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Latest dive holiday special offers from Scuba Travel
UK-based tour operator Scuba Travel have released some great dive holiday deals for those of you who are hoping to get some diving in before the end of the year.
Here are the details:
Lembeh Resort – Indonesia 1st November – 10th November 2015
- One space left (male share) to join Duxy at this boutique style divers resort on Lembeh island
- Save £250 only £2200 including flights
- 7 nights full board
- Includes 17 air dives
Manado is home to some of the rarest underwater critters in the world and with unspoilt pristine reefs.
Life in Manado revolves around the diving and is especially popular with underwater photographers – muck, critter, macro and wide angle…. the Lembeh resort has it all. Experience critter diving in Lembeh Strait that is second to none. There are 2 different room grades at the Lembeh resort – deluxe cottages or garden view rooms. All have air con, en suite bathrooms, king size double or twin beds, a water dispenser, tea and coffee, fridge and electronic safe. The traditional deluxe cottages are fully detached with glorious sea views and open air showers. They are traditional in design with a covered wooden veranda. 4 of the deluxe cottages can sleep up to 4 people, with a separate living and bedroom area. There are 4 deluxe cottages that are nestled in the cliffside and are a touch more modern. Enjoy spectacular views over the Lembeh Strait with open air showers. The newer garden view rooms are located close to the dive centre, surrounded by the tropical gardens in resort. The rooms share a veranda. These are smaller than the cottages but ideal for single travellers.
If you are not underwater at Lembeh resort, you are relaxing! The restaurant serves a mouth watering mix of local and international dishes, all freshly prepared. Tuck into pastries or home made bread at breakfast, a tantalising buffet at lunch and al la carte evening meals – all included in your holiday package. The spa is a must for aching muscles or if you are feeling adventurous, a wide range of land activities can be arranged locally. Tour the island or visit the Tangkoko National Park to see some of the land life.
Find out more about this trip here.
Cocos – 5th October-18th October save £1000 £4495 including flights
One of the ultimate hammerhead shark destinations and onboard the most luxurious liveaboard in Cocos.
Visit one of the last shark wildernesses of the world – and with Argo, this is premium luxury unlike any other.
Your trip of a lifetime starts on arrival in San Jose where you will be met and taken to your hotel for the night (B&B, twin share). The next morning you will be transferred to Puntarenas where you board Argo. The trip package is based on a twin share cabin (full board). All trips are fully guided by 2 expert dive guides and includes 12lt tank, weights and free nitrox. There are usually 4 dives per day at Cocos including night dives. The Cocos Marine Park fees of $490 must be prepaid – paid locally is a mandatory search & recovery charge of $35. At the end of you trip you will return to San Jose for your last night in a hotel (B&B, 2 people sharing) before your final airport transfer the following morning. Flights are usually with Iberia (from Heathrow) but this can vary. The final trip cost will depend on flight availability at the time of booking and seasonal liveaboard rates. All transfers are included. Excluded are the local departure taxes (approx $35).
Argo is the latest offering from the expert Undersea Hunter group and a spectacular addition to the stunning shores of Cocos. Packed with all the latest mod cons the Argo is a one of a kind vessel to explore a completely unique region and lives up to the high standards set by the fleet – from safety to comfort, no detail has been overlooked. At 40m, this steel hulled beauty makes light work of the sailing to and from the remote Cocos islands. With 8 cabins on board, she can sleep up to 16 people in lavish surroundings with modern furnishings and elegant artwork. All of the cabins sit below the waterline for optimum sailing comfort, flooded with light from the sky lights. Each cabin is individually furnished and all are with large en suite bathrooms. With the ability to custom mix gasses, nitrox and technical divers have not been forgotten. Favoured by film crews and professional photographers, the on board photographic facilities are top notch, while the industrious kitchen staff serve up a wide range of freshly cooked meals that will get your taste buds tingling.
Find out more about this trip here.
Red Sea Liveaboard – Mistral 10th October – 17th October Save £400 only £875 including flights
Spend time diving the Red Seas best wrecks on this dedicated itinerary with the most experienced guides in the Red Sea.
