News
Create Waves for Ocean Conservation through your Christmas Shopping
Support the Marine Megafauna Foundation’s vital work with these great gifts
Here are six great gifts to suit all budgets that support the Marine Megafauna Foundation’s vital work into the research and protection of our ocean’s gentle giants.
Carry the World with you with Meraki Bracelets
Meraki bracelets (from 25 USD) have 9 element beads and one smiley bead with the element beads collected from all around the world so you have a piece from every part of the world around your wrist. Blank beads are made from matte gray labradorite. A donation is made to MMF for every Ocean Conservation bracelet purchased.
Become a Whale Shark Warrior…with these recycled leggings
These Waterlust Whale Shark Warrior Leggings (65 USD), with a print inspired by the largest fish in the sea, are the perfect gift for the active Waterluster. The pattern adorning the leggings is based on the whale shark’s characteristic spots and stripes, which form an intricate pattern like a warrior painted for battle and are used by scientists to identify individual sharks. The leggings are made from 10 recycled post-consumer plastic bottles and 10% of profits will be used by MMF to fund satellite tags to track the movements of endangered whale sharks.
Save Vulnerable Marine Life with Eco-Friendly Bikinis
Help save vulnerable marine species by wearing the latest trend in swimwear with stunning MAGDAKINEDESIGNS’ Isabela Top (84 USD) and Isabela Bottoms (70 USD). MAGDAKINEDESIGNS’ pieces are created from high-end Italian fabric made with ECONYL® Fiber; a regenerated nylon made from recycled carpet fluff and abandoned fishing nets. Each purchase returns a four per cent donation to MMF.
Give Light through your Yoga Practice
Use your yoga practice to help communities in Mozambique with Sahaja Yoga Mats: yoga mats that give back. Each Sahaja mat has a base made from natural tree rubber and an absorbent microfiber towel surface, made from recycled plastics, which combine to give the grip of a towel and support of a yoga mat. For each mat sold (prices start at 127 AUD), a solar light is donated to MMF who distribute the lights to the communities in Mozambique.
Give Unprecedented Access to the Latest Conservation Research
Invest in whale shark science, education and conservation initiatives by donating to MMF’s Patreon crowdfunding campaign (from 3 USD per month, tax deductible for US residents). Receive unprecedented access to MMF’s whale shark team’s work with private access to their latest findings before they’re published, the opportunity to join researchers in the field via live streams and have priority access to join expeditions to iconic locations such as the Galapagos Islands and Komodo National Park. The highest level supporters ($199+ per month) will receive prestigious personal acknowledgement – if you’re amenable – on the team’s scientific publications.
Book the Holiday of a Lifetime
Join MMF’s co-founder Andrea Marshall and her team of scientists in their vital conservation research on an MMF scuba diving expedition (from 3,280 USD). On this exciting expedition, divers will be able to explore the coast of Mozambique: one of the wildest and most breathtaking locations to encounter ocean giants like whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays. Not only will guests have the unique opportunity to dive and interact with these graceful and inquisitive creatures, they will also gain in depth knowledge about the species and contribute to research by helping to collect ID photos of the animals they encounter.
MMF’s vision is a world in which marine life and humans thrive together and we aspire to attain it by saving threatened marine life. The charity’s target group is marine megafauna, which is vital to the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem. When ocean giants are protected, we also achieve an umbrella protection for a wide variety of marine species.
For more information about the work of MMF please visit their website by clicking here.
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
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
News3 months agoWorld’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023