly blend into the reef. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat to enjoy a well-deserved tasty dinner prepared by the talented chefs onboard.
Check in for the 3rd and final part of this series from Jake tomorrow!
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
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