News
Consider the Caribbean for your next dive holiday
When it comes to the top places to scuba dive in the world, the Caribbean doesn’t even make some of the lists! Maybe one or two dive sites are considered really amazing, such as Grenada’s Bianca C wreck for its sheer size, or some of the drift dives in Tobago. But please consider these great reasons why you might like to take your scuba gear to the Caribbean for your next dive holiday.
- The Caribbean Does Do…
- Amazing beachside resort destinations.
- Tranquillity (Some complain that many of the Caribbean islands are too quiet, like Antigua for example).
- OK flight times (relatively speaking).
- Relaxed attitudes and friendly locals.
- All inclusive specials.
- Tours beyond what your family could get bored with.
- Scuba Diving courses in fantastic conditions.
Indeed you may be like many scuba divers I have met whose partners don’t dive. So give them a holiday too – you might consider getting your kids certified (mostly all PADI in the Caribbean apart from Cuba) and the conditions for learning are perhaps the best available, with calm waters and pools to get familiar with breathing underwater. In short, you have options beyond your morning diving to spend the rest of the day with your family and have a great time. This can be really hard to do in the scuba diving destinations that are considered the best. The Cocos and Galapagos of this world are full of big fish (pelagics) for a reason! You need to do those holidays on a liveaboard and you will not take the family unless you are lucky and the whole family dive (and you can afford to take the whole family with you!). So let me suggest some islands and why you might visit them:
Antigua – blessed with a lot of beaches to rival any in the world and a yachting centre in season unparalleled. You can rent a car and drive around the island visiting the places of note. Antigua is a less developed island and that is part of its charm and why many return year after year. It’s ideal to get married in Antigua as you will appreciate your romantic time together in the most idyllic of spots to get that special moment on camera.
St Lucia – There are so many things to do in St Lucia your problem will be in choosing. From hiking on foot or by mountain bike to kayaking or enjoying a good Caribbean Jump Up, you can go from dawn to dusk with a few rums inbetween. There are some good wrecks to dive here. The culture is hard to nail down and the accent of the locals will perplex you – it spills over into the food.
Barbados – Surfing is a great activity to try after scuba diving in the morning – a variety of diving to suit all abilities for a few days and for those of you who are less experienced, you will not get bored.
Tobago – One of the better diving islands for advanced divers and beginners alike (beginners will have to miss out of some of the more advanced dives due to the strong currents that can be fun). It is also an island full of activities and amazing picturesque beaches. There are also the following islands to check out: Grenada, St Martin, St Kitts and Nevis (you start to wish you had a boat)! I warn you – the Caribbean is addictive!
For more from Calvin about diving in the Caribbean, visit www.caribbean-diving.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
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
-
News3 months agoHone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Gear Reviews2 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit