News
Check out these awesome 2015 dive holiday offers from Oonasdivers
If you’re starting to think about where you’re going to go on your diving holiday next year, UK based tour operator Oonasdivers have plenty of options for you to consider.
Check it out:
Oonasdivers | Red Sea | Sharm from £495
Book with a low deposit of just £100 per person*
Sharks Bay Umbi Village
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B and 10 boat dives.
14-21 Dec only £510 per person
8-15 Jan only £535 per person
25 Jan -1 Feb only £495 per person
1-8 Feb only £510 per person
8-15 Feb only £530 per person
22 Feb -1 Mar only £525 per person
8-15 March only £520 per person
18-25 Apr only £695 per person
9-16 May only £675 per person
13-20 Jun only £695 per person
4-11 Jul only £715 per person
12-19 Sep only £720 per person
17-24 Oct only £740 per person
*Valid for bookings made up to the 31st Dec. Excludes departures that are within 12 weeks of departure. A further £100 per person is due by the 7th February and full payment is due 12 weeks before departure. This may be paid in installments if preferred.
Oonasdivers | Red Sea | Marsa Alam from £760
Book with a low deposit of just £100 per person*
Marsa Shagra
Prices include flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 5 days unlimited diving.
7-14 Jan only £760 per person
14-21 Jan only £760 per person
21-28 Jan only £760 per person
28 Jan – 4 Feb only £760 per person
Marsa Nakari – 6th Day of Diving Free
(Enter Scubaverse.com’s competition to win a diving holiday to Marsa Nakari here!)
Prices include flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 6 days unlimited diving.
15-22 Apr only £895 per person
22-29 Apr only £895 per person
29 Apr – 6 May only £895 per person
*Valid for bookings made up to the 31st Dec. Excludes departures that are within 12 weeks of departure. A further £100 per person is due by the 7th February and full payment is due 12 weeks before departure. This may be paid in installments if preferred.
Oonasdivers | Red Sea | Hamata from £950
Book with a low deposit of just £100 per person*
Wadi Lahami – 6th Day of Diving Free!
Prices include flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 6 days offshore RIB diving (up to 4 dives per day).
10-17 Jun only £950 per person
24 Jun – 1 Jul only £950 per person
15-22 July only £950 per person
*Valid for bookings made up to the 31st Dec. Excludes departures that are within 12 weeks of departure. A further £100 per person is due by the 7th February and full payment is due 12 weeks before departure. This may be paid in installments if preferred.
Oonasdivers | Red Sea | Liveaboards from £795
Book with a low deposit of just £100 per person*
Juliet | Freedom III | Blue Planet 1| Emperor Asmaa | Emperor Elite | Blue Seas | Blue Pearl
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 6 days liveaboard diving.
Emperor Asmaa – North & Wrecks from Hurghada
9-16 Jan only £810 per person
23-30 Jan only £795 per person
30 Jan – 6 Feb only £795 per person
Emperor Elite – South & St Johns
20-27 Feb only £995 per person
27 Feb – 6 Mar only £995 per person
13-20 Mar only £1090 per person
Freedom III – North & Wrecks (from Sharm)
7-14 Mar only £795 per person
MY Blue Pearl – North & Brothers | St Johns
13-20 Mar only £995 per person (North & Brothers)
24 Jun – 1 July only £1045 per person (St Johns)
26 Aug – 1 Sep only £1045 per person (St Johns)
16-23 Sep only £1045 per person (St Johns)
MY Blue Seas – Brothers | BDE | St Johns
29 Apr – 6 May only £1075 per person (Brothers)
12-19 Aug only £1175 per person (BDE)
23-30 Sep only £1095 per peson (St Johns)
MY Blue Planet 1 – North & Wrecks (from Hurghada)
8-15 May only £925 per person
MY Juliet – North & Wrecks (from Sharm)
9-16 May only £965 per person
20-27 Jun only £995 per person
11-18 Jul only £1025 per person
12-19 Sep only £995 per person
10-17 Oct only £975 per person
*Valid for bookings made up to the 31st Dec. Excludes departures that are within 12 weeks of departure. A further £100 per person is due by the 7th February and full payment is due 12 weeks before departure. This may be paid in installments if preferred.
Oonasdivers | Red Sea | Sea & Shore from £675
Book with a low deposit of just £100 per person*
Price includes flights, transfers, a 2 or 3 night mini liveaboard safari with 3 days liveaboard diving, 4 or 5 nights B&B at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving and 4 boat dives. FREE Nitrox.