Mistral is a stable steel liveaboard with all mod cons! Departing from Sharm, you will spend 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin share cabin). This is a classic itinerary in the Northern Red Sea with up to 21 dives over the week. All marine park fees, 12lt tank and weights are included in your package. All trips are fully guided with 2 expert guides. Flights are with Thomson from Gatwick and transfers are also included. At the end of the week you will have day use of a hotel and buffet lunch while you wait for your flight home. Excluded are the Egyptian entry visa, alcohol, additional kit hire and any on board souvenirs. Please let us know if you would like to prebook any PADI courses on board or have any dietary requirements.
Get Wrecked is certain to satisfy any diver interested in wreck diving in the Red Sea. With so many wrecks here in the UK, we are a tough bunch of divers to please. Yet the astounding quality and scope of wrecks in the Northern Red Sea will not leave you disappointed. Shipping down through Suez, the narrow slip of sea that separates Hurgada and the Sinai is peppered with islands and reef tips that have been the downfall of many a captain. But these maritime mishaps have left a legacy that serves up the most fascinating and enjoyable warm water wreck dives you could hope to experience.
Find out more about this trip here.
For more information on the dive holidays Scuba Travel offer visit www.scubatravel.com.
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
This month we’re taking a look at the Dusky Shark, a highly migratory species with a particularly slow growth rate and late age at maturity.
Dusky sharks are one of the largest species within the Carcharhinus genus, generally measuring 3 metres total length but able to reach up to 4.2 metres. They are grey to grey-brown on their dorsal side and their fins usually have dusky margins, with the darkest tips on the caudal fin.
Dusky Sharks can often be confused with other species of the Carcharhinus genus, particularly the Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis). They have very similar external morphology, so it can be easier to ID to species level by taking location into account as the two species occupy very different ecological niches – Galapagos Sharks prefer offshore seamounts and islets, whilst duskies prefer continental margins.
Hybridisation:
A 2019 study found that Dusky Sharks are hybridising with Galapagos Sharks on the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Pazmiño et al., 2019). Hybridisation is when an animal breeds with an individual of another species to produce offspring (a hybrid). Hybrids are often infertile, but this study found that the hybrids were able to produce second generation hybrids!
Long distance swimmers:
Dusky sharks are highly mobile species, undertaking long migrations to stay in warm waters throughout the winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, they head towards the poles in the summer and return southwards towards the equator in winter. The longest distance recorded was 2000 nautical miles!
Very slow to mature and reproduce:
The Dusky Shark are both targeted and caught as bycatch globally. We already know that elasmobranchs are inherently slow reproducers which means that they are heavily impacted by overfishing; it takes them so long to recover that they cannot keep up with the rate at which they are being fished. Dusky Sharks are particularly slow to reproduce – females are only ready to start breeding at roughly 20 years old, their gestation periods can last up to 22 months, and they only give birth every two to three years. This makes duskies one of the most vulnerable of all shark species.
The Dusky Shark is now listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), but further action is required to protect this important species.
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus obscurus
Family: Carcharhinidae
Maximum Size: 420cm (Total Length)
Diet: Bony fishes, cephalopods, can also eat crustaceans, and small sharks, skates and rays
Distribution: Patchy distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas; Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean.
Habitat: Ranges from inshore waters out to the edge of the continental shelf.
Conservation status: Endangered.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Images: Andy Murch
Diana A. Pazmiño, Lynne van Herderden, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Claudia Junge, Stephen C. Donnellan, E. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Charlie Huveneers, Bronwyn M. Gillanders, Paul A. Butcher, Gregory E. Maes. (2019). Introgressive hybridisation between two widespread sharks in the east Pacific region, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 136(119-127), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.013.
3rd AUGUST 2024 – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES
Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.
Beginners or qualified, something for all.
Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.
Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.
Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.
Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.
Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.
Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.
Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures
Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.
During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!
At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.
Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour
The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
U-8 Splash Club
Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!
Splash Club includes:
Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games
U-12 Explorer Club
In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.
U-16 Adventurer Club
For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.
Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!
Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.
Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.
The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.
Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.
Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling or diving.
On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.
The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!
Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.
We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.
Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.
Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef! After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.
Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM
TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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