News
Go to the London International Dive Show in February to be in with a chance of winning a dive trip of a lifetime
Buy a ticket to the London International Dive Show (LIDS) to be held at London’s ExCel on the 15th and 16th February 2014 and you could find yourself winning a dive trip of a lifetime worth £7,500. The prize is an exotic two-week diving experience in Thailand for two people, courtesy of tour operator Dive Worldwide, as well as the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri, Sea Bees Diving and Zeavola Resort.
Dive Worldwide offers more varied diving to more destinations across the globe than any other dive operator. Commenting on the range of diving opportunities in Thailand alone, where the prize is set, Teresa Bennett, managing director of Dive Worldwide, said: “Thailand’s dive sites are world class, and divers are really spoilt for choice; there are the stunning Similan and Surin Islands, Burma Banks and the Merui Archipelago, best accessed from Khao Lak. In addition, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Koh Racha are all superb bases for both diving and snorkelling. On the east coast Samui’s neighbour, the beautiful island of Koh Tao is a great spot to learn to dive, while Pattaya offers excellent wreck-diving.”
The Dive Trip of a Lifetime
The LIDS 2014 Grand Draw prize starts with flights for two from the UK to Phuket with Thai Airways, and an optional two-night stopover in Bangkok at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri, Centre Point’s finest hotel with service to match. The winner can choose shore-based diving, spending eight nights at the Palm Garden Resort at Khao Lak or Phuket, home to Sea Bees Diving. Alternatively they can combine two nights on land and the other six aboard Sea Bees’ flagship MV Marco Polo. This 23m liveaboard takes divers to see the reefs and marine life around the SimilanIslands, manta rays at Koh Bon, the coral gardens at Koh Tachai and the whale shark magnet and macro-haven of Richelieu Rock.
For a further five nights, the winner and a travelling companion can enjoy the barefoot luxury of a suite at the Zeavola Resort, a ‘Small Luxury Hotel of the World’ set on a pristine stretch of white beach on the north east shore of Phi Phi Don. This boutique property has its own 5* PADI dive centre and gives divers access to the PhiPhiNationalMarinePark. Daily boat trips allow divers to discover a spectacular underwater world that is only minutes away, including turtles, ghost pipefish and leopard sharks. Six dives are included.
Whatever a diver’s passion – shark diving, wreck diving, muck-diving, underwater photography – and whether a complete beginner or a seasoned expert, there’s something for everyone in Dive Worldwide’s 2014 programme. Unique to the UK dive market is the specialist’s extensive programme offering both small group departures and tailor-made holidays. Featuring remote and far-flung destinations, with liveaboards, resorts, and dive centres the world over, there is a choice of some 50 destinations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and the islands of the Pacific.
For further information on Dive Worldwide’s Ultimate Diving Collection 2014, visit www.diveworldwide.com or call 0845 1306980.
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