News
Check out the latest dive holiday deals from the Scuba Travel team
2020 burnout already? If you are looking for a break away, here are the latest offers from UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel:
Egypt
- Boat: Whirlwind
- Date: February 2nd 2020
- Price: £1245
Departing from Sharm El Sheikh allows you to dive some of the most beautiful areas in the northern Red Sea regardless of the weather. Enjoy the colourful reefs of Tiran, always buzzing with life, the incredible walls of Ras Muhamed and the majestic Thistlegorm. You will spend 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin-share cabin). Included in your package are up to 22 dives over the week, 12lt tank, air fills and weights. Please prebook nitrox and 15lt tanks before travel. Flights are direct with EnterAir from Gatwick (Indirect Manchester are available at a supplement) 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.
Click here to email Scuba Travel and receive more information about this amazing liveaboard. Dive the reefs of Tiran, Ras Mohammed, and the incredible Thistlegorm.
Click here to book this great trip!
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Maldives
- Boat: Emperor Serenity
- Date: 10th May 2020
- Price: £1225
Best of the Maldives on the 10th May, sail onboard Emperor Serenity for only £1225
Only 6 spaces, save £370! Get all the thrills of big fish in the Maldives onboard the exceptional Emperor Serenity liveaboard. Manta, sharks, eagle rays and so much more on this classic Maldives itinerary – dive the seasonal hot spots from a dhoni tender with an average of 17 dives (including 1-night dive). You have 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin/double share cabin) – upper deck cabin upgrades available. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine with dinner. Includes 12lt tank and weights, as well as free recreational nitrox.
This holiday is excluding international flights, with return Male airport transfers. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Flights will incur a small booking fee. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option. Do not book any flights until your boat space is confirmed by Scuba Travel. Transfers operate at fixed times.
Click here to email Scuba Travel and receive more information about Emperor Serenity on the 10th May.
Click here for more information or call Scuba Travel on 01483411590!
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Mexico
- Boat: Solmar V
- Date: Valentine Special 5th and 14th of February 2020
- Price: £2795
Valentine Special Saving! Diving in Socorro is all about the giant manta cleaning stations and shivers of sharks that inhabit this isolated island chain, over an average of 20-22 thrilling dives. Your boat package is based on a standard cabin on a full board basis with a selection of local beer and wine, plus all diving, 12lt international tanks and weights and the Mexican sales tax. At the end of your trip, you will return to San Jose del Cabo. The crew will assist with an airport taxi or day use hotel package, depending on your international flight time.
This holiday is excluding international flights. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Flights will incur a small booking fee. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option. Do not book any flights until your boat space is confirmed by Scuba Travel. Transfers operate at fixed times.
Click here to email Scuba Travel and receive more information about Solmar V.
Click here to book your place!
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Oman
- Boat: Oman Aggressor
- Date: 7th March 2020
- Price: £1395
This 7th March, explore magical Oman onboard Oman Aggressor for only £1395
Save £1000 on this truly magical itinerary for divers that love reef diving and abundant bio-diversity. The Hallaniyat Islands are located off the southeastern coast of Oman. This is a new area for liveaboard divers and the coral reefs are in sublime condition. New dive sites and wrecks can be discovered all the time. Diving highlights are undoubtedly the opportunity to see the resident population of humpback whales, alongside great encounters with yellowfin tuna, barracuda and schooling jacks. Huge schools of dolphin are often seen as well as green turtles. Giant groupers, giant catfish and mobula are commonly encountered. Watch out for leopard sharks on the reefs. Octopus hide in the reef walls. The islands boast a healthy marine life with awesome coral gardens where schooling fish swirl.
Oman Aggressor sleeps only 22 divers across a whopping 45m liveaboard. The saloon area is the hub of life when not diving or snorkelling. This is a modern, airy communal space, where the all-important meals are served. The menu aboard is varied and plentiful, with a variety of Omani feasts and local cuisine. There is a complete photo video centre for anyone with a camera, a large sun deck with shading, a jacuzzi, chaise lounges and deck chairs and bar. The dive deck is on the main deck level.
This holiday does not include any international flights to Muscat airport MCT. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option.
Click here to email Scuba Travel and receive more information about Oman Aggressor.
Click here to book this holiday or call Scuba Travel on 01483411590!
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Indonesia
- Boat: Raja Ampat Aggressor
- Date: 21st January 2020
- Price: 2975
This 21st January, dive Raja Ampat onboard Raja Aggressor for only £2975
Save £900. Dive the richest coral reef ecosystem in the world onboard the Raja Ampat Aggressor! Your trip starts on arrival in Sorong, where you board Raja Ampat Aggressor. Your holiday package is based on a deluxe cabin on a full board basis. Beverages (soft beverages, local beer and wine with dinner) are complimentary while onboard. A 12lt tank, weights and air fills are included. There are usually 3/4 dives a day, all fully guided. Excluded are marine park fees $250, additional alcohol, kit hire, nitrox (7 nights $100, 10 nights $150) and any souvenirs or private guiding services. Please have some local currency as departure taxes and overweight baggage charges MUST be paid in IDR. UK passport holders are able to obtain an Indonesian tourist visa on arrival.
This holiday excludes international flights to Jakarta CGK or domestic flights to Sorong. Please confirm your boat space, embarkation and disembarkation times with your travel consultant before booking and confirming any flights yourself. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option. You will typically require a night in Jakarta before and possibly after your liveaboard, which can be added to your booking on request.
Click here to email Scuba Travel and receive more information about Raja Ampat Aggressor.
Click here to reserve this holiday or call Scuba Travel on 01483411590!
To find out more about Scuba Travel and the dive holidays they offer call 0800 0728221, email dive@scubatravel.com or visit www.scubatravel.com.
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and 
the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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