Freedom V (3 nt mini safari) & Sharks Bay Umbi Village
Ras Mohammed & Wrecks | Ras Mohammed & Tiran
14-21 Mar only £675 (Ras Mo & Wrecks)
16–23 May only £750 (Ras Mo & Tiran)
20-27 Jun only £780 (Ras Mo & Wrecks)
19-26 Sep only £780 (Ras Mo & Tiran)
10-17 Oct only £750 (Ras Mo & Wrecks)
Freedom VIII (2 nt mini safari) & Sharks Bay Umbi Village
Mini Wreck | Mini Ras Mohammed & Tiran | Mini Tiran
21-28 Mar only £815 per person (Mini Ras Mo & Tiran)
18-25 Apr only £820 per person (Mini Wreck)
6-13 Jun only £805 per person (Mini Tiran)
4-11 July only £815 per person (Mini Ras Mo & Tiran)
5-12 Sep only £825 per person (Mini Ras Mo & Tiran)
17-24 Oct only £840 per person (Mini Ras Mo & Tiran)
*Valid for bookings made up to the 31st Dec. Excludes departures that are within 12 weeks of departure. A further £100 per person is due by the 7th February and full payment is due 12 weeks before departure. This may be paid in installments if preferred.
Oonasdivers | South Africa from £1395
Shark Diving South Africa – Scuba Addicts Lodge
Price includes flights, transfers, 6 nights B&B and 10 Shark Dives.
24-31 Jan only £1395 per person
7-14 Feb only £1395 per person
7-14 Mar only £1395 per person
25 Apr – 2 May only £1395 per person
30 May – 6 Jun only £1395 per person
5-12 Sep only £1395 per person
10-17 Oct only £1395 per person
ScubaAddicts Sardine Run
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B, 5 days Sardine Run Diving and 2 dives Aliwal Shoal.
21-29 Jun only £2430 per person
2-10 Jul only £2320 per person
Oonasdivers | Caribbean | Tobago from £965
Toucan Inn, Pigeon Point
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B and 10 dives with weights and cylinders.
6-13 Jan only £990 per person
13-20 Jan only £990 per person
3-10 Feb only £990 per person
17-24 Mar only £990 per person
21-28 Apr only £965 per person
28 Apr – 5 May only £965 per person
Blue Waters Inn, Speyside
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B and 10 dives inclusive of equipment.
3-10 Feb only £1395 per person
10-17 Mar only £1395 per person
21-28 Apr only £1395 per person
Oonasdivers | Sudan from £2475
Royal Evolution
Price includes 14 nights full board (13 nights onboard and 1 night hotel either before or after your trip), 12 days liveaboard diving with weights and cylinders and the Egyptian Visa. Sudanese visas and taxes are payable locally in Euro.
25 Feb – 11 Mar only £2550 per person
11-25 Mar only £2475 per person
25 Mar – 8 Apr only £2475 per person
8-22 Apr only £2945 per person
20 May – 3 Jun only £2850 per person
Oonasdivers | Malta & Gozo from £625
Dive Malta with Maltaqua
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights self catering at the Sands Apartments and 10 dives.
2-9 May only £660 per person
6-13 Jun only £680 per person
5-12 Sep only £710 per person
3-10 Oct only £625 per person
Discover Gozo with Calypso Divers
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B at the Calypso Hotel and 10 dives.
18-25 Apr only £675 per person
9-16 May only £675 per person
6-13 Jun only £695 per person
19-26 Sep only £720 per person
10-17 Oct only £650 per person
Oonasdivers | Canary Islands | El Hierro from £670
Dive El Hierro with Shane Gray
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights self catering and 10 dives.
9-16 Mar only £670 per person
23-30 Mar only £670 per person
Oonasdivers | Cyprus from £795
Dive Cyprus with Latchi Watersports
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B at the Souli Beach Hotel and 10 dives.
3-10 May only £795 per person
7-14 Jun only £795 per person
Oonasdivers | Maldives | Liveaboards from £1605
Emperor Atoll
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 17 dives.
30 Jan – 7 Feb – Sharktastic only £1605 per person
22-30 May – Pelagic Magic only £1720 per person
29 May – 6 Jun – Pelagic Magic only £1645 per person
5-13 Jun – Pelagic Magic only £1645 per person
12-20 Jun – Pelagic Magic only £1645 per person
19-27 Jun – Pelagic Magic only £1645 per person
For more information or to book, contact the Oonasdivers team now by calling +44 (0)1323 648924, email info@oonasdivers.com or visit www.oonasdivers.com.
