News
Save 32% on Aggressor’s Anniversary Sale with Dive Worldwide
Celebrate the anniversary of the Aggressor Fleet and enjoy a huge 32% discount on any boat trip taken in 2016 – but be quick as this deal is only applicable on bookings made before 2 March 2016. Savings are applicable to the boat only and range from up to £1,175pp aboard the Okeanos Aggressor I to Cocos Island and up to £465pp aboard the Bahamas Aggressor to the Exumas.
The Aggressor Fleet has been in operation since 1984 and would like to share their 32nd anniversary with divers throughout the world. Choose from 30 thrilling itineraries combined with some of the best diving experiences across the globe. Among the available destinations are: Belize, Fiji, Indonesia, Palau and, the latest destination to join the programme, Sri Lanka.
Sample trip: The Bahamas Aggressor is a 30-metre monohull yacht that departs Nassau each Saturday for a week-long diving adventure to the Exumas. The first of its kind in the world, Exumas National Park is famous for its pristine beauty, outstanding anchorages and breathtaking marine environment. A strictly ‘no take’ zone, the ‘no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering’ rules, where nothing living or dead may be removed from within the Park boundaries, means that it is one of the finest natural marine reserves in the world.
The intimate Bahamas Aggressor vessel can accommodate up to 14 passengers in five deluxe cabins and one unique quadruple bunk room. All cabins have en-suite bathrooms and are fully air-conditioned. The comfortable salon is the hub of the boat, with plenty of room to relax after a day of diving. Up to five dives a day are available over five and a half diving days. Expect to encounter caves, pinnacles, magnificent walls, coral heads, drift dives, schools of colourful fish, rays, sharks and plenty of critters hiding in the crevices. Water temperatures over the summer months are approximately 26C and conditions are calm, while winter water temperatures are still warm at 24C on average, with occasional strong winds.
Offer details
- Valid for travel throughout 2016.
- Discount applicable to boat only.
- Offer valid on new bookings only. Non-combineable.
- Book by 2 March 2016.
Special Offer Price: from £2,095pp based on a quad share cabin (saving £465pp), including international flights, 7 nights’ full board liveaboard accommodation and 2 nights’ hotel accommodation with Dive Worldwide (01962 302087, www.diveworldwide.com).
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
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.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
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
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