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Creature Feature: Undulate Ray
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 looking at the Undulate Ray. Easily identified by its beautiful, ornate pattern, the Undulate Ray gets its name from the undulating patterns of lines and spots on its dorsal side.
This skate is usually found on sandy or muddy sea floors, down to about 200 m deep, although it is more commonly found shallower. They can grow up to 90 cm total length. Depending on the size of the individual, their diet can range from shrimps to crabs.
Although sometimes called the Undulate Ray, this is actually a species of skate, meaning that, as all true skates do, they lay eggs. The eggs are contained in keratin eggcases – the same material that our hair and nails are made up of! These eggcases are also commonly called mermaid’s purses and can be found washed up on beaches all around the UK. If you find one, be sure to take a picture and upload your find to the Great Eggcase Hunt – the Shark Trust’s flagship citizen science project.
It is worth noting that on the south coasts, these eggcases can be confused with those of the Spotted Ray, especially as they look very similar and the ranges overlap, so we sometimes informally refer to them as ‘Spundulates’.
Scientific Name: Raja undulata
Family: Rajidae
Maximum Size: 90cm (total length)
Diet: shrimps and crabs
Distribution: found around the eastern Atlantic and in the Mediterranean Sea.
Habitat: shelf waters down to 200m deep.
Conservation Status : As a commercially exploited species, the Undulate Ray is a recovering species in some areas. The good thing is that they have some of the most comprehensive management measures of almost any elasmobranch species, with both minimum and maximum landing sizes as well as a closed season. Additionally, targeting is entirely prohibited in some areas. They are also often caught as bycatch in various fisheries – in some areas they can be landed whilst in others they must be discarded.
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Image Credits: Banner – Sheila Openshaw; Illustration – Marc Dando
Blogs
Guarding Against Coral Invaders
Protecting (Dutch) Caribbean Reefs from Unomia stolonifera
Recent reports highlight the concerning spread of the invasive soft coral, Unomia stolonifera, currently devastating Venezuela’s marine ecosystems and detected in Cuba. With the potential threat of its expansion to the (Dutch) Caribbean islands, urgent action and awareness are essential to safeguard marine biodiversity and local economies from possible catastrophic consequences.
Invasive species are animals or plants from another region of the world that don’t belong in their new environment. These species can have major ecological effects by decimating native flora or fauna. They can also cause large economic losses and impact human health. Invasive species also pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems worldwide, including the Dutch Caribbean. Among these invaders is the octocoral species Unomia stolonifera or “Pulsing Xenia”, originally from the Indo-Pacific. With its rapid growth and lack of natural predators, this species can outcompete native species and disrupt fragile marine habitats such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.
Background
The invasive soft coral U. stolonifera was first identified in 2014, off the coast of Venezuela. It is believed to have been introduced via the illegal aquarium trade. Since this species can reproduce sexually and asexually (or fragment), even small pieces can regenerate to spread. Once introduced it quickly took over shallow reefs and hard substrate at depths of 0-50 meters, outcompeting local corals and seagrass for space. Follow on surveys found that this coral species exhibited average percentage cover as high as 80%, vastly outcompeting native corals. In highly colonized areas, fish are disappearing due to loss of habitats.
In 2022, during a survey conducted in Cuba by the University of Havana, an unknown octocoral was discovered which was later identified as the invasive Unomia stolonifera. It is suspected that the coral larvae arrived in ballast water from fossil fuel ships originating from Venezuela, as nearby sites adjacent to Venezuelan ports have been heavily affected by the invasion.
How to help
Prevention through continuous monitoring, particularly in high-risk areas such as marine harbors and oil facilities, is paramount. Early detection plays a pivotal role in mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera.
The public’s involvement and awareness are also vital. Local communities, recreational divers, tourists, and all stakeholders are urged to participate in early detection efforts by reporting sightings (photo, location and date) of this invasive coral to their respective Protected Area Management Organization (PMO’s)- the Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA), STINAPA Bonaire, CARMABI Curaçao , Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF), Nature Foundation St. Maarten (NFSXM) and St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA). If an invaded area is confirmed, follow the recommendations by the local PMO’s.
Keys to Success
Despite the challenges, early detection is key to mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera. With continued vigilance, research, and community engagement, there is hope for containing this potential issue before it becomes a major threat.
About the DCNA
The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports (science) communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature related (scientific) information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s news platform BioNews and through the press. This article contains the results from several scientific studies but the studies themselves are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article.